Yesterday I decided to eschew the press box and attend the NYCFC home opener as a fan. It has been a long hard year for all of America and this was the first time fans had been allowed at a NYCFC match since March of 2020. It was going to be an emotional affair win or lose and I wanted to be there in the supporter’s section feeling the energy of the crowd and the team’s response to their presence in the stadium again. Respond they did by pounding Cincinnati FC, 5-0, over a commanding 90-minute time span. The sun was shining. The temperature was perfect. for an NYCFC fan it was a near perfect day.
Before I recap the game, the Yankee Stadium staff and crew deserve a shout out. Getting even a limited capacity crowd into the stadium with temperature checks, evidence of vaccination and mandatory mask wearing was a huge task and the staff seemed up to it. Aside from the peculiar fellow sitting behind me and my friends who spent the whole first half fighting with security about wearing a mask and complaining the COVID-19 was not real, the day went off without a hitch. After several discussions with security even the complainer seemed to settle down and enjoy the day. And there was much to enjoy.
The first half was a solid showing by the team and Jesus Medina got the team going by punching the ball into the back of the net off a free kick at just six minutes in. The crowd erupted and it suddenly felt like the team would live up to the promise of day. Ronny Deila started a slight different line up than last week in DC giving Andres Jasson his first start in his MLS career. It was Jasson who initially took the shot off the Gudmunder Thorarinsson ball into the box and Medina found himself in the right place at the right time to put NYCFC ahead early.
Apr 24, 2021; New York, New York, USA; New York City forward Jesus Medina (19) celebrates after scoring a goal against the FC Cincinnati during the first half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
Cincinnati tried to find the equalizer for much of the half and was able to put together a few good shots on target but Sean Johnson was up to the task and kept the clean sheet for the day making a few spectacular saves. The mood at half was buoyant and happy in the stands. Everyone was having a very good time.
The mood only improved in the second half as NYCFC put on a show. Medina would excel again sending a near perfect corner into Maxime Chanot in the 53rd minute. Chanot rose and beat Cincinnati keeper, Cody Cropper, to the ball. Ultimately it would go down as an own goal as the ball defected off a defender and in but Chanot put in the effort to make it happen.
Just three minutes later, NYCFC struck again off a free kick. Thorarinsson sent a near perfect ball whipping around the Cincinnati wall and into the back of the net. It was the way to imagine a goal to be scored when you draw it up on the practice field and Thorarinsson showed why Deila has so much confidence in him at left back.
The goals off set pieces kept coming. In the 64th minute, Maxi Moralez sent in a beautiful corner kick finding Valentin Castellanos at the back post. Castellanos sent a bullet of a shot into the box that looked to be going wide of goal but the force of it struck Nick Hagalund and ricocheted into the back of the net. The crowd went wild but NYCFC still was not done.
Apr 24, 2021; New York, New York, USA; New York City midfielder Valentin Castellanos (11) celebrates his goal against the FC Cincinnati during the second half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
In the 83rd minute, Medina again showed why the team has kept him around with a stunning strike of a corner kick. Moralez took a short corner slotting it for ward to Medina who struck a perfect kit towards the far post and in the back of the net. It it was a beautiful hit and was some relief for a player who has been maligned by many supporters over the years as not living up to his potential at the club. On Saturday he gave the fans nothing to complain about.
Medina talked about his experience post game. “I think playing in front of the fans after so long was a big motivating factor for us. We were able to put on a good game and the ideas we were working on midweek worked out for us. We are happy for the victory. On a personal level I think it’s a good moment for me and I just have to keep working hard to continue to play well.”
Deila was also pleased post game, “I think we were structured in the first half. It was an even first half, but I think in the second half we started to really play even more like we wanted to. We moved the ball quicker; we pressed them really good. We got good opportunities that made the game more easy for us. I also loved to see how fit we are and we can keep on going. We never stop. That’s what you want when you get a team under control like we did. You have to keep on scoring goals and enjoying the game and we did that. It was really good.”
Cincinnati had some chances on the day. One play stood out to me as a fan. In the 70th minute, Cincinnati tried to salvage something with some good build up play and two very dangerous shots but again it was Johnson who came up big in goal making a stellar double save a close range to deny the visiting team any positives on the day. Johnson was visibly pumped and turned to the supporters section and flexed and screamed and the crowd responded in kind. For a moment all was forgotten. COVID and a year of empty stadiums had never existed and it was the euphoria that comes from a great day of soccer bouncing around the stadium. It was the fans feeding the team and the team putting on a show. It was soccer in New York City again and it was glorious!
