It seems only fitting.
Taty Castellanos, who won the Golden Boot presented by Audi as the top goalscorer during the MLS regular season, struck for the first goal of MLS Cup 2021 to give New York City FC a 1-0 lead late in the first half at Providence Park.
Castellanos latched onto a Maxi Moralez free kick served toward the back post and put his downward header on frame. The ball was parried along the wet surface by Portland Timbers goalkeeper Steve Clark, though trickled inside the far post.
Castellanos, who returned from a one-game suspension after a late sending off in NYCFC’s upset of the New England Revolution in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, is just the second Golden Boot winner to score in an MLS Cup Final in the same year. Josef Martinez was the first in MLS Cup 2018 – ironically also against Portland – to lead Atlanta United to the title lift at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
