It wasn't funky nor cold for the first hour, but Jesus Medina and New York City FC eventually found the net three times on their way to three important points in a 3-1 win over Montreal Impact.
The floodgates opened after 68 minutes without a goal. Medina broke the ice, while Maxi Moralez added a second and Tony Rocha scored his first MLS goal to round out the scoring for the home side as they moved closer to an East playoff spot with the win. Romell Quioto added a late goal for the Impact, who are still in the postseason picture despite losing three of their last four.
The Impact had the opportunity to recharge following a trip back to Montreal during the week, but it was NYCFC starting the match by forcing Impact homegrown goalkeeper James Pantemis to make a few acrobatic saves. The Impact netminder finished with four stops in the first half and eight for the game.
NYCFC, who were playing without a pure center forward due to the suspension of Valentin Castellanos, finally broke the deadlock in the 68th minute. Montreal defender Rudy Camacho gave Medina a perfect opportunity to score on an empty net. The center back tried to clear a cross inside the box with his backheel, but the ball rolled straight to Medina who notched his third of the season.
The floodgates opened following Medina's goal as Moralez scored one of his own in the 82nd minute. The Argentine expertly finished an Anton Tinnerholm pass with a perfectly placed shot from the penalty spot. Then Rocha scored his first career MLS goal four minutes later to make it 3-0. The Texas native found himself in the right place, at the right time on a corner kick situation to open his NYCFC account.
The Impact found a consolation goal at the 89th minute. Quioto used his strength on the right side of the box to spoil Sean Johnson's clean sheet and become the Impact's leading scorer with a sixth goal in 2020.
Goals
- 68' — NYC — Jesus Medina | WATCH
- 82' — NYC — Maxi Moralez | WATCH
- 86' — NYC — Tony Rocha | WATCH
- 89' — MTL — Romell Quioto | WATCH
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: With the team's late flurry of goals, New York City FC snapped a three-game win-less streak. The Cityzens are one step closer to clinching a spot in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and the win allows them to hop over the New England Revolution into the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference. On their end, the Impact stay put in ninth place with an important three-game stint ahead of them.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: After 68 scoreless minutes, a defensive mistake from Camacho gave Medina an opportunity to break the deadlock on a silver platter. The Paraguayan took the opportunity, opening the floodgates for his team.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: With a number of other star players unavailable, Maxi Moralez stepped up with his first start since Sept. 12 and he helped his team regain momentum in the push for the playoffs. The Argentine ended the game with a goal and five shots on target.
Next Up
- NYC: Wednesday, October 28 at Toronto FC (7:30 pm ET | MLS Live on ESPN+ in US; TSN 1/3/4/5 in Canada)
- MTL: Tuesday, October 27 vs Nashville SC (7:00 pm ET | MLS Live on ESPN+ in US; TSN 1/3/4/5, TVA Sports in Canada)
