3 things we learned from the strong NYCFC win against Chicago Fire FC

Historically, New York City FC has been the better team in the matchup against Chicago Fire FC.  Therefore, the team hoped the past would aid them when they faced off this weekend.  Entering Saturday’s game, the Bronx side held a 12-3-8 record against their opponents.  Still, there was the concern that the Pigeons would not win since they had lost against teams they should have beaten.

Nevertheless, the dominance over the Fire continued.  NYCFC won 3-1, just like the home fixture earlier in the year.  And like that match, Chicago scored first.  But that did not matter, for the team diligently worked to find the back of the net throughout the 90 minutes of play.  It did not matter whether it was during the periods of offensive possession or when they dug in defensively; the Pigeons did what they had to do to win.

Nicolás Fernández Mercau, Alonso Martínez, and Seymour Reid all found the back of the net for NYCFC.  Then, Matt Freese had two saves during the game.  However, both were critical, and his awareness in the box led him to do so much more than make saves.  His catches and stops during play were on point all evening long.

The game was a good one, and NYCFC deserved all three points from Chicago.  Hence, here are three things we learned from the match.

There were plenty of firsts for NYCFC

Saturday saw plenty of firsts for NYCFC.  For starters, Raul Gustavo finally made his first appearance and start for the club.  The newer center-back had a decent game, but notably had three interceptions and three recoveries.  Plus, Fernández Mercau and Reid scored their first goals in Major League Soccer. 

Fernández Mercau’s goal was an easy tap-in, but Reid’s was a precise striker’s on the ground that went into the back of the net.  In fact, the teenager officially became the youngest scorer for the Pigeons at 17 years and 193 days old.  

There was a lot of good that came from NYCFC’s win, especially the firsts.  Maybe there will be more before the end of the season.

Are the road woes gone?

For the last few years, the Boys in Blue often struggled on the road.  NYCFC would barely win, and it was usually expected that would be the case. 

Now, NYCFC has a 5-5-5 record away from home, with the five road wins being the most since 2022, when they won six.  Plus, four of those road wins have occurred since July 16.  In that time span, the Pigeons have a 4-1-1 road record.

With two more road matches left, the team could not win, and still consider this season away from home as being successful.  However, NYCFC will ideally win the Hudson River Derby, for Sports Illustrated Stadium can sometimes be their home stadium.

NYCFC still needs to be consistent

With six games left, there are some positive signs that things are truly clicking in Major League Soccer play.  The Bronx side is 6-2-1 since the beginning of July, which is fantastic.

However, NYCFC is known to go through poor stretches.  While the win in Chicago is a good outcome, there is, of course, the fear that the D.C. United loss could spark a rough patch for the team.  There are also some tough games ahead, like the Columbus Crew and Inter Miami CF.

One of the big critiques earlier in the season was the lack of consistency.  That is why NYCFC must be consistent and win when they are supposed to win.  At a minimum, a 3-2-1 record would be acceptable, but even that would not be ideal.