Alexander Callens celebrates scoring the game-winning goal for New York City FC in a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union on June 3 at Yankee Stadium. (Credit: NYCFC)
NEW YORK — Having given up a late equalizer four days ago to the New England Revolution, New York City FC wanted to avoid the same scenario in its match against the Philadelphia Union Saturday.
Avoid it the team did, only this time it was on the other end of the situation, chasing that late goal rather than trying to prevent it.
The Union opened the scoring in the 69th minute, a climax to its ascension from its early passivity which rose to sharp attacking aggression out of the halftime interval. It was Fafa Picault, receiving the ball on the left, cutting inside and curling it past Sean Johnson, who would first strike, leaving the Boys in Blue scrambling to crack the brick wall that Union goalkeeper Andre Blake was on the day.
Picault delivers in his hometown! The @PhilaUnion takes the lead. #NYCvPHI https://t.co/QSQB5onjvL
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 3, 2017
After the main tools in Patrick Vieira’s arsenal kept chipping away at that wall — David Villa, Maxi Moralez, Alexander Ring — it was a pair of unlikely heros who emerged to salvage the home side.
Maxime Chanot, a centerback who nearly left the match midway through the first half after a nasty collision with the Union’s Oguchi Onyewu, attacked a corner from Moralez at the near post and was rewarded, producing a powerful header that equalized the match in the 80th minute.
.@NYCFC's right back in this one! Maxine Chanot pulls one back for the home team. #NYCvPHI https://t.co/rzQvzH3MHm
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 3, 2017
Five minute later, the comeback was completed by his partner in the middle of defense Alexander Callens, the centerback recovering a spilled ball by Blake after saving a shot from Villa and slotting it into the corner, sending most of those at Yankee Stadium into a frenzy.
.@NYCFC takes the lead! It's 2-1 in the Bronx. #NYCvPHI https://t.co/hE0sbZWoKN
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 3, 2017
The final whistle blew eight minutes later and the Boys in Blue would celebrate even harder than the fans, a combination of relief and excitement crossing their minds as they emerged 2-1 winners.
For once, they were the team on the right end of late drama on their pitch.
“I think as a team, we didn’t accept the defeat and we fight back and I’m really proud of this team,” said head coach Patrick Vieira. “You see that Alex had a problem with his shoulder. He played with pain. He didn’t want to come off and that’s a sign of strength of the player. … the way we fight back makes me really proud and today I’m really proud of my players because we have a really long run of games away from home. We went 1-0 down and we find the desire to come back and win the game and that’s fantastic, that’s really good.”
The final twenty minutes of the match were a stark contrast to the first hour before it, which unfolded much like rivalry matches at times do — slow, deliberate, timid. Neither side wanted to concede and so neither NYCFC nor the Philadelphia Union dared to pressure too high up the pitch, each afraid to make a mistake.
There were exceptions in the first frame, though it took time for it to occur and they came few and far between.
Maxi Moralez nearly put the home side up twice in quick succession, first attempting his best David Villa impression with a lob from the center circle that went high and wide, then missing in the same spot but in much better position, with acres of space isolated with Blake the only thing in his way.
The Union would create some chances soon after, first through a strike from 30 yards out by Ilsinho which forced Sean Johnson into his first save of the afternoon, diving to his right to push it out for a corner.
Shortly after the corner, another chance emerged for Onyewu, his header going high and his head banging against Chanot’s, leaving both defenders laying on the pitch. While Chanot stayed on and played the part of a savior, Onyewu would be subbed off in the 40th minute after a brief return for fear of a possible concussion.
NYCFC came closest to opening the scoring in the first half, its best opportunity arriving shortly after the half-hour mark. Provider of the best pass of the half, Ring was closest to putting the ball in the back of the net as well, rocketing a strike against the post in the 33rd minute. The follow up would fall to Villa’s feet, but his strike was saved by Blake from nearly point-blank range, spilling the ball before it was cleared by a Union defender.
Oh so close for #NYCFC. Ring off the post. @Guaje7Villa denied. Just out of @Alexcallens06 reach. We go on…#NYCFC 0-0 @PhilaUnion pic.twitter.com/MCdGh3fxPM
— New York City FC (@NYCFC) June 3, 2017
The save was the first of many magnificent stops for Blake, easily the Union’s best player on a day he almost carried them to victory.
He’d save yet another strike from Villa, denying the striker of his 50th career goal for NYCFC for at least another two weeks. The play began with Jack Harrison receiving the ball on the right flank, beating a defender and cutting it back to Villa, setting up a strike which was strong but place at the perfect height for Blake to save without much trouble, leaving the match scoreless heading into the break.
“I think it’s not about being unlucky, it’s not about the players, I think it’s just about the goalkeeper,” Vieira said of his team missing chances. “When you look at the saves that (Blake) had, he was fantastic today and you have to give him a lot of credit because he kept his team in the game and he made it difficult for us.”
Philadelphia came out of halftime energized, adding far more pressure in attack than it had all of the first half but to no avail.
Apart from forcing Johnson into a save in the first minute and in the 55th, there wasn’t much action from either side until moments before the opening goal.
Prior to Picault’s opener, it was NYCFC who appeared closest to doing the same, a great combination between Moralez and Villa ending with a beautifully curved first-time shot from the Spaniard rocking the crossbar, the third of four strikes against the woodwork on the day, two for either side.
OFF THE CROSSBAR! #NYCvPHI https://t.co/F37g3XTucl
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 3, 2017
Staring in the face at another disappointing result at home, the Boys in Blue began to bring all they could forward, which yielded results quickly.
Five minutes after conceding, NYCFC was back to forcing Blake to perform more magic, first blocking a strike from the center of the box from Villa and then the rebound from Ring, a strike from outside the box which glided on the ground, forcing Blake to dive quickly to his right.
Not one but 2️⃣ big saves by Blake! #NYCvPHI https://t.co/vvuGRfTst3
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 3, 2017
The penultimate of Blake’s seven saves would be the last crack the wall would take, Chanot’s rocking header to equalize in the 80th minute opening the floodgates for his partner to cash in on. The final save came again against Villa, again slipped out of Blake’s grasp but this time was pushed past him by Callens, leaving anyone wearing light blue in the Bronx in ecstacy.
The result leaves NYCFC at second in the Eastern Conference, though they could be back in fifth place by the end of the weekend depending on results of other matches.
Before worrying about that, though, they’ll be celebrating their achievement on Saturday — made all that much sweeter by the way it was done.
“I think today it was all about togetherness and a lot of character,” Vieira said. “Because we didn’t accept to lose that game.”
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Follow Brian Fonseca on Twitter @briannnnf for updates. Email him at brianfilipefonseca@gmail.com with questions, concerns, tips or story ideas.
