They say revenge is a dish best served cold, but on a hot night in Orlando it never tasted so sweet for New York City Football Club as they dismantled Toronto for the first blow of the whistle. It was a rejuvenated and eager team that took the pitch for NYC and sent Toronto back to the Swan and Dolphin hotel to start packing their bags for the trip home. The score ended 3-1 but it easily could have been higher.
Earlier in the week Anton Tinnerholm had said “Revenge is the right word here,” when asked about the game against Toronto. He said the team was ready and looking to get a result against the squad who knocked City out of the playoffs last year and beat them earlier this year pre-pandemic shut down.
Coach Ronny Deila decided not to change the line up from the Miami game even though he had Heber and Maxi Moralez healthy again for consideration sending some doubt into fans eager to see this team playing exciting football again and looking like they did in 2019. That doubt was short lived as City came out guns blazing and took the lead off a nice strike by Jesus Medina.
In the fifth minute, a in-swinging ball off a set piece was initially repelled by Toronto but it landed right at the feet of Tinnerholm, who calmly passed it to an open Medina on the left side of goal. Medina, who has had confidence issues in the past, had a good first touch, maintained composure and powered the ball into the back of the net off the hands of a helpless Quentin Westberg.
It was a dream start for NYCFC and the best they have looked all tournament. Although the score would remain 1-0 for the first half there was never any doubt about who was in control of the game. Perhaps most impressive was NYCFC’s swarming press that stymied Alejandro Pozuelo up front and Michael Bradley in the midfield leaving Toronto feckless in the attack. Without Bradly’s ability to send dangerous balls to the wings and over the top Toronto looked lost and confused for much of the game. Deila admitted this was part of the plan executed to perfection.
“That was important for us. He is very good football player. He is one of the best I’ve seen in the league…he’s like a coach on the pitch. If he gets too much space we will have more trouble than we did today and the boys up front did a good job taking him out of the game.” He said Post game when ask about Bradley.
After Ismael Tajouri-Shradi pulled his hamstring late in the first half Deila decided to insert Moralez into the game and push Medina out to the wing. 2019 League assist leader picked up where he left off last year and in the fifty fifth minute sent a beautiful arching no look pass over Toronto’s back line setting up Valentine Castellanos for a decisive strike at goal. Again, the back powered through the hands of Westberg and NYCFC were clearly in the driver’s seat 2-0.
Not much can be said about Toronto who looked dangerous at time once they inserted a true number nine, Jozy Altidore, into the attack. Altidore has been struggling with fitness issues and after coming on his play for the ball was a vicious American football-like tackle against Maxime Chanot. The play, while cynical, did seem to spur Toronto into an attack mode as they searched for a way back into the game, but as they pushed forward it left them exposed to the counter and NYCFC took full advantage. In the eighty first minute a good play by substitute Gary McKay-Steven sent a cross into haber who deftly guided it with one touch to a wide open and waiting Moralez. This time there was no doubt. Westberg had no chance as Moralez sent the ball careening past him into the net. New York City was in cruise control at 3-0.
Toronto did not give up the fight, however and gave themselves a bit of a lifeline in the eighty seventh minute when Altidore headed a nice ball to a breaking Patrick Mullins in the box. Mullins, a former NYCFC player, did not miss and brought Toronto back within two. New York kept on the attack and easily could have had two more goals as Heber hit the crossbar not once but twice. It was a dominant performance from start to finish.
“It’s a process. It’s a different way from what they did last year. They have to understand what I want and I have to understand them. I think we’re getting more and more together and today was great team spirit, organization and discipline. The boys really wanted to win and if you have that every game we can fight for titles,” Deila said after the game.
After watching the game Saturday night fans can have a new hope that this team is still the one fighting for titles and, indeed, maybe deserving of one. One game does not a tournament make. however, and NYCFC will have prove themselves once again on Saturday night against the winner of Portland vs Cincinnati. If they can keep up the level of intensity, creativity, and discipline they put on display against Toronto, then they have a real shot.
Photos: Courtesy of MLS
New York City FC
Toronto FC
