“Nicolas Fernandez Mercau breaks the deadlock with a well-taken finish after Agustin Ojeda's assist, capping off a spell where RSL had already forced saves and blocks.”
Pivotal“Luighi doubles New York City's lead, again teed up by Ojeda, just minutes after a double substitution freshened up the visitors' attack.”
Pivotal“Matt Freese picks up a booking for time wasting as New York City see out the final moments and protect their clean sheet against a dominant home side.”
Real Salt Lake
New York City
Outstanding performance
New York City•GoalkeeperReal Salt Lake controlled the game by almost every measure - 53% possession, 15 shots to 6, 10 corners to 1, and a dominance rating of 72 to 41 - yet walked away with nothing to show for it. New York City managed just six shots all match but scored twice, with Nicolas Fernandez Mercau converting in the 41st minute and Luighi doubling the lead in the 61st, both goals created by the same man, Agustin Ojeda. Matt Freese was the difference-maker at the other end, making six saves to preserve the shutout despite facing wave after wave of RSL pressure. For Real Salt Lake, sitting near the bottom of the table, this is a damaging result that will pile pressure on a side that dominated territorially but couldn't find a way through a well-organized visiting defense; for New York City, it's a statement road win built on defensive discipline and clinical finishing when it mattered most.
How entertaining was this match?
Lineker Rodrigues dos Santos attempts a header but misses the shot.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Substitution: Alonso Martinez comes on for Hannes Wolf.
Shot - Aiden Hezarkhani Head Shot Missed
Corner awarded.
Aiden Hezarkhani's header is saved.
Corner awarded.
Colin Guske takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Corner awarded.
Kevin O'Toole receives a yellow card.
Corner awarded.
Aiden O'Neill is on, and Jonathan Shore is off.
Kevin O'Toole is on, and Nico Cavallo is off.
On Taylor Booth, Off Morgan Guilavogui.
On comes Benie Adama Traore, and off goes Luighi.
Yellow card for Lineker Rodrigues dos Santos.
Aiden Hezarkhani comes on for Philip Quinton.
On: Lineker Rodrigues dos Santos, Off: Sergi Solans.
Saba Lobjanidze takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Alexandros KatranisYellow CardYellow card shown to Alexandros Katranis.
LuighiShot on goal! Luighi takes a right-footed shot that finds the back of the net.
assist: Agustín Ojeda
Goal! Luighi scores to make it 0-2, assisted by Agustin Ojeda.
Colin Guske is on, and Luca Moisa is off.
Kobi Joseph Henry comes on for Juan Arias.
Juan Manuel Sanabria takes a left-footed shot, but it is saved.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
First half ends with the score at 0-1.
Nicolas Ezequiel Fernandez Mercau takes a left-footed shot, but it is saved.
Nicolas Ezequiel Fernandez Mercau scores with a left-footed shot.
assist: Agustín Ojeda
Goal! Nicolas Ezequiel Fernandez Mercau scores to make it 0-1, assisted by Agustin Ojeda.
Noel Caliskan takes a right-footed shot, but it's blocked.
Luca Moisa takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Saba Lobjanidze takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Morgan Guilavogui takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Jonathan Shore's right-footed shot is blocked.
Shot - Juan Arias Head Shot Missed
Saba Lobjanidze takes a left-footed shot, but it is saved.
Luca Moisa takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Nicolas Ezequiel Fernandez Mercau takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Offside.
Saba Lobjanidze takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Kick-off! The referee is Abdou Ndiaye.
