The last few weeks have been very good for New York City FC. They are unbeaten in their last five games and after last night are on a three-game winning streak. After looking dismal in the first few weeks on the road, City have turned their five game home stand into a statement that the young team is growing up before our eyes.
Not only did the team finally beat Charlotte FC last night, a takst they had been unable to accomplish since Charlotte joined the league, they responded to adversity well in the process. Kerwin Vargas put the visitors up in the third minute of the game and NYC seemed headed for an ugly loss but the team responded in kind and essentially dominated the game for the rest of the half and drew even just before half off a Keaton Parks header from a set piece.
Apr 27, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York City FC midfielder Keaton Parks (55) heads the ball against Charlotte FC midfielder Andrew Privett (34) for a goal during the first half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Over the course of the match, New York City had seventeen shots to Charlotte’s eight and enjoyed almost sixty percent of possession. It was the kind of possession that made the difference. In the past NYC would inflate their numbers passing back and around their own defensive end often creating an impression that even in a loss they controlled the ball most of the game. Saturday, New York City drove down the field with the ball and the passes they did make were largely dangerous and incisive.
Apr 27, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC forward Alonso Martinez (16) celebrates after scoring a goal against Charlotte FC in the second half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Everything paid off in stoppage time when alonso Martinez slotted home the winning goal to the delight of the home crowd. After losing to Portland in much the same fashion on March 9 in their home opener, it was a welcome reversal and a sign that the process Nick Cushing kept talking about in those early weeks seems to be working. He discussed the the learning curve after the match.
“I think we’ve done it as a coaching staff. We’ve done a lot of work with the team on the mentality of the group, on the attacking mentality of the group, on understanding that the nature of our league is, there’s good players, there’s top teams. You’re going to fall behind in moments. You’re going to have to execute results. And by executing results, you have to have a strong mentality, you have to have a real hunger and a drive. And I said to the group before the game, we’ve had a lot of instances as a group where maybe the results, like I said last week, we feel like ties should be wins or losses could have been ties. I said, ultimately in the game is the moment when you decide whether you’re going to accept it and you push hard and you continue to drive forward. And as a collective group, bench also, you decide what you want to take, you defend the game solid and you keep creating chances and you can pick up three points. I’m so proud of the group tonight because I think they show the winning mentality that they really have.”
Apr 27, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York City FC midfielder Keaton Parks (55) celebrates his goal against Charlotte FC with forward Agustin Ojeda (26) during the first half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
That winning mentality has turned the team around and brought them from bottom dwellers in the East al the way to sixth place in the standings. They have one more match at home next week against Colorado to pad their record before heading back out on the road. Yankee stadium has always been a fortress for NYC in the past, but if the team can start to couple that with road wins, a feat they have not accomplished in MLS since July of last year, then we can really start to believe in the process and enjoy watching the youngest team in MLS grow up before our eyes.
