NYCFC Starts Strong, But Philly Pulls It Out Late

 

NYCFC and Philadelphia enter the pitch. Photo by Jason Schott.

New York City Football Club raced out to an early lead once again, but the Philadelphia Union scored three goals in the second half to win 3-2 on Sunday evening at Yankee Stadium.

This broke a seven-game unbeaten streak for NYCFC in MLS competition, and their record is now 7-5-7, with 16 points, and they dropped to seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

Philadelphia earned their fifth win of the season, and they are now 5-4-10, with 19 points, as they slide up to 13th place in the East.

It was an inauspicious start for Philadelphia in this one, as defender Neil Pierre took down NYCFC central midfielder Andres Perea in the box, as he reached from behind as they were waiting for a pass to come down, just two minutes into the match.

Benie Traore took the penalty kick, and he kept it low and sent it into the left corner of the net to make it 1-0 NYCFC in the fourth minute - the fourth straight match they had a very early edge.

Benie Traore burying the early penalty kick. Photo by Jason Schott.

It was Traore's first goal for NYCFC in just his fourth match since joining the team in late June during the World Cup hiatus.

NYCFC then doubled their lead in extra tine, as another newcomer, Luighi Hanri Sousa Santos, buried a penalty kick in the 47th minute to sen them into halftime with a 2-0 lead.

It was Luighi's MLS debut for NYCFC, and the Brazilian earned the start.

Philadelphia took no time at all responding to open the second half, as Danley Jean Jacques buried one in the 48th minute.

Kai Wagner took a free kick, and he fired it towards the box where Cavan Sullivan headed it, and it bounced around the box before it found its way to Jacques, who kicked it while it was in the air, and fired it by NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese to pull the Union within 2-1. Sullivan and Wagner earned assists on the goal.

Around 20 minutes later, Bruno Damiani, on a set-up from Sullivan, tied it at 2 in the 69th minute.

Damiani then made it a double on the night when he put the Union up 3-2 in the 75th minute.

NYCFC defender James Sands earned the start in this one, and he made his 150th appearance for the club. 

Forward Talles Magno, who came off the bench for Luighi in the 67th minute, made his 100th NYCFC appearance.

NYCFC Head Coach Pascal Jansen said of Traore and Luighi both notching their first goals, "I think there two good moments from our side with good attacking pressure. The movement of Pepe (Perea) leading into the first penalty was something that we anticipated in the game as well. We were looking for diversity and movement in behind today, known that (Philadelphia) play with a very high line and are very aggressive going forward. Playing a little more directly was part of the plan today."