New York City FC 3, Orlando City SC 0 | 2018 MLS Match Recap

Dylan Butler

BRONX, N.Y.—Ismael Tajouri-Shradi struck for a brace to help lead New York City FC to a 3-0 win over Orlando City SC Saturday night at Yankee Stadium.

NYCFC (8-3-3) took the 1-0 lead in the 35th minute on Tajouri-Shradi’s sixth goal of the season. The Libyan winger made an overlapping run into space on the right and received a pass from Anton Tinnerholm. Tajouri-Shradi cut the ball back to his left foot, sending Donny Toia sliding away, before a class finish inside the far post.

Four minutes into the second half, Orlando City SC (6-6-1) had a golden chance to level when Alex Callens pulled down Chris Mueller inside the box. But, with Sean Johnson diving to his right, Sacha Kljestan put his penalty kick off the post.

Tajouri-Shradi put the game away with his second goal of the game in the 79th minute, sneaking a free kick through a crowd inside the far post. Maxi Moralez followed a pair of attempts off the crossbar with his sixth goal three minutes from full time.

Goals

35’ - NYC - Ismael Tajouri-Shradi | Watch
79’ - NYC - Ismael Tajouri-Shradi | Watch
87’ - NYC - Maxi Moralez | Watch

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: It wasn’t pretty, but anytime you can win with your best player on the bench for the first 65 minutes, you will take it and that was the case for NYCFC with David Villa coming off the bench, while Orlando City probably should have taken the lead, but they squandered their chances in their fourth straight loss.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH: A clumsy challenge by Callens on Mueller put the equalizing goal on the foot of Kljestan, who was booed on every touch. But the former Red Bulls captain put his PK off the post, a costly miss.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Tajouri-Shradi’s first MLS goal came in March — against Orlando City SC — and the first-year winger from Libya did it again against the Lions with a devastating cut inside and a fantastic finish with his left.