New York City FC Goals: Perea 59’
LAFC Goals: Walta 45+1’
Quick Read
New York City FC contested a 1-1 draw with LAFC on Saturday night. Andres Perea’s second-half header leveled the score after Leo Walta’s stunning freekick had broken the deadlock in first half stoppage time, as the two sides shared the points at Citi Field.
Match Recap
The Boys in Blue returned to home soil for the first time in just under a month, in what marked only the fifth competitive meeting between the two sides.
With his squad lining up for their third game of an action-packed week, New York Head Coach Pascal Jansen made three changes to the starting XI that faced Inter Miami on Wednesday, as Kevin O’Toole, Hannes Wolf, and Luighi replaced Nico Cavallo, Bénie Traoré, and Alonso Martínez.
LAFC, who could have clinched a postseason place with a victory and other favorable results, also made a triple change to the side that defeated Austin FC last time out, with Xavi Tamarit opting to field Ryan Hollingshead, Nkosi Tafari, and Jacob Shaffelburg in place of Sergi Palencia, Ryan Porteous, and Armindo Sieb.
The opening half hour proved a cagey affair, with both sides wary of conceding first - neither having recorded a comeback win in MLS so far this year. With five games of the regular season remaining, both sides sought a precious three points, as the race for a playoff place intensifies in both the Eastern and Western Conferences.
Though New York dominated the early possession, it was the visitors who crafted the game’s first real chance on 10’. The opportunity arrived via a New York corner, when Nico Fernández Mercau’s low delivery was cleared to Walta. The Finnish midfielder raced forward on the counter, playing wide for Shaffelburg to cross for Son Heung-Min, whose header was deflected wide.
Topping New York’s assist charts, Agustin Ojeda has proven one of the Pigeons’ most creative threats this term, and the Argentine looked to add to his tally on the quarter-hour, delivering a dangerous ball across the six-yard box to Luighi - but the ball was intercepted by Aaron Long and hacked away by Tafari.
A minute later, LA top scorer Denis Bouanga spurned the chance to break the deadlock, volleying Son’s pinpoint cross over from 12 yards.
After a stop-start half hour, New York stepped up a gear, looking to utilize the wings but unable to test Hugo Lloris in the LA goal.
At the other end, Matt Freese remained equally untroubled, though Bouanga almost capitalized on a loose ball five minutes before the break. Tricking his way through the New York defense and into the box, the forward looked to let fly - only for O’Toole to slide in with a perfectly-timed tackle to clear.
With neither goalkeeper tested, the first half appeared to be ending goalless, but the visitors struck in first-half injury time with a sensational set-piece. Awarded a free-kick 30 yards out when Aiden O’Neill upended Son, Walta stepped up to unleash an unstoppable swerving free-kick into the far corner to hand the Black and Gold the lead.
The Finland international almost doubled the advantage, and his personal tally, in the final seconds before halftime, trying his luck with another free-kick - this one out wide on the right - but Freese was equal to the nearpost effort, preventing his side from heading into the break with a two-goal deficit.
Buoyed by their halftime teamtalk, New York laid immediate siege to the LA goal in the second half.
Ojeda saw a long-range shot blocked and Luighi headed wide, before Tayvon Gray drew the best of Lloris with the hosts’ first attempt on target. The Bronx-born defender played a neat one-two with O’Neill, before ripping a fierce first-time effort goalward, forcing a fine instinctive stop from Lloris.
However, there was absolutely nothing the LA shot-stopper could do to prevent New York’s thumping equalizer. Piling on the pressure, the hosts found their breakthrough courtesy of a corner on 59’, as Perea powered home Fernández Mercau’s inch-perfect delivery to draw the Pigeons level.
Having crafted the crucial assist, Fernández Mercau looked to add his name to the scoresheet and turn the game on its head, trying his luck from distance - but his effort flew over the bar.
With New York well in the ascendancy, Jansen introduced Talles Magno and Traoré for Luighi and Ojeda. As he did against Miami in midweek, Magno almost sparked an instant impact, as he stretched to flick in a Wolf volley, but the ball was scrambled away in the six-yard box. Perea and Gray also fired over from the edge of the area.
As the clock ticked down to the final 10 minutes, both sides pressed for a late winner. Son called Freese into action for the first time in the second half with a long-range strike, and substitute Sieb skewed wide of the target.
In a dramatic, end-to-end finish, Magno drilled wide before Lloris denied Fernández Mercau, and Freese had to be alert to clear a dangerous cross.
In the dying seconds, Son came within inches of snatching all three points, smashing a low drive off the post. With hearts still in mouths, the ball fell to Sergio Vásquez, who dragged the rebound wide, and the referee blew for full-time, with the points shared at Citi Field.
How We Lined Up
What’s Next
New York City FC are back in action on Saturday, October 24, with another trip to Florida to face Orlando City SC in a 7:30PM ET kickoff at Inter.co Stadium.
