Check out the atmosphere, and some sweet goals, from the NYCFC games so far.
Match Report: New York City Fall to their First Defeat
It was another packed night at Yankee Stadium dispute the freezing temperatures and snow.
NYCFC took to the pitch looking to secure its second win at home and extend its undefeated run. It was clear we had our work cut out for us even before the match started. Coach Kreis has some tough roster calls to make due to the absence of Nemec, Shelton, captain David Villa and a few others due to call ups, injuries, and suspensions. To fill these empty spots Kreis gave Kwame, Calle and Mullins their first starts. Tony Taylor, McNamara and Poku made their first appearances as substitutes.
SKC had yet to win a match this season and made it very apparent early on that they meant business.
They put the pedal down as soon as the match started and it was easy to see that NYCFC had a hard time keeping up. Matt Besler, known for his long throw ins was given the chance to show off those skills around the 12th minute. He took advantage of the situation and lofted a beautiful throw-in that Ike Opara headed in to find the back of the net. Graham Zusi and Jimmy Medranda both had shots from dangerous positions that went off target. SKC continued to control the pace until the half was over.
NYCFC fans had a some great reasons to get excited during the second half. The team began to obtain more meaningful possession and looked as though they would equalize at any moment. NYCFC continued to put on more and more pressure as the time was winding down. Both Brovsky and Grabavoy had chances to head in a goal during stoppage time but neither found the back of the net. Despite the increased pressure and a handful of chances in stoppage time the equalizer did not materialize.
It was a tough home loss on a frigid night to a very good opponent.
Coach Kreis and the players will have a lot to learn during the break before facing Philly Union on April 11th. This team has shown that when they are working together they can stand up to some of the best in the league. With some tweaks to the playing style and more time together this team will surely become a force to be reckoned with in the MLS.
As always, GO NYCFC and HAIL THE RAIL!
Article written by: Mike Brown
Best Moments from NYCFC v Sporting KC
We didn't get the result we wanted, but we still had a great night out. #hailtherail
Photos curated by Analucia Castillo.
Who The Funk are Sporting KC?
On Saturday March 28th 2015, NYCFC will play it's fourth match of the year, and second home game of 2015 against Sporting KC. When most people think of Kansas City, they probably look back to the magical run by the Royals last fall. For those who may not know much about Sporting KC, here is a quick 101.
Who are They?
This is Sporting KC’s 20th season after being introduced as one of the 10 charter MLS members. They were initially known as the Kansas City Wiz, and then eventually the Kansas City Wizards. In 2011, the team re-branded itself to Sporting KC, adopting a European-style name. Since their inception, Sporting KC have won two MLS cups.
Players to Watch
Forward Dom Dwyer - Dwyer had a breakout year in 2014 accumulating 22 goals – second most in the league. He was also named to the MLS All-Star team in 2014, the first of his career.
Midfielder Graham Zusi - Zusi is best known from the U.S. Men’s National Team where he played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He was involved in two notable plays; the corner kick assist against Ghana leading to the game winning goal, and the assist to Clint Dempsey against Portugal which ended in a draw. Zusi was also the MLS breakout player of the year in 2011 and is a 3x MLS All-Star.
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Defender Matt Besler – Captain for Sporting KC and also played on the 2014 FIFA World Cup Men’s National Team. He started in the three World Cup matches against Ghana, Portugal, and Germany. Besler is also a 3x MLS All-Star.
This will be a great match-up for the second home game of NYCFC. Be sure to get your ticket if you haven’t yet, and keep up with The Third Rail on Twitter @ThirdRailSC.
See you Saturday!
Posted by Andrew Singh
Andrew Singh is a Contributor and member of the Third Rail. Born and raised in New York, Andrew has a passion for many things such as music, traveling, and of course sports. He's recently become obsessed with fútbol, and enjoys chatting about NYCFC, and La Liga. Contact him via twitter @Singh_A87 if you want to get in touch and talk about The Third Rail, fútbol, or anything intellectually stimulating.
Cheers!