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MLS New York City FC

NYCFC Draws with San Jose Earthquakes in California

February 7, 2024 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
New York City FC News Release


New York City Football Club kicked off their participation in the Coachella Valley invitational with a game against San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday afternoon.

The Boys in Blue lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation to start the game, with Nick Cushing handing a start to new signing Hannes Wolf - the Austrian completing a scheduled thirty minutes before being replaced by Andres Jasson.

A fast start to the contest saw San Jose register the first real chance of note as Cristian Espinoza curled a shot toward goal that forced Matt Freese into a save.

The City Boys opened the scoring in the tenth minute thanks to Mounsef Bakrar.

The Algerian took advantage of Carlos Gruezo's slip and after running clean through on goal he slotted it calmly past the goalkeeper.

Bakrar almost added a second ten minutes later after Hannes Wolf found him in space inside the penalty area, but unfortunately, his shot flashed across the goal and just wide of the right-hand post.

A quickfire double from San Jose would first see them draw level in the 23rd minute through Paul Marie before Benji Kilanović headed home two minutes later to give them the lead.

NYCFC promptly went in search of an equalizer that arrived just before halftime.

Finished by Santiago Rodríguez, the forward was found in space inside the penalty area after brilliant pressing from Mounsef Bakrar recovered the ball deep in San Jose's half.

The second period saw NYCFC start with the same XI from the first half before Cushing made a number of changes in the 63rd minute.

One of those new arrivals was Malachi Jones. The forward was selected with the eighth overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft, and lined up wide left in the second period.

His speed was on show midway through the half when he pulled wide left and escaped the attention of Alfredo Morales before drawing a foul from the midfielder.

From the resulting freekick, Tayvon Gray fired off a shot from distance that only narrowly skipped by the left-hand post.

The defender was just as busy at the other end and minutes later when he nicked the ball away from striker Preston Judd to snuff out an Earthquakes breakaway.

As the half wore on both sides sought to dominate the ball and that lead to a game of few real chances for either team. Goalkeeper Luis Barraza was called into action to deny Cruz Medina late on in what proved a rare chance.

The last look at goal would fall to NYCFC from a freekick after good play by Andres Jasson saw him draw a foul. Unfortunately, it would not result in the go-ahead goal, and that forced both teams to settle for a draw.

NYCFC XI: Bakrar, Freese, Ilenič, Magno, Martins, O'Toole, Parks, Risa, Rodríguez, Sands, Wolf

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Major League Soccer Stories from February 7, 2024


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