No striker, no problem: NYCFC puts on a goaltastic show in the home opener

New York City FC was finally back at home for the first time since November 1, 2025, when the team played Charlotte FC in the second game of the Best of 3 series in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.  The Bronx side played their 2026 home opener on Saturday afternoon, welcoming a very familiar foe in Orlando City SC.

Plus, NYCFC beat Orlando in the 2025 home opener and desperately wanted to repeat last year’s victory. This time around, despite not having a striker, the end result was even better.  The home team won 5-0, absolutely dismantling the Lions in the attack.  This was better than an ideal result; fans saw a fantastic show.

Before the match, it was thought that Pascal Jansen would start most of the team that won against the Philadelphia Union, and either make a change in the backline to give Kai Trewin a chance to partner with Thiago Martins or rest Keaton Parks, who just returned after being out since June.

So, it was nice to see Trewin in the backline with Martins, which is the Australian’s natural position.  The Orlando match was a good test to see whether NYCFC could have Martins and Trewin as the center-backs, but ultimately, since this was an offensive game, it is easy to say yes at this time.

NYCFC puts five past Orlando City

NYCFC did not want a repeat of the second half against Philadelphia, in which they had to defend for most of the half.  As such, they came out ready to play, threatening Orlando from every direction.

Truthfully, the Pigeons should have gone ahead in the 14th minute when Maxi Moralez was right in front of the goal when he received the ball from Agustín Ojeda.  Perhaps the player from five or six years ago would have capitalized on the shot, but the legend instead sent the ball into the stands.  He redeemed himself later, though.

But nobody would have thought that NYCFC would play their third game in a row where the opposing side received a red card.  Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau made an unlikely mistake for the veteran.  He carried the ball slightly out of the box before dropping the ball.  As a result, he immediately received a red card, Javier Otero had to come on, and the Bronx side was again up a man.

It was not long after that NYCFC scored the opening goal in the 21st minute.  The Pigeons had a corner kick, and while they did not score off the initial corner, the players kept the ball in the box.  With a few passes, the ball ultimately fell to Ojeda after a pass from Moralez.  The winger subsequently volleyed the ball where it bounced on the ground and into the back of the net.

NYCFC continued to dominate, and eventually, the effort paid off when they scored their second. Moralez received the ball on the right side of the attacking half and moved toward the box with ease.  The Argentine found Fernández Mercau, and the Designated Player headed the ball into the ground.  Like the last goal, it bounced into the back of the goal to double the lead in the 42nd minute.

Then, in stoppage time, in which there were 11 minutes after the red card and injury time, NYCFC was awarded a penalty kick after Fernández Mercau was fouled in the box by Luis Otávio.  Moralez stepped up to take the kick, and he easily slotted in the third goal with a roller on the left side.  So, not only did the 39-year-old redeem himself after that awful miss, but he had two assists and a goal in the first half.  Oh, and he officially had 100 assists for the club.

The home side was not done, though.  Four minutes into the second half, the team found their fourth goal.  This time, Parks received his flowers by scoring his first goal of the season, and just in his third match since returning from a long injury layoff.  Tayvon Gray, who NYCFC should have extended yesterday, found the midfielder in front of the goal.  With one touch, Parks just pushed the ball in, with Otero failing to do anything to stop the ball.

Five minutes later, just when nobody thought it would get worse for the visitors, Orlando made a huge mistake by giving the ball away in the box.  It fell directly to Parks, who was in the center and just inside.  With ease, and thanks to the Lions’ poor defending, he scored his second, and NYCFC’s fifth goal.

Afterward, the home team took their foot off the pedal a little bit.  It became more about game management, and thankfully, the score allowed Jansen to make changes with the comfortable notion that others can get a chance to shine.  Talles Magno came on earlier this time around, subbing on for Moralez in the 62nd minute.  Then, Máximo Carrizo came on when the head coach made a three-player change in the 71st minute.

Magno is trying to show that he can be a vital player for NYCFC, while Carrizo, who is full of potential, needs more minutes in MLS.  Playing the rest of the match was good for both players.

In the end, the result is unbelievable. Surely, there were not many who thought the Boys in Blue would score five times against Orlando. But NYCFC gave the home fans a show and extended the unbeaten start to three games.