On Saturday, it took ten men and a heroic effort in sweltering conditions for New York City Football Club to answer the questions posed by many after the disappointing draw against Toronto. Yes, NYCFC are a playoff team. Yes, they do deserve to be competing for the Supporter’s Shield and yes, they have depth on the bench.
It was always going to be a tough task. NYCFC was limping into the game with Rodney Wallace, Ronald Matarrita, Khiry Shelton and Maxime Chanot on the injury list. Chicago had not lost a game since April and posesses two of the most exciting attackers in MLS in Nemanja Mikolic and David Accam. Oh, and then there is a guy named Bastian Schweinsteiger, who has done a few thing in the world of international soccer. Also, the NYCFC fans were nervous after the Toronto let down and needed a win.
In a heroic effort NYCFC gave their fans plenty to cheer about even if the referee did not. Proponents of VAR will be using the no call on a clear penalty kick in the fourth minute as an example of why it is needed. Yangel Herrera was taken down in the box on a obvious foul and goal scoring opportunity but the Allen Chapman was definitive in his choice not to blow the whistle. To make matters worse he would then go on to give Herrera two yellow cards in the next 8 minute span and send him packing for an early day. Herrera did commit the fouls but to not call the clear penalty and then to card him twice for much less flagrant violation had the fans and the announcers on YES Network scratching their heads in disbelief.
NYCFC would not be deterred, however, and held on through the half, even looking the more dangerous team for most of it. It was the rookie with his first start, Jonathan Lewis, who would link up with David Villa to give the fans something to really cheer about. Shortly after the half, Villa made a nice pass down the wing to Lewis who made a cut back that left the Chicago defender, Michael Harrington, stumbling and served up a line drive back to Villa just outside the box. Villa again showed why he was the MVP last year by striking a one touch volley streaking toward the goal. Matt Lampson saw the ball late and that was all Villa needed to add his fourteenth goal of the season to his talley.
The heroics continued just two minutes later when Fredric Brillant, who has born the brunt of fan ire for some performances this season, proved his quality by latching onto an excellent free kick from Maxi Moralez and heading the ball on goal. Lampson made a good save but could not control the ball and Brillant headed it home as he was falling, taking a kick to the face in the process. Brillant was excellent on the day stepping in for Chanot. He played well and showed why he is an important member of the team and why Patrick Vieira has so much faith in him. He sacrificed his body and gave his all throughout the game but no more than in scoring his first goal of the season.
The crowd was going wild in Yankee stadium as the team with only ten men on the pitch had taken a remarkable two nothing lead, but Accam brought them back down to earth with a monster strike from distance bringing the Fire back to within one.
From that point on it was a hard-fought and gritty performance from NYCFC. Ben Sweat had earlier had to leave the game with a possible concussion after a very scary knock with Brillant, but Mikey Lopez added more time to his stint on the back line, proving himself a worthy substitute.
Not enough good can be said about the team and how they rebounded from Wednesday. They fought through tough conditions and tough calls ( or no calls) and showed they have the quality and the depth to go far this year. This boost in confidence will go a long way as they make the trip this weekend to face a re-stocked Toronto FC, who currently sit atop the table. The win against the Fire, though, keeps NYCFC only three points behind Toronto and only one behind Chicago in the table. NYCFC will be without Herrera for the game and will have to find a way to replace him, but one can look to Saturday and ask, “what would the score have been if they had eleven men on the pitch for 90 minutes?” For NYCFC it must feel so much better to ask questions like that instead of the ones they were asking on Thursday. Those have been answered.
Chicago Fire
