Three Points is Three Points for NYCFC

It was not the prettiest of second halves for New York City Football Club, but the team was able to pull out a 1-0 win at home against the Columbus Crew Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium. It was three points that the team needed to stay in the race for first in the East. However, looking ahead to the Hudson River Derby this weekend, Dome Torrent has to wonder if this is an anomaly or a trend.
NYC was dominant in the first half of the game, enjoying over 70 percent possession and controlling every statistical category, but the team only had one goal to show for it. In the thirty sixth minute, Maxi Moralez send a superb chip over the back line to a breaking Taty Castellanos. Castellanos found himself with the ball at his feet and a one on one with the keeper. He did not throw away his shot. He sent it calmly into the back right corner of the net and put NYC ahead for good.
At the half Dome Torrent commented that his players had to display more energy and pass faster in order to create more chances. The expectation from all who were watching would be that the team would come out of the locker room and dominate again in the second half sending the goal tally higher.
But it was a tale of two halves. Caleb Porter’s men were the ones who came out with more energy as NYC took their foot off the gas it seemed. The addition of Pedro Santos and the willingness to press higher up the pitch gave Columbus the edge for most of the second half. It was not the reaction the fans or the manager wanted from NYC to be sure.
Is this a trend? Last week against Cincinnati, NYC displayed a similar lack of energy. The score line did not reflect the team’s lack of cohesion but the problem remains. against better teams NYC will pay for their lack of energy and precision. This weekend’s match up with New York Red Bulls will be a true test of the team’s quality.
Good things arose out of Wednesday however. The team was able to rest some players with Alexandru Mitrita and Keaton Parks sitting on the bench most of the match. They should be healthy and rested this weekend. Their addition into the line up in the second half gave NYC new life in the attack.
The win moved NYC within one point of Atlanta and Philadelphia for first place in the East. NYC have games in hand on both clubs and go into this weekend’s home match perched to claim the top spot. They will have to fend off the Red Bulls, however, who won on the road against DC united and claimed the fourth spot on the table. It will be a game that means something for fans, for the team, for the playoffs, and for the confidence going forward. It will need to be effective and pretty. It will need to be a win.