New York City FC suffered defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night, falling to a frustrating reverse at Yankee Stadium. Goals from Tai Baribo, Mikael Uhre, and Dániel Gazdag handed the visitors a commanding lead, and despite Alonso Martínez’s effort in first-half stoppage time, the visitors ran out 5-1 victors with Jakob Glesnes and Jesús Bueno on target late on.
NYCFC 1 Philadelphia Union 5
Report by NYCFC.com
The Boys in Blue were back in the Bronx for the first of four home games in the final stretch of the MLS regular season.
Nick Cushing made one change to the side that lined-up against D.C. United on Saturday, as Agustín Ojeda replaced Maxi Moralez. Strahinja Tanasijević, who stepped into replace the injured Birk Risa just before kick-off in the capital, retained his place in the backline.
Despite standing amongst the top scorers in the East, Philadelphia headed into the contest outside of the playoff line. Seeking a win to reignite their postseason hopes, the visitors were clinical in front of goal with three goals in a ruthless 17-minute spell.
First Half
City had started brightly with early pressure with a series of corners, but it was the Union who would strike first from a set-piece on the quarter-hour mark. Olivier Mbaizo looped the ball back into the box after James Sands had cleared Kai Wagner’s delivery, and Baribo pounced to nod in from close range.
The forward almost doubled his tally a moment later, flicking Uhre’s cross goalward – but an excellent sliding block from Tanasijević deflected the effort wide. The Philadelphia frontmen would combine again however to net a second ten minutes after the opener.
Wagner was involved again, collecting a loose pass in the center before driving the ball forward. The pass squirmed under Thiago Martins’ foot to find Baribo, who then laid off for Uhre to curl beyond Matt Freese.
New York almost found a route back into the contest on the half-hour, as Tayvon Gray whipped an inch-perfect cross to Keaton Parks – but the midfielder could only fire straight at Andrew Rick.
The hosts were punished at the other end when Jim Curtin’s men added a third – Gazdag bundling the ball over the line after Baribo’s header from Jack McGlynn’s cross was spilled by Freese.
Desperate to spark a fightback before the break, City rallied. Martinez came agonizingly close to connecting with another Gray delivery at the backpost, before Santiago Rodríguez fired over the bar.
The Boys in Blue would grab themselves a lifeline on the brink of halftime through top scorer Martinez. Kevin O’Toole was the creator, receiving the ball on the left flank and curling perfectly into the path of the Costa Rican, who adjusted his body well to divert home on the volley for his 12th of the campaign.
Second Half
With the momentum, Cushing opted to make a double change at the break, introducing Moralez and Mitja Ilenič – and later, Mounsef Bakrar, Andres Perea, and Jovan Mijatović.
Chasing a quickfire second, the home side laid siege to the Philadelphia goal, but could not make their pressure count.
O’Toole and Tanasijević both saw efforts bounce wide, while Rodríguez’s strike from distance was saved.
Ilenič then forced Rick into a fine stop with a fierce drive towards the top corner, before Parks went agonizingly close with an attempt that crashed off the post, after some neat build-up play.
Bakrar was also unfortunate not to have written his name onto the scoresheet, denied twice by Rick in quick succession. The forward did well to nip in and clip the ball over the Philadelphia shot-stopper – who scrambled back to claw the ball away before it bounced in – and the City man would be thwarted again moments later.
The Union netted a fourth to deliver the killer blow with just over 15 minutes to play, courtesy of another set piece, with Glesnes rising highest to power Wagner’s corner into the back of the net.
The frustration would continue for the Boys in Blue, as Moralez watched an acrobatic attempt cannon off the crossbar in response, and Glesnes somehow cleared another Parks effort off the line.
Substitutes Perea and Mijatović also tried their luck to no avail, and the visitors extended their advantage on the counter-attack, as Bueno fired in Philadelphia’s fifth of the night with five minutes to go.
Next Game
New York City FC hosts Supporters Shield leaders Inter Miami CF on Saturday, April 21 at 2pm ET at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York. Broadcast: Apple TV | Radio: nycfc.com/radio
