Talented players can change games. Talented players can lift their team out of a bad situation. When Columbus came to play NYCFC on Saturday night everyone found out what a talented player Lucas Zelarayan is as he lifted his team over the home squad in dramatic fashion off of two amazing free kicks from outside the box.
NYCFC dominated the game in every major statistical category. They enjoyed 56.5 percent of possession and outshot Columbus 17 to 10. Ronny Deila had his team ready to play and NYCFC pounced on Columbus from the get go. The first half was one of the more dominating performances in MLS this season with Columbus only registering one shot. Ismael Tajouri-Shradi scored just 18 minutes in off some wonderful build up play from Valentine Castellanos. The team was clicking and Columbus had to absorb attack after attack in search of a second goal.
But Caleb Porter’s men got through the first half only down one goal. and were able to regroup at the interval. The second half was more balanced but still with NYCFC enjoying more of the game. In the 82nd minute however a foul by Gudmunder Thorarrinson gave Columbus a chance outside on the left side of the pitch. In what can only be described as a wonder shot, Zelarayan launched the ball over the wall and past a completely fooled Sean Johnson to level the score. That goal gave Columbus some life and the team pushed NYCFC for the final ten minutes of the game. in the waning seconds of the 95th minute it all seemed to happen again. Sebastian Ibeagha committed a foul just outside the box and Zelarayan slotted the ball over the wall and in the top right hand corner. Perhaps Johnson could have done better setting the wall. Perhaps he could have done better on the first goal as well, but the credit has to go to Zelarayan who lifted the game and snatched a victory out of defeat. NYCFC was shell-shocked after the final whistle, knowing they had let three point slip away with two free kicks.
May 22, 2021; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; New York City FC goalkeeper Sean Johnson (1) can not stop a shot by Columbus Crew midfielder Lucas Zelarrayan (not pictured) in front of midfielder Alexandru Matan (20) and midfielder Liam Fraser (18) and forward Jesus Medina (19) during the second half at Red Bull Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Deila had this to say after the game. ” Very tough results in this game…In some ways this loss is harder on the players than on the coaches… Today we are really organized, we are working very hard as a club, we create quite more, so in a way I am very happy with a lot of things the boys are doing, but of course you see losing that way is terrible.”
Delia had reason to be happy. NYCFC looked dangerous from the start and, with the squad missing a number of key players, they had controlled and managed Columbus for much of the game. All Zelarayn needed was two chances to change the outcome.
Tajouri-Shradi perhaps summed up the night the best after the game. ” If you don’t get the three points then my goal does not mean a thing. I was happy to score but we wanted to get the three points.”
