San Jose, CA — August 5, 2016. San Jose Earthquakes take on New York City FC.
Atlanta United hosted New York City FC Sunday afternoon looking for revenge from the 3-1 beating it took from its visitors at Yankee Stadium a pair of weeks ago.
The first-year Major League Soccer franchise didn’t waste any time in getting it.
Coming in with the league’s second most potent attack, Atlanta blitzed the Boys in Blue early, scoring three goals — two from Miguel Almiron, one from Hector Villalba — in seven minutes to settle the result early. Jack Harrison pulled one back for NYCFC with 20 minutes to go, but it wouldn’t be enough as Atlanta defeated its visitors 3-1, the same scoreline as the previous meeting in the Bronx.
“We made too many mistakes,” said NYCFC head coach Patrick Vieira in a video posted on the club’s official Twitter account. “When you make a mistake against a quality team like Atlanta, you get punished right away. Then it was really difficult for us to get back into the game.”
.@OfficialVieira: "I was really pleased with the attitude and the character we showed in the second half…" #NYCFC pic.twitter.com/9kGaiFcKzB
— New York City FC (@NYCFC) May 29, 2017
NYCFC had a chance to cut the deficit 15 minutes after the third goal through David Villa, who entered the match a goal shy of becoming the first player in club history to reach 50 goals, but the Spaniard’s strike at the top of the penalty box following a nifty turn was pushed away by Atlanta goalkeeper Alec Kann.
Despite holding 57 percent of the possession and earning more corners than Gerardo Martino’s side, NYCFC wouldn’t create another quality chance until midway through the second half when Harrison fired in a cross from Ben Sweat past Kann.
But it would be too little, too late as NYCFC return home from a four-game road trip with four points to show following a win, a draw and a pair of losses.
“(Atlanta) made it really hard for us to play,” Harrison said in a video posted on the club’s official Twitter account. “They finished their chances when they could and I think that was the biggest thing. As soon as they got the second goal and a third one, it gave us a big mountain to climb. So we need to be more weary of that in the future.”
The goal scorer @Harrison_Jack11 breaks down a tough day at the office… #NYCFC pic.twitter.com/GEz5UuYav7
— New York City FC (@NYCFC) May 29, 2017
The Boys in Blue have a quick turnaround as they return to the Bronx, where they will host the New England Revolution, who suffered a 2-1 defeat to mutual rival New York Red Bulls on Saturday, this Wednesday night.
“We have to keep in our mind that the way we played in the second half and we have to start again with better concentration and focus and we have to keep going,” Vieira said. “We don’t have time to feel sorry for ourselves because we have an important game to prepare for on Wednesday, so as a staff, we need to analyze the game and try to improve one or two things for the game.”
Follow Brian Fonseca on Twitter @briannnnf for updates. Email him at brianfilipefonseca@gmail.com with questions, concerns, tips or story ideas.
