Photo: Paul Rudderow
All-time record: 2-1-1
At Talen Energy Stadium: 2-1-0
At Yankee Stadium: 0-0-1
Goals for: 46
Goals against: 4
Did you know…
No one likes playing soccer at Yankee Stadium, NYCFC’s home for the foreseeable future. No one.
April 23, 2016: Philadelphia Union 2-0 New York City FC
PSP Match Report Highlights
Chris Pontius and C.J. Sapong scored first half goals and the Union coasted to a 2-0 victory over NYCFC on Saturday afternoon at Talen Energy Stadium.
Pontius turned in Tranquillo Barnetta’s low cross in the 26th minute to open the scoring, the goal his third of the season. Sapong doubled the Union’s lead in the 41st minute, redirecting Sebastien Le Toux’ shot for his fourth goal of the season.
PSP Analysis and Player Ratings Highlights
After Saturday’s match, New York City FC head coach Patrick Viera and a reporter discussed their differing views on how the visitors played. Viera thought his team deserved something from a match in which they dominated possession and held the Union to a low number of chances at home. The reporter thought Viera’s admission that his team made simple mistakes to give up the goals and NYC’s indisputably muted attack meant it was off-base at best (and disingenuous at worst) to argue that the visitors deserved a share of the outcome.
At one point, Viera says, “I respectfully understand your view, but like you said, we have a different view of the game.”
PSP Postgame Video and Quote Sheet
Link to MLS Match Center for Stats, Chalkboard and more
Philadelphia Union
Andre Blake, Keegan Rosenberry, Josh Yaro, Richie Marquez, Fabinho (Ray Gaddis 46′), Brian Carroll, Vincent Nogueira, Tranquillo Barnetta (Ilsinho 65′), Chris Pontius (Warren Creavalle 81′), Sebastien Le Toux, C.J. Sapong
Unused Subs: Matt Jones, Anderson Conceicao, Fabian Herbers, Leo Fernandes
New York City FC
Josh Saunders, Jason Hernandez, Frederic Brillant, Andoni Iraola, Roland Matarrita (RJ Allen 70′), Federico Bravo, Kwadwo Poku (Thomas McNamara 59′), Mikey Lopez (Mix Diskerud 77′), Steven Mendoza, David Villa, Khiry Shelton
Unused Subs: Eirik Johansen, Diego Martinez, Tony Taylor, Patrick Mullins
Scoring Summary
PHL: Chris Pontius – 26′ (Tranquillo Barnetta)
PHL: C.J. Sapong – 41′ (Sebastien Le Toux)
Disciplinary Summary
NYC: Mikey Lopez (foul) – 15′
PHL: Fabinho (foul) – 36′
NYC: David Villa (foul) – 70′
NYC: Federico Bravo (foul) – 89′
PHL: Warren Creavalle (unsporting behavior) – 90+1′
June 6, 2015: Philadelphia Union 1-2 New York City FC
PSP Match Report Highlights
Patrick Mullins scored in the 87th minute to give New York City FC a 2-1 win Saturday night at PPL Park.
C.J. Sapong opened the scoring just after halftime before Thomas McNamara equalized just six minutes later. But Mullins snuck a shot past Brian Sylvestre at the near post late to give the visitors from New York all three points.
PSP Analysis and Player Ratings Highlights
After rolling to a comfortable and deserved midweek romp over Columbus, Philadelphia Union should have been poised to consolidate their claim as a playoff contender in the Eastern Conference. Instead, playing in their third match in an eight-day stretch, a listless Union side took the field Saturday night. Despite having the better of the chances against the numerically worst team in MLS, the Union failed to make the most of their 37 crosses and 7 shots on target.
PSP Postgame Video and Quote Sheet
Link to MLS Match Center for Stats, Chalkboard and more
Philadelphia Union
Brian Sylvestre, Fabinho, Richie Marquez, Maurice Edu, Sheanon Williams, Brian Carroll (Jimmy McLaughlin 90+2′), Vincent Nogueira, Cristian Maidana (Eric Ayuk 82′), Andrew Wenger (Zach Pfeffer 69′), Sebastien Le Toux, CJ Sapong
Unused Subs: John McCarthy, Ray Gaddis, Fred, Ethan White
New York City FC
Josh Saunders, Chris Wingert, Shay Facey, Jason Hernandez, Jeb Brovsky, Sebastien Velasquez (Ned Grabavoy 57′), Kwadwo Poku (Mehdi Ballouchy 57′), Andrew Jacobson, Thomas McNamara, Adam Nemec (Patrick Mullins 78′), David Villa
Unused Subs: Ryan Meara, Kwame Watson-Sirboe, R.J. Allen, Pablo Alverez, Patrick Mullins
Scoring Summary
PHI: CJ Sapong (Sebastien Le Toux) — 47
NYC: Thomas McNamara — 53
NYC: Patrick Mullins (Jeb Brovsky) — 87
Disciplinary Summary
NYC: Jason Hernandez (foul) — 4
PHI: Maurice Edu (foul) — 89
April 16, 2015: New York City 1-1 Philadelphia Union
PSP Match Report Highlights
On a cool night in the Bronx, the Philadelphia Union earned a draw in their Yankee Stadium debut, finishing level with NYCFC at 1-1.
After a bland first half, NYCFC scored first off a strong strike by Mehdi Ballouchy. But, as the game wound down, a great combination between Maurice Edu and C.J. Sapong saw Sapong fire home his first goal for the Union and earn the team a valuable road point.
PSP Analysis and Player Ratings Highlights
While it may be hallowed ground for baseball fans, Philadelphia Union’s first trip to Yankee Stadium confirmed pretty much what everyone around the MLS community has feared about the butchered baseball diamond: It’s a downright awful place to play soccer.
Especially for a side like the Union, who rely on counterattacking athleticism over tactical nous and consistent precision, the tiny confines in the Bronx put them at a disadvantage from the opening whistle.
Postgame Video and Quote Sheet
Link to MLS Match Center for Stats, Chalkboard and more
Philadelphia Union
John McCarthy, Ray Gaddis, Maurice Edu, Steven Vitoria, Sheanon Williams, Michael Lahoud, Vincent Nogueira (Zach Pfeffer, 63), Andrew Wenger, Eric Ayuk (Cristian Maidana, 58), Sebastien Le Toux, Fernando Aristeguieta (CJ Sapong, 58)
New York City FC
Josh Saunders, Javier Calle (Jeb Brovsky, 78), Chris Wingert, Jason Hernandez (Kwadwo Poku, 45), Josh Williams, Mehdi Ballouchy, Andrew Jacobson, Ned Grabavoy, Khiry Shelton, Adam Nemec, David Villa (Kwame Watson-Siriboe, 45)
Scoring Summary
NYC: Mehdi Ballouchy (Khiry Shelton) — 57
PHI: CJ Sapong (Maurice Edu, Cristian Maidana) — 87
Disciplinary Summary
PHI: Vincent Nogueira (Dive) — 22
NYC: Ned Grabavoy (Dissent) — 25
NYC: Javier Calle (Persisten Infringement) — 32
PHI: Sheanon Williams (Foul) — 41
NYC: Mehdi Ballouchy (Excessive Celebration) — 58
PHI: CJ Sapong (Foul) — 67
NYC: Kwame Watson-Siriboe (Foul) — 73
NYC: Andrew Jacobson (Foul) — 87
April 11, 2015: Philadelphia Union 2-1 New York City
PSP Match Report Highlights
Vincent Nogueira scored in the second minute of stoppage time as Philadelphia Union gutted out a 2-1 win Saturday against New York City FC for their first victory of the 2015 season.
Zach Pfeffer was credited with a first half goal that deflected off the Union midfielder after a shot by Eric Ayuk. David Villa scored his second goal of the season to put New York on level terms 10 minutes into the second half, but it wasn’t enough for the expansion side.
PSP Analysis and Player Ratings Highlights
Last September, Vincent Nogueira had the U.S. Open Cup Final on his foot.
Driving into the box deep into stoppage time, the game level at 1-1, the French midfielder smashed a volley past Stefan Frei, a shot which would have brought Philadelphia its first-ever trophy. A buzzing crowd at PPL Park prepared to go insane.
It clanged, heartbreakingly, off the woodwork.
Not much has gone right for the Union since that day, the high-water mark of a 2014 campaign that ended in ruins. The 2015 campaign hasn’t been much better, a shambolic start to the season punctuated by a disastrous stoppage-time collapse at Kansas City last week.
On Saturday, Nogueira found himself in a similar position. Tied at 1-1, with a game the Union desperately needed slowly bleeding away, the ball fell to Nogueira at the top of the box.
This time, the Frenchman made no mistake.
It was an utterly massive goal, completely turning the mood at an increasingly grumpy PPL Park and finally earning the Union their first win of the year.
PSP Postgame Video and Quote Sheet
Link to MLS Match Center for Stats, Chalkboard and more
Philadelphia Union
John McCarthy, Sheanon Williams, Steven Vitoria, Maurice Edu, Ray Gaddis, Vincent Nogueira, Michael Lahoud, Andrew Wenger, Eric Ayuk (Conor Casey 72’), Zach Pfeffer (Cristian Maidana 84’), Sebastien Le Toux (C.J. Sapong 66’)
Unused Subs: Andre Blake, Ethan White, Brian Carroll, Richie Marquez
New York City FC
Josh Saunders, Josh Williams (Kwame Watson-Siriboe, 81’), Jason Hernandez, Chris Wingert, Jeb Brovsky, Andrew Jacobson, Mix Diskerud, Sebastien Velasquez (Khiry Shelton 45’), Ned Grabavoy, Adam Nemec (Javier Calle 72’), David Villa
Unused Subs: Ryan Meara, Kwadwo Poku, Mehdi Ballouchi, Patrick Mullins
Scoring Summary
PHI: Zach Pfeffer (Erik Ayuk, Sebastien Le Toux) — 27
NYC: David Villa — 55
PHI: Vincent Nogueira — 90 + 2
Disciplinary Summary
PHI: Michael Lahoud (foul) — 81
NYC: Kwame Watson-Siriboe — 85
Nogs goal on the April 11, 2015 match to win the game 🙁