May 11, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
New York City FC News Release
New York City FC recorded a brilliant 3-2 road win against Toronto FC on Saturday night. City took a first-half lead from the penalty spot through Santiago Rodríguez. One became two in the 44th minute as Malachi Jones netted his first MLS goal with a well-taken finish. Federico Bernardeschi got Toronto back in the game in the 55th minute before Andrés Perea reestablished City’s two-goal advantage in the 77th minute. Toronto again struck back in the 89th minute through Raoul Petretta, but in the end, Perea’s first of the season was enough to hand City the win.
Match Recap
New York City kicked off a busy seven days with a trip to Toronto on Saturday night.
Head Coach Nick Cushing made four changes to the side that took on the Colorado Rapids last time out, with Tayvon Gray, Alonso Martínez, Andrés Perea, and Malachi Jones replacing Mitja Ilenič, Keaton Parks, Agustín Ojeda, and Mounsef Bakrar.
The hosts started the game the brighter of the two sides and came close to taking the lead inside the opening five minutes after Jonathan Osorio rattled Matt Freese’s crossbar from distance.
At the other end, City registered their first chance of the night via a well-worked set piece that was delivered into the box by Kevin O’Toole. His cross was nodded down into the path of Thiago Martins, who fired just wide of the target.
City were growing into the game and that allowed Jones- who was making his first start in MLS -to test Sean Johnson with a powerful drive from the edge of the area.
Cushing’s side were then handed a great chance to take the lead from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute after Matty Longstaff was deemed to have handled the ball inside the area.
Santiago Rodríguez stepped up to take the resulting spot kick and hammered the ball past former teammate Sean Johnson to put City ahead. The Uruguayan could easily have doubled his tally on the night in the 39th minute, but his curled effort lacked the accuracy required to test Johnson.
Toronto were desperate to finish the half on level terms, and they most certainly would have, but for a brilliant reaction save from Freese down low to his right in the 41st minute.
The goalkeeper’s intervention would prove a pivotal moment in the game, as minutes later, City doubled their advantage through Jones’ first MLS goal.
A strike owing heavily to a brilliant run by Hannes Wolf, his clever pass allowed Jones to take a first-time shot that…
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