New York City FC goalscorers Jack Harrison and David Villa celebrate the third and final goal of a 3-1 win over Minnesota United at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, June 29. (Photo Credit: NYCFC)
NEW YORK —— Jack Harrison, the hero in New York City FC’s historic win at Red Bull Arena at the weekend, brought his cape back with him across the Hudson River, scoring another crucial goal for the Boys in Blue.
After opening the scoring in a dominant 2-0 win over the New York Red Bulls Saturday with a lovely curler, Harrison would show he could score with his head as well against visiting Minnesota United Thursday night at Yankee Stadium. With the score knotted at one and 10 minutes gone in the second half, the Englishman found a pocket of space at the back post as Rodney Wallace worked the ball on the opposite wing.
Timing his run to perfection, Harrison was in perfect position to dive into a cross from Wallace, heading his eighth goal on the season past Bobby Shuttleworth to complete the turnaround and give NYCFC a lead it would not relinquish.
Goal #8 so far this season for @Harrison_Jack11 as #NYCFC takes the lead early in the second half…#NYCFC 2-1 @MNUFC pic.twitter.com/tlTpN7GHVQ
— New York City FC (@NYCFC) June 30, 2017
Harrison would play a part of NYCFC’s third as well, albeit a small one. His touch over his defender sent David Villa into space on the wing, where the best player on the pitch got to show off. Villa dribbled past a defender into space in the box, muscling another off him before rifling it past Shuttleworth to push the scoreline to its final result of 3-1 in the home side’s favor.
.@Guaje7Villa on ? #NYCFC pic.twitter.com/5QRqe5ENIp
— New York City FC (@NYCFC) June 30, 2017
It was all New York for most of the match, but especially so in the early going, possession and midfield completely controlled by the home side as they sent in cross after cross. One got the sense that if the flow continued in that direction, the Boys in Blue would have an easy night.
Things wouldn’t work out that way as misfortune would strike in the eighth minute. Left-back Ronald Matarrita reaggravated the ankle he was returning from — Thursday was his first start since the injury — and was subsequently substituted for Mikey Lopez.
Matarrita’s inclusion in the line-up was one of two changes from the starting 11 that put in a top-notch performance against the Red Bulls. With regular starting goalkeeper Sean Johnson away from the club after receiving a call-up to the United States Men’s National Team for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Norwegian which shared his position finally got a chance.
Eirek Johansen, who backed up Josh Saunders last season as well, was placed between the pipes, but similar as his last name is to Johnson’s, the level of his play against the Loons was nowhere close.
The errors began in his first call to action seconds after play resumed following the Matarrita injury when Minnesota midfielder Ibarra tried a shot from as far out as Manhattan. Despite having plenty of time, Johansen couldn’t hold onto the strike, coughing it up right in front of Christian Ramirez, who had no issue slotting it in to open the scoring and push his goal total on the season to double-digits.
Too easy. @Chris_Ramirez17 gets number ? on the season! #NYCvMIN https://t.co/jqVc9qEZAM
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 29, 2017
“It’s difficult for the goalkeeper when you don’t play really often. I think he will always find it really difficult, especially in the first 20 minutes just to get used to the game,” said head coach Patrick Vieira. “I think yes, he had the goal that we conceded, he could do better but I was really pleased with the reaction that he had after that. The few times he came out, he was a really important player for us and I was really pleased with his reaction. I think he showed a lot of character.”
The response from New York was just as quick, midfielder Yangel Herrera flashing a shot at the top of the box just wide of goal seconds after play recommenced. It took another 10 minutes for NYCFC to get another quality chance but it would pay off with a barrage of opportunity. But unfortunately for Patrick Vieira’s side, neither Jack Harrison nor Thomas McNamara nor Maxime Chanot capitalize.
NYCFC would soon see the visitors grow into the match and nearly double its lead 10 minutes from halftime. Ibarra was a catalyst once again, finding space on the left wing in a Minnesota counterattack where he was 1-on-1 with Maxime Chanot then turning the centerback inside out with some clever dribbling. His cross wouldn’t be as good, however, floating just over Kevin Molino’s head.
A miss on one end would doom United to suffering an equalizer on the other. A slide tackle on Ben Sweat in the Minnesota box came out clean but would leave the ball floating in space, allowing Chanot’s partner in the back Alexander Callens to slot it between Bobby Shuttleworth’s legs and into the back of the net.
.@Alexcallens06 to @22BenSweat back to @Alexcallens06 for the goal to level things up in the first half at Yankee Stadium… #NYCFC pic.twitter.com/aQ9YA85CwA
— New York City FC (@NYCFC) June 30, 2017
NYCFC earned two corners immediately out of the break which resulted in nothing, but it would be in the run of play that Wallace would pick out Harrison at the far post with a cross to give the Boys in Blue their first lead.
“I said the last time we played at home and I’ll say the same (today), I don’t like to come back,” Villa said. “I like more to score the first goal, but this is soccer and the team showed good character and want to win after the goal of Minnesota. This is great for us, but I repeat, we want to score the first goal and not have to comeback again.”
Villa would soon double the lead in the final third and Johansen would be stable enough on the other end to qualm the many Minnesota attempts at scoring on the other end. Wallace had a chance to complete the triangle of goals and assists with Villa and Harrison but he hit a couple of good chances wide.
With 12 minutes to go, Wallace would make way for Andrea Pirlo, returning to action for the first time since a knee injury he sustained in training on May 20. The legend was greeted as such, receiving a standing ovation as loud as the three previous goal chants as he awaited on the touchline and getting plenty of claps whenever he touched the ball.
Pirlo, in essence, played the part of the victory cigar — the match was in hand and not even the shakiness of Johansen in net would change that.
With the win, the Boys in Blue stretch two separate unbeaten streaks — at home and overall — in Major League Soccer play to five matches, their last loss coming in Atlanta May 28. With the loss, Minnesota United remains winless away from home in nine matches.
“I was really pleased. I think we showed a lot of character today,” Vieira said. “It was a challenge for the players to see how long we can play with the same kind of intensity and concentration and today was another big game, not just the way we played because I think we played really well but I was really pleased because of the way we worked hard together and the character of this team has been fantastic since the beginning of the season.”
***************************************************************************************
Scoring Summary:
New York City 0-1 Minnesota United — Christian Ramirez 9’
New York City 1-1 Minnesota United — Alexander Callens (assist: Ben Sweat, 38’)
New York City 2-1 Minnesota United — Jack Harrison (assist: Rodney Wallace, 52’)
New York City 3-1 Minnesota United — David Villa (assist: Jack Harrison, 63’)
Starting Line-Ups:
NYCFC: Eirek Johansen, Ben Sweat, Maxime Chanot, Alexander Callens, Ronald Matarrita (Mikey Lopez, 9’), Alex Ring, Yangel Herrera, Thomas McNamara (Frederic Brillant, 84′), Jack Harrison, Rodney Wallace (Andrea Pirlo, 78′) David Villa.
Minnesota United: Bobby Shuttleworth, Kevin Venegas, Jermaine Taylor, Francisco Calvo, Jerome Thiesson, Sam Cronin, Ibson, Kevin Molino, Johan Venegas, Miguel Ibarra (Ismaila Jorne, 73′), Christian Ramirez.
***************************************************************************************
Follow Brian Fonseca on Twitter @briannnnf for updates. Email him at brianfilipefonseca@gmail.com with questions, concerns, tips or story ideas.
NYCFC
Minnesota United FC
