NYCFC earned a solid point on the road with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against New England Revolution. Talles Magno was on the scoresheet for the Boys in Blue, equalizing on 80 minutes to cancel out Carles Gil’s opener at Gillette Stadium.
Report from NYCFC.com
Familiar foe over the years, the previous 12 meetings had proven evenly-matched with five wins apiece, and two draws. NYCFC were seeking a first road win of 2023, while New England had enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign, triumphing in four of their opening five fixtures to sit top of the Eastern Conference.
Head Coach Cushing made three changes to the City side that faced Houston Dynamo last time out, as Maxime Chanot, Mitja Ilenič and debutant Gabe Segal were named in the starting XI, in place of Tayvon Gray, Gabriel Pereira and Alfredo Morales. James Sands was handed the captain’s armband.
What went down in Foxborough 📼 pic.twitter.com/vnZ1O9wWMX
— New York City Football Club (@NYCFC) April 2, 2023
First Half
Cushing had called upon his side to be sharper in the final third ahead of the game, and the Boys in Blue carved three half-chances in the opening quarter-hour, as Ilenič, Santiago Rodríguez and Matías Pellegrini all fired off-target. Segal also scooped over for the visitors.
At the other end, the City defense had to be alert to thwart a series of dangerous crosses – Sands bravely throwing his body on the line to clear a teasing delivery – before Gustavo Bou forced the Luis Barraza into the game’s first save with a low drive.
Bou, who had netted twice in his previous two games, proved the hosts’ main threat of the first 45, curling a free-kick narrowly over the crossbar, and watching another effort deflect onto the roof of the net.
Second Half
The first opportunity of the second period saw Braian Cufré sting the palms of Djordje Petrovic with a powerful effort from the edge of the area.
The home side responded by threatening with a string of dangerous set-pieces, as Carles Gil struck the woodwork with a bending free-kick on 52’.
City then came within inches of breaking the deadlock when Talles Magno’s effort bounced just wide of the far post.
New England thought they had opened the scoring through a stroke of fortune, when Dylan Borrero’s whipped cross hit Ilenič and looped over Barraza, only for VAR to rule the goal out for offside with the goalkeeper’s line of vision obstructed.
The hosts would not be denied however, as Gil drove at the NYCFC defense and drilled low into the near post to hand the Eastern Conference leaders the advantage with 20 minutes to play.
Bou almost doubled the advantage two minutes later but fired wide, while Cushing threw on Gabriel Pereira, Alfredo Morales, Richy Ledezma, Stephen Turnbull and Kevin O’Toole in a bid to ignite the visitors’ attacking charge.
Thiago Martins was unfortunate not to level – Petrovic thwarting the defender’s downward header well – but City would equalize with ten minutes left to play, as a late spell of pressure told.
Talles Magno found the decisive touch, heading home Pereira’s corner to salvage a valuable point in Foxborough.
UPCOMING MATCH
Saturday, April 8, 2023 7:30 p.m. ET – MLS Regular Season Matchday 7 v. Atlanta United | Yankee Stadium; The Bronx, New York | Broadcast: Apple TV | Radio: nycfc.com/radio