NYCFC has a stronger performance but Sporting KC game ends in a draw

Finally, after two games in a row, New York City FC was not impacted by a weather delay and started their game on time on Saturday.  The Pigeons continued their road trip and took on Sporting Kansas City for the first time since 2022.  While they had the slight edge on the home side with a 3-2-1 record, the road struggles are never too far away.  So, could NYCFC win back-to-back road matches after their comeback win in Orlando?

The answer is no, but it did end in a 1-1 draw.  NYCFC played better compared to a few of their previous road games, and it was a respectable result.

Interestingly, after Mitja Ilenič was missing from the last game with possible transfer rumors lurking, he was back on the bench.  It was Mounsef Bakrar who was missing, and he has a few teams seeking his services and is highly likely to leave this summer.  Then, the Boys in Blue were without Hannes Wolf, who was out with a leg injury.  This led Pascal Jansen to utilize Andrés Perea on the left, with Julián Fernández starting as the right-winger.

These changes, for the most part, worked out for NYCFC.  Of course, the team should have scored more goals.  More was expected from them, but at the very least, they did not play a lackluster and dull game.

NYCFC splits the points with Sporting KC

After complaints about the slow starts in the last few road games, NYCFC had a much stronger start in Kansas City.  They were threatening from the beginning, but both teams were producing some great chances.  The two backlines had to work from the beginning, intercepting plays and clearing the ball.

It was NYCFC’s hot start, though, that gave them some big chances in the first half.  Aiden O’Neill almost scored his first goal in the 13th minute after there was some chaos in the box, but the ball deflected out wide.  Then right after, Alonso Martínez, who scored the winning goal on Wednesday, almost got his second in as many days with a superbly powerful shot near the post.  But John Pulskamp made the big stop for Kansas City.

The Pigeons would not let up, though, and got on the board in the 22nd minute.  Maxi Moralez, who again started the game, sent a beautiful ball to Perea, who made himself stay onside with the pass.  The midfielder, who was playing as a winger, speedily ran to the goal with a few defenders aiming to close him down.  But Perea had other ideas and sent the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal, scoring his first of 2025.

Notably, as the first half continued, NYCFC slowed down a little.   But overall, it was a much better first 45 minutes compared to the Orlando game.  Plus, they came out after halftime ready to play again.

For a split second, it was thought Perea would get his second goal after he headed the ball over the halfway line and a Sporting KC defender, and had nobody in front of him.  Pulskamp was smart and came out of his box to clear the ball and keep Perea from getting his second in the 47th minute.  One minute later, a free kick led to more chaos in the box, and Justin Haak’s header was blocked.

While the Boys in Blue were still playing with a decent amount of intensity, their clinical offensive chances declined in the second half.  Haak had another really good chance in the 61st minute, sneaking in a shot, but the second goal would not arrive.  This kept Sporting KC in the game.

As such, it was not surprising that the home side scored in the 74th minute.  NYCFC could not properly clear the ball, and it forced Matt Freese, who was having an incredible performance, to move away from his goal.  The ball fell to long-time Kansas City player Dániel Sallói, who kicked the ball into the ground and watched it bounce into the goal.

Afterward, Jansen made a trio of subs to try and impact the game, including Sebastiano Musu, who made his Major League Soccer debut after signing a short-term loan agreement from NYCFC II.  The player and other subs were influential, giving the Pigeons a few more opportunities during the rest of the match.  There were a few times they should have been on target, but again, that second goal never arrived.

Truthfully, the team should have found a way to win. The result is still a respectable one since they were struggling to score more than once while attacking well. At least this MLS road trip is almost over, for there is one more fixture to be played.