3 things we learned from NYCFC’s 2-2 draw with Atlanta United FC

The never-ending road trip continued for New York City FC as they traveled down to Atlanta United FC for a matchup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. After the draw to Chicago Fire FC and the 2-1 loss to Austin FC, the Boys in Blue could have used a win against a depleted Atlanta side. Despite their poor form, it is never easy to play in Atlanta as it's one of the loudest crowds in MLS, averaging about 48,917 fans per home match.

Entering the game, Atlanta sat in 11th place in the East, just two points outside the playoff spot. The Pigeons maintained the 5th place spot, just one point from the New York Red Bulls. Unfortunately, the injury bug is in full swing as the team dealt with a few injuries to some key players, including Tayvon Gray, Kevin O’Toole, and Andrés Perea. Also, with multiple matches in little time, both Santiago Rodríguez and Thiago Martins did not travel to the Peach State, which could have been due to overload. This put Nick Cushing in a tough hole as James Sands was suspended from the match for yellow card accumulation.

NYCFC still fought hard to earn a 2-2 result on Wednesday. They began the match poorly but were able to turn it around after a few key subs. It was also Talles Magno’s first game since the beginning of the season, which gave some light at the end of the tunnel for the young Brazilian.

With that said, here are three things we learned from NYCFC’s 2-2 draw over Atlanta United.

3 things we learned from NYCFC’s 2-2 draw

1. What the lineup shift looked like

It is never easy being a head coach when players end up hurt, fatigued, or suspended. With Sands, Perea, O’Toole, Rodríguez, Martins, and Gray unavailable, Cushing had no other choice but to shake up the lineup for the Atlanta clash.

He went with a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Strahinja Tanasijević in the back line while Christian McFarlane kept the left-back spot. Justin Haak was in the defensive midfield with Keaton Parks. Both Agustín Ojeda and Julián Fernández started in the wings, while Maxi Moralez was back as an option off the bench.

It was an ugly first half, to say the least, when NYCFC conceded a goal to Atlanta United after just 20 seconds into the match. The passing looked sloppy and there was no chemistry between players, which made it hard to watch for most fans. However, changes like this happen, especially with the Pigeons required to play five games in 17 days to make room for the League Cup.

The second half was better, especially when the substitutes came on the pitch. The initial lineup shift did not help though.

2. The return of Talles Magno

Magno made his 2024 debut in the 63rd minute after Cushing subbed off Christian McFarlane. His absence from the pitch was at first due to his injury and then the head coach would not play him. However, he has been training with no complaints. He was a huge sub as he came on to draw a foul in the box, which led him to score his first goal of the season through a penalty kick.

Not to mention that the winger also recorded an 81 percent pass accuracy, as he also won the four tackles attempted with seven duels won. This was huge for Magno, with rumors of a possible move out of MLS due to his lack of playing time while occupying a Designated Player spot on the roster. Nevertheless, he could remain in the rotation for Cushing, especially with the Leagues Cup just around the corner.

3. The Maxi Moralez effect is real

The moment Maxi Moralez subbed onto the pitch, it was a different ball game. He came on for Ojeda at halftime and had the entire attack on his fingertips. NYCFC held most of the possession during the second half after a disastrous first half and created chances in the final third. This later resulted in a goal for Mounsef Bakrar in the 65th minute that made it a game. Out of 43 passes, Moralez completed 35 of them while he made six recoveries and 13 passes into the final third.

What went from a disconnect attack turned into a tiki-taka-like play that stunned the Atlanta defense. His hustle also resulted in the foul to Magno after he pressured the defense into making the mistake that gave the Boys in Blue a chance to tie it all up. It’s safe to say that Moralez still has it even at 37 years old. It is also a good sign to see him back in action after the short absence due to injury.

Honorable mention: MLS-snub Matt Freese

It is hard to cope that Matt Freese was not picked as an MLS All-Star after leading the ballot after the first week. He had a huge day as he made seven big saves, including two game-saving ones during the final minutes. Though not an All-Star Freese continues to be one of the top keepers in MLS as he could be a candidate for the NYCFC MVP of the season.