There was nothing ghoulish about New York City FC on Halloween night.
After months of nightmarish performances, a fully healthy NYCFC won their first-ever elimination-style game in MLS Cup playoffs, dominating the Philadelphia Union, 3-1, on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
NYCFC, who beat the Union by the same scoreline on Sunday, will face Atlanta United in a two-game series, starting with the first leg Sunday at Yankee Stadium.
“Our team is getting better,” head coach Domenec Torrent said. “They’re in the top form. It’s good news for us.”
Torrent, who had been criticized for his constant lineup tinkering, made only one change from Sunday’s warm-up against the Union, slotting in Ismael Tajouri-Shradi over prized winger Jesus Medina. The move was made as a tactical change rather than a benching, he explained.
It paid off when NYCFC’s pressing controlled the Union early. In the 10th minute, Tajouri-Shradi made Torrent look like a genius when he blasted a beautiful half-volley stunner to beat Union goalkeeper Andre Blake.
That statement diffused the Union and carried with NYCFC throughout the entire match in what looked like NYCFC’s most complete performance under Torrent, who took over in June for Patrick Vieira.
NYCFC played without fear and avoided moments of chaos, while their suffocating marking helped create multiple quick counterattacking opportunities, such as in the 25th minute, when Villa scored his third career playoff goal off a staccato pass from Maxi Moralez, who starred on the night.
“Sometimes we play quickly,” Torrent said. “We decided to take advantage because the Union attacked with seven players. … We decided when we recovered the ball to play quickly.”
Like the 78th minute when Moralez, who had two assists in the match, was rewarded for his relentless play when he chipped in a goal from nearly 12 yards out.
“Maxi was fantastic,” Torrent said about Moralez, who nearly scored another chipped goal late in the match. “We have two or three players that are our key men. I know Maxi’s confidence, but his confidence makes him one of the best players.”
The Union, now winless in five trips to The Bronx, grabbed a late consolation goal via forward Cory Burke, a lone treat on a night of horrors.
Now, NYCFC will try to do something it has never done — win a semi-finals series.
“We are much more confident at home,” Villa said about the first-leg matchup. “It’s much better to play at home first against Atlanta. Atlanta is amazing and they did very well this season. But when we play against them, we hurt them a lot in some moments. … We’ll continue to Atlanta with conviction.”