NYCFC: 3 things we learned from the first MLS win since the last Montréal game

New York City FC welcomed CF Montréal on Wednesday night for a mid-week battle.  The club just said goodbye to Maxime Chanot, fans have been super upset with the Front Office, and the team was still in 13th place going into the match. 

Meanwhile, James Sands was still unavailable due to injury. As such, Nick Cushing gave Andrés Perea the start for the second fixture in a row.  In addition, the head coach gave Matt Freese another chance after a few promising performances in the Leagues Cup.  Richard Ledezma and Andres Jasson also received the call for the Starting XI.   

The last Major League Soccer win for NYCFC came against Montréal in July.  Therefore, it was fitting the Pigeons won the game, 2-0.  This was the second win in the last 18 MLS games. 

There is plenty to talk about.  Here are three things we learned from the match between NYCFC and CF Montréal.

Here are three things that we learned from the NYCFC win

1. The win was great, but NYCFC struggled in the second half

The second half showed that New York City FC is not where they need to be as a team.  The first half was impressive, and the two goals in the first half were fundamental.  But Montréal made some changes at halftime.  These changes allowed the Canadian team to become a tougher opponent and threat.

The passing was not as crisp, and NYCFC did not dominate the ball.  The visitors led in the possession and continuously intercepted the passes between the boys in city blue.  They also did not score in the latter 45 minutes.  Thankfully, Montréal did not score either.

Games are 90 minutes long, and the Pigeons must consistently play well the entire time.  If they played similarly to the first half, then things would look more promising. 

2. History shows NYCFC should not get carried away

NYCFC might have won, but that does not mean they are on the right path.  They need to win a few matches in a row in order to prove their luck is changing.  At least this is a step in the right direction.

History shows that a great win can be just that.  In the Leagues Cup, the Bronx team beat Toronto FC by a 5-0 scoreline.  For a split moment, it felt like the club was about to change the tide of the season.  Goals and wins would finally arrive.

As everyone knows, that was not the case.  NYCFC lost the next Leagues Cup fixture against the New York Red Bulls.  Then, they lost the first two MLS games since the tournament break.  Oh, and they were held scoreless in all three. 

Hence, this performance could be one of those that are a blip on the radar.  It is possible that NYCFC will not win this weekend.  At the same time, it is vital to celebrate the win and believe that this might be the match that sends the team on a winning road.

3. Andres Jasson proved why he is still a part of the team

If there is a New York City FC player that some wonder what his future holds, then it is Andres Jasson.  The Homegrown player has had some good moments over the last few years but has found it difficult to crack the Starting XI.  His performance level was a hit or miss.  The only thing he could guarantee was being fouled. 

In the Montréal match, Jasson had both good and bad moments.  Some of his runs were great, while others were poor.  He crossed the ball into the box and contributed to the attack.  He also gave up the ball sometimes.  Mostly, he had an average game with some notable moments.  

However, in the 30th minute, he scored the opening goal for NYCFC.  He received a wonderful ball from Braian Cufré and ran into the box.  There were two defenders in front of him, but that did not matter.  The winger stepped around one of them and took his shot.  He fell to the ground as the ball went between the two Montréal players and into the air. Within a second, the ball was in the back of the net. 

As such, it is clear he still has the potential to improve.  Jasson is just 21 years old, so the Pigeons should not give up on him just yet.  There is plenty of room for growth.  Plus, he showed his attacking abilities by getting the ball into the box and also scoring a goal. New York City FC has more to unlock in the young player, so he deserves more chances.