NYCFC Starts Off on Right Foot; Defeat Chicago Fire 4-3 in Thriller

New York City FC, a year removed from a 10-7-17 performance in their debut season as an expansion team and the MLS’ 20th team, looked to get off on the right foot against the Chicago Fire in their second season.

They did just that when Thomas McNamara scored the first goal of the 2016 MLS Season in just the 10th minute. May I remind you, this was the Fire’s first game with Matt Lampson in net, but he didn’t fare too well in the team’s season opener against the Bronx natives, allowing four goals.

But Saunders didn’t exactly shine either, as he conceded his first goal of the year to Razvan Cocis just nine minutes later. And when looking back at last year, he was very inconsistent either producing a clean sheet, maybe allowing one goal, or conceding three or more times in a game. And with the scoring problems of the squad in blue last year, the 24 times they either drew or lost came in games like that.

This year, on the other hand, they went off to the races on the Fire, when just ten minutes later, Tony Taylor scored on a great shot, where he pulled a great pause-and-shoot play. Then, in the 36th minute, Khiry Shelton scored to give the Gotham Blues a 3-1 lead. Just like that, City had taken control of the game and had great confidence that they would win their first season opener in just their second year as a team.

Not much would occur from then to Halftime, and the BlueBirds went into the break still up 3-1. Not long after the 2nd Half began, though, Kennedy Igboananike knocked one in to cut the deficit to one.

Ironically, back at the MLS SuperDraft, the Fire and NYC FC swapped picks to give the Gotham Blues the No. 1 pick, which would turn out to be Jack Harrison out of Wake Forest University. Harrison, a young footballer who had been playing at the Manchester United academy since the age of 7 until he moved to the states at 14. Sadly, he would not be able to play against the team that dealt his rights, not because of him being a rookie and the Blues not wanting to play him, but because of a Pelvic injury that held him out of Pre-Season training just a few weeks back. Luckily, he has not been ruled out for the season, so the 19-year-old from Stoke-On-Trent, England could make an appearance later in the season, and hopefully, if all goes right for the team, in a fight for the MLS Cup in the fall.

Mix Diskerud would answer in the 63rd minute to extend City’s lead back to two goals, but once again, Saunders would concede, this time in the 72nd minute on a PK by David Accam. And although the deficit was once again back at one goal and although the boys from the Windy City put some immense pressure in the final minutes, NYC FC held on for the 4-3 win in Chicago, and will have a tough one ahead of them, as they face the reigning MLS MVP Sebastian Giovinco, in a game that will be broadcasted on ESPN2 a week from today. Last year, these teams had an intense 4-4 draw when they had an ESPN2 Sunday Showdown.