Oct 17, 2022; Queens, New York, USA; New York City FC midfielder Gabriel Pereira (38) celebrates his goal in the 63rd minute during the second half of a MLS Eastern Conference quarterfinal match against Inter Miami CF at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Gonzalo Higuain has had an amazing career. He has spent time at some of the biggest clubs in the world. He has been celebrated at the highest level as a goal scorer, but it all came to an end on a rainy Monday in Queens, NY, as New York City Football club scored three goals, kept a clean sheet and sent Inter Miami back to Florida.
New York City looked like a team nobody wants to face in the playoff’s, seeming to up their intensity and pace from the regular season just like they did last year when they won it all.
The atmosphere created by over 18,000 fans at Citi Field was electric and confirmed that is was the right choice for management to move the home game from Red Bull Arena to Queens. Indeed NYCFC managed to bring in more fans in Queens on a rainy night than their cross river rivals were able to muster at RBA on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The results were better as well.
The first half was solid for both squads with NYCFC controlling possession and hitting the woodwork on three different occasions. Miami FC had some counters that were dangerous but could not handle the high press of home squad. At Half the score was 0-0 and the rain had started to fall.
Then NYCFC took over in the second half. Maxi Moralez was a boss in the midfield and the whole team seemed to respond with new energy putting Miami on their heels again and again. In the 63 minute the goal came off a wonderful play by Sant Rodriguez to fight off four defenders and get the ball to a wide open Gabriel Pereira. The young Brazilian sent a rocket of a shot in the far corner of the goal and the crowd went wild.
Before the smoke could even clear from the celebration of the first goal, NYCFC added another. this was possibly the best goal the club has scored all year with nineteen total passes and ten different players touching the ball before Rodriguez deftly backheeled the ball to Moralez for the goal. It was the kind of play that demonstrates all NYCFC have tried to accomplish this year and the way they want to play. Miami had no answers.
Nick Cushing applauded his team’s effort on the second goal after the game.
“It’s a testament to the work that we have put in over the course of the season, and over the last ten weeks. We have put in such hard work to make sure that we play together. We have had a lot of players playing in a lot of games. We have settled on a lot of minutes for 12 or 13 guys. If you look at the likes of [CF] Montreal and Philadelphia [Union], that is where they gain consistency. We have managed to get that with a healthy roster. If you do that, you have guys playing with freedom and they are content and settled. Once that is achieved, you will get goals and performances like tonight. Of course we are really proud of that second goal.”
NYCFC were not done yet, however. Their press paid off in stoppage time as Heber neatly picked off a ball from Miami keeper, Drake Callender, and sent it back past him into the goal. Cushing was very complimentary of his striker after the match.
“We let Héber play, he is an experienced player and has had big moments for NYCFC. You have to trust that guy, he will score every time he plays if we can keep possession and we can get the ball in and around the goal. His fight, hold up and link up play was excellent tonight, I thought his performance today was very very good. We do not have to change the team, he is a top top player.”
On the whole the night was a good one for NYCFC and set the tone for the club in the playoffs. Now they will see if this form can translate in Montreal this Sunday. Last time the club was there the result was a dismal scoreless draw with NYCFC not registering a single shot on goal. The game will test the evolution of NYCFC under Cushing and will serve as a good marker for his influence on the team. The win over Miami last night gave Cushing a five game winning streak for the first time as a head coach and did a lot to erase the memories of the dismal fall the club took in August. He was asked about his tenure after the match.
“I think I took over and kept everything consistent. We played the way we decided on. I was on the staff before so I was part of playing the way that we played. I think we picked up too many draws in the start. I realized it had to be myself. The first change was FC Dallas away. I think that was the first small showing of the man I came to see as a coach. Then we went to Red Bull away and that’s when we started to pick up. I saw a move back into our old ways and I’m not saying that’s wrong because we won an MLS Cup playing our way and it was really good. We started to pick up some injuries and I think since I changed the system it almost reinvented the team a little bit. We started to pick up some pace and that’s why the performances started to maybe feel like we were starting to go in the right direction leading into playoffs.”
If the result against Inter Miami is any indication then Cushing has it right. It was a fun night for the fans and player alike. It was the last game for a legend on Miami and the start of a fresh start at a 2022 MLS Cup run for NYCFC. Sunday is the next test. At this point it is one game at a time.
NYCFC
May, 2024
