New York City FC have their first MLS Cup in franchise history as they defeated the Portland Timbers in their home via a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1 after regulation and extra time. Founded in 2013, NYCFC got an early goal from Golden Boot winner Valentin Castellanos who capitalized off some clumsy goalkeeping in wet conditions from Portland keeper Steve Clark. Felipe Mora scored the equalizer at the death as no one was able to find the breakthrough goal in the 30 minutes of extra time. NYCFC keeper Sean Johnson was the hero in this one as he made two clutch saves to secure a 4-2 shootout win to clinch the title.
The Portland Timbers never got things going early on as Sebastian Blanco seemed to be playing at 60 percent after replacing Santiago Moreno in the lineup from the Western Conference final. Early on, both sides were essentially playing a back-and-forth match as the slick field gave them all trouble keeping the ball. There was a point when New York City FC were clear through in the box and Tayvon Gray and Maxi Moralez both slipped in the box for Portland to regain possession. That summed up how the wet conditions were on Saturday at Providence Park.
Things did open up a little thanks to a Claudio Bravo foul on Tayvon Gray in the 40th minute. Dead ball specialist Moralez sent in the free kick that Castellanos headed into the net, but it’s a chance that should have been saved by Clark, who saw the ball slip past his fingers in the wet surface and trickle into the back of the net for the first goal of the game.
This is familiar territory for Clark as he had a similar mistake in 2015 while playing for the Columbus Crew against the Portland Timbers. During the goal celebration, a fan in the stands launched a beer can that struck NYCFC’s Jesus Medina high, though it looks like it did end up avoiding his face.
Once New York got their noses ahead, Moralez began pinging passes around the pitch using his experience to manage the game and hold the result. It seemed as if it would have worked out flawlessly, but Filipe Mora had other plans as he made up for his miss earlier in the match by rifling a finish past Sean Johnson in the 94th minute. Mora goal was the latest a goal has ever been scored in regulation of MLS Cup, but New York wanted it ruled out for a foul. Maxime Chanot appealed to head referee Armando Villarreal as his teammates encircled the officials to no avail.
In the first period of extra time, NYCFC seemed disjointed as they weren’t able to move on from Portland’s equalizer being ruled out. Even with the Timbers having players out of position due to tossing on so many attackers, NYCFC couldn’t cut through their defense. Portland veteran Diego Valeri, who likely played the final game of his career, had the best chance for both sides with a shot in space from outside the box but he fired it into the stands behind the box.
NYCFC now join Manchester City (English Premier League), Mumbai City (Indian Super League) and Melbourne City (Australian A League) as the four reigning champions in four different men’s top-flight leagues for City Football Group (h/t Bob Williams).
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To extra time we go!
Mora made up for his miss earlier leveling things in the 95th minute. New York is claiming that there was a foul and Chanot is berating the referee that the goal shouldn’t stand. But we’ve got 30 more minutes to decide a winner!
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NYCFC ✅ X ✅ ✅ ✅
Portland X X ✅ X
- Castellanos scores for NYCFC
- Sean Johnson saves it!
- Alfredo Morales’ shot is saved!
- Sean Johnson saves another!
- Maxi Moralez scores with ease!
- Moreno scores the first for Portland!
- Telles Magno with a really poor penalty but it finds its way in! NYCFC on the brink…
- Paredes scores! Portland still alive!
- Callens!!!!! It’s over!!!! NYCFC win MLS Cup!!!!
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Taking after his brother, Yimmi Chara stops a New York attack in the box now that he has had to slide into midfield to close things out.
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After a Clark save on Gray on one end, a big save from Johnson on Paredes but it won’t matter as the play was deemed to be offsides. While the teams are tiring out, there is a little left in the tank to get through the final seven minutes.
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Things are still level at 1-1 entering the second stanza of extra time.
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Gray found space but his cross that followed went to no man’s land. New York will have to regain their composure as Diego Valeri had a chance to put Portland ahead but fired it into the stands in the 100th minute.
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The Timbers are a little disorganized after throwing everything that they had at getting the match level but they haven’t been able to string enough passes together to get their attackers in space yet. 1-1
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Portland’s equalizer was a historic one as it was the latest goal ever scored in regulation time of MLS Cup.
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Entering Extra time, Ronny Deila will hope that making subs to waste time doesn’t come back to bite New York.
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Maxi Moralez is yelling at the NYCFC bench, asking for subs to waste time. Doesn’t understand why more haven’t arrived yet.
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Medina thought he had the clincher but Diego Chara tracked back to stop it from turning into a goal in the 89th minute.
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A chance from Mora and he’ll want that back. One of his first clear touches in the box and he couldn’t get anything on it before Sean Johnson got to it.
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Santiago Rodriguez is subbed off and also gets carded for time wasting. Ismael Tajouri-Shradi will enter in his place.
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Van Rankin has been consistently finding space but so far no one has been on the end of his crosses.
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Yimmy Chara was in on goal but Chanot got across to snuff things out and make it an easy save for Johnson. Entering the 76th minute, time is running out for the Timbers as they trail 1-0.
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Here comes Diego!
In what could be his final match for the Timbers, Diego Valeri is getting ready to sub into the match with them down 1-0. Can he change the match adding another notch to his legendary MLS career?
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So impressive from Moralez. His matchup with Chara was noted as a big one heading into the match and so far, he’s winning.
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The 62nd minute brings Portland substitutes. Santiago Moreno enters for Blanco to hopefully hit New York on the break. Fochive also exits with Cristhian Paredes entering in midfield.
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