Tag: NYCFC

Please enjoy 5 minutes of an MLS grounds crew trying to get a raccoon off the field

This raccoon had some moves on the pitch!

Most of the time, when the field of play is invaded at a sporting event, it’s quite annoying. Most of the time.

The exception is when the invader happens to have paws.

Which brings us to Subaru Park in Philadelphia where the Union were hosting NYCFC in some midweek MLS action on Wednesday night. Barely 20 minutes into the action, play was halted thanks to a raccoon that somehow made its way into the stadium, got down to field level and made itself at home on the pitch.

It took nearly five minutes before the grounds crew could safely capture the critter and the video is all the zen you need today.

Shoutout to the broadcast crew for giving us their best Kevin Harlan impression. NYCFC won the game 2-1 after the interruption and it’s not hard to see why. The home fans just couldn’t get back into the game after the raccoon was taken away.

But fear not! Our hero has been released back into the wild to hopefully teach all of his friends about the beautiful game.

Raccoon on the field! Critter joins Philadelphia Union vs. NYCFC match

Folks, this is not a drill, we have a raccoon on the field

The Philadelphia Union and New York City FC were honored by the presence of a raccoon who made the bold but indisputably correct choice to join the Wednesday night MLS clash.

The racoon strolled out around the 21st minute, setting up shop in the NYCFC penalty area as play carried on at the other end of the Subaru Park pitch.

Pro Soccer Wire cannot confirm whether NYCFC is interested in signing the raccoon as a goalkeeper, defender, or at some other position.

Expertly reading that the game was going on at the other end with an NYCFC throw-in, the raccoon jogged up to join the teams and presumably try to engage in soccer.

Sadly, the staff at Subaru Park preferred for the game to remain an 11-on-11 affair, and two people emerged from the touchline carrying empty gray trash cans.

Raccoons, of course, have a hot-and-cold relationship with trash cans: when full, they contain what any procyon lotor will tell you is an array of delightful and interesting food.

When empty, however, the trash can is a trap, and raccoons everywhere will surely take note of how things went down. Multiple staffers with multiple trash cans emerged, and though the raccoon put in some great moves to avoid several attempts to slow it down, the end result was…well, the raccoon got trapped in a trash can.

NYCFC’s Mitja IleniÄŤ could scarcely believe his good fortune as the scene played out in front of him, while Union players — one assumes out of a fear that the raccoon would be allowed to join the visitors — looked less amused.

This raccoon followed in the footsteps of other animals interrupting recent Union games. Back in March 2023, a dog graced Philadelphia and Salvadoran club Alianza with its presence during a Concacaf Champions League match.

Curiously, the Union aren’t the mid-Atlantic team associated with raccoons, an honor long held by D.C. United. However, since the club’s move from RFK Stadium — well known as a major attraction for raccoons — to Audi Field, raccoon sightings have plummeted down to zero.

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NYCFC coach Cushing denies allegation he punched Toronto FC player

TFC head coach John Herdman has leveled a very serious charge against the NYCFC boss

New York City FC head coach Nick Cushing has “categorically” denied an allegation that he punched a Toronto FC player at halftime of a game in March.

NYCFC and TFC played out a contentious match on Saturday night, with players and coaches alike involved in a heated on-field scuffle after the game at BMO Field.

After the match, which NYCFC won 3-2, TFC head coach John Herdman and captain Jonathan Osorio said the altercation was partially due to an incident that had taken place two months earlier.

“Their coach talks and says things to certain players that crosses the line,” Osorio said in a post-game press conference. “When we hear their coach and three players cornered a 19-year-old of ours by himself, that’s going to be a problem. We were just letting them know we didn’t forget about that.”

Herdman was later asked directly about Cushing’s behavior during the March 16 match at Yankee Stadium.

“That was the off-record report that came into the dressing room at halftime from a 19-year-old who said he got cornered and punched in the face,” Herdman said.

Neither Herdman nor Osorio mentioned the TFC player in question, but the only 19-year-old on the team’s senior roster is Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty.

On Monday, Cushing spoke to the press and denied the charges made by Toronto’s coach and captain.

“I categorically deny any involvement or any incident where I have punched or assaulted any Toronto FC player or staff,” Cushing said.

“I am shocked, personally. I’m upset by the allegation.”

Cushing added that he was not aware of the allegation until after TFC’s post-game press conference on Saturday.

The MLS Disciplinary Committee is set to examine footage of the most recent altercation between NYCFC and TFC, and will hand out any punishment later this week.

No punishments were given after the March game at Yankee Stadium.

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Messi to miss another MLS game as Inter Miami star aims for Monterrey clash

The 36-year-old will miss his fifth straight match on Saturday

Lionel Messi has been ruled out of Inter Miami’s match against New York City FC on Saturday, but the club is hopeful he’ll be fit for Wednesday’s Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal first leg against Monterrey.

Messi has been sidelined for four matches now with a hamstring issue, missing two MLS games with Inter Miami and also sitting out both of Argentina’s friendlies over the international break.

After suffering the injury on March 14, the Argentina superstar won’t be ready in time for Saturday’s MLS match at Chase Stadium.

“Leo is working with the physios,” assistant coach Javeier Morales told reporters on Friday. “He is ruled out for tomorrow, he will not be available because we will be trying to do our best so that he can play at home next Wednesday against Monterrey.”

With Messi sidelined, Miami defeated D.C. United on March 16 in the nation’s capital, before falling to a heavy 4-0 defeat in a match at the New York Red Bulls a week later.

Miami currently sits second in the Eastern Conference table with a record of 3W-1D-2L.

The matchup with Monterrey represents a huge test for Miami, which has only faced a Liga MX team once since Messi’s arrival. That came in Messi’s debut, which saw him score a last-second free kick to defeat Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup in July.

Monterrey will be a formidable opponent for the Herons, as Los Rayados currently top the Liga MX table.

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Rutgers men’s soccer: Former Scarlet Knight MD Myers is making a transfer move from New York City FC

Rutgers men’s soccer alum MD Myers is heading to the USL.

MD Myers was transferred by New York City FC to the Charleston Battery on Thursday, bringing the former Rutgers star to one of the best teams in the USL.

The Battery play in the USL Championship, one level down from MLS. For the former Rutgers forward, it is a step up in competition and could lead to a move to MLS if he continues the high-level he showed in 2023.

Prior to joining NYCFC, Myers played one year with Rutgers in 2022 as a transfer addition but it was certainly memorable. He scored 14 goals for the Scarlet Knights and helped them to capture the Big Ten Tournament, the first in program history.

He was selected No. 66 overall in the 2023 MLS Super Draft.

Last season for NYCFCII, the reserve team that plays in MLS Next Pro, Myers had 19 goals and five assists in 28 games played. He made the MLS Next Pro Best XI and tied for the developmental league as the leading scorer.

Myers has a nose for goal and is a sound finisher. His movement off the ball, with the ability to play off the defender’s back shoulder, is a hallmark of his game.

At Rutgers, he was routinely man-marked by the opposition and frequently drew two defenders when he was in the box.

Inter Miami vs. NYCFC: How to watch Messi in MLS

A key match for both sides in the race for MLS’s final few playoff spots

Inter Miami, whether or not Lionel Messi is available, is facing an absolutely crucial game against New York City FC in pursuit of an MLS playoff spot.

Messi’s status is the big mystery, with the Argentine superstar taking the pitch Friday to “test it out” at training for the Herons. The 36-year-old has missed four of Miami’s last five matches, and his lone appearance in that stretch saw him substituted off after 37 minutes with a recurrence of what the club has maintained is a problem with old scar tissue.

In his absence, Miami’s previously red-hot form has cooled significantly. The Herons had previously gone unbeaten in Messi’s first 11 appearances since a blockbuster summer move to MLS, and the club has not lost a match in which the iconic attacker has appeared.

However, in the four games Messi played no part in since this injury cropped up, Miami has won just once, most recently losing the U.S. Open Cup final at home to the Houston Dynamo.

NYCFC, meanwhile, is the rare MLS playoff bubble team rounding into form. Nick Cushing’s side seemed to be losing touch with the pack, but has gone five games without a loss and conceding just one goal in the process.

That form is terrible news for Miami, who sit five points behind the Bronx-based club for the final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference.

Here is everything you need to know to watch Miami take on NYCFC.

How to watch Inter Miami vs. NYCFC

When: Saturday, September 30

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: DRV PNK Stadium

Channel/streaming: Apple TV

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Messi taking it ‘day-by-day’ as he aims to play in vital NYCFC game

The Herons face a crucial test on Saturday as they aim to make a late playoff push

Lionel Messi will test his fitness at training on Friday ahead of a crucial game on Saturday against New York City FC, according to Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales.

Messi has missed three of Inter Miami’s past four games while battling what head coach Tata Martino has called “muscular fatigue” and “old scar tissue.”

The latest match Messi was forced to sit out was Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup final, which Inter Miami lost 2-1 to the Houston Dynamo at home.

Martino insisted after the game that Messi would not be lost for the rest of the season, with five games remaining in Miami’s regular-season campaign.

The club’s attention will now turn toward an increasingly difficult push for a playoff berth. Any realistic hope of making the postseason will start with a win over NYCFC, which currently occupies the ninth and final playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

Speaking to the media ahead of Saturday’s game, Morales said that Messi was still holding out hope he could play a part at DRV PNK Stadium on Saturday.

“We are taking it day-by-day,” he said. “We were trying up until the last moment for the final but he couldn’t make it. It’s communication with the medical staff and with him to see how he’s feeling. Now he is going to train and test it out.”

As for Jordi Alba, though, the news was less encouraging.

“Jordi is different, it’s a little longer than Leo,” Morales said. “It’s a hamstring injury and he’ll be out for this weekend.”

Like Messi, Alba’s most recent appearance came in last week’s game against Toronto FC, in which both former Barcelona stars were removed before halftime due to injury.

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This MLS playoff race is an absolute mess

Put on your boots, because we’re about to wade into a mess

The race for the MLS playoffs is promising that Decision Day will be as bonkers as it ever has been.

The final day of the regular season is less than a month away, with 28 of the league’s 29 teams set for two breathless rounds of simultaneous kickoffs, one for each conference (sorry D.C. United, you’re just going to have to follow along at home).

There’s an old MLS truism that a team just needs to stay in touch until late August or so, and that if said team can start to heat up around Labor Day, you’re looking at a major threat coming from what on paper is a low playoff seed. Plenty of teams with multiple MLS Cups in their trophy case have at least one season where they followed this plan to a tee.

However, in 2023 it’s not so much about getting hot at the right time as simply ending up next to an empty seat during a poorly-played game of musical chairs. Seven teams have clinched their playoff berths already, and two more are simply abysmal.

That leaves 20 teams vying for 11 postseason spots in what is an extraordinarily forgiving set-up. The problem is that almost none of this group seems able to get a solid hold on their invite to the big dance.

Put on your boots, because we’re about to wade into a mess:

Bronx-born Red Bulls star Fernandez steps up on derby days: ‘New York is always going to be red’

The Red Bulls homegrown spoke to Pro Soccer Wire about his unique scoring record against New York City FC

New York Red Bulls midfielder Omir Fernandez has built up a pretty impressive scoring record against his club’s biggest rival, New York City FC.

Fernandez is likely to start on Saturday afternoon when the Red Bulls travel to Yankee Stadium for the regular season’s second installment of the Hudson River Derby. With four career goals against NYCFC — three of which are game-winners — it is easy to see why he should be a lock for the starting XI.

Considering that Fernandez has 13 career goals in MLS, it is a pretty impressive scoring rate.

As a player and as a person, Fernandez is low key and rarely rattled. Much like his playing style, there is a certain glide to Fernandez’s persona that seems much more California than his Bronx upbringing. He is affable and upbeat, so his deep emotion for the rivalry between his Red Bulls and NYCFC is a bit out of character.

He admits that on derby days, he gets amped. That might just explain the 24-year-old’s scoring record against NYCFC.

“It means a lot to me. I have said it many times that I am not a big fan of that team. I always have extra motivation of wanting to prove them wrong and wanting to beat them every single time that we play them,” Fernandez told Pro Soccer Wire.

“I think it brings the best out of the whole team as well and I have just been fortunate enough to get the goals, and hope that it continues on Saturday.”

Growing up in the same borough where he will play on Saturday, there is a different beat to this match for Fernandez. He came up through the Red Bulls Academy system, progressing to playing collegiately at Wake Forest before signing a homegrown deal with the Red Bulls.

There was never a doubt that he wanted to represent the Red Bulls, even if NYCFC was closer to his home. His soccer home, he says, was established in 1996 when MLS was launched.

The banter at the heart of the rivalry is that NYCFC is located in New York City, unlike the Red Bulls who are on the other side of the Hudson River. Not surprisingly, Fernandez isn’t bothered by that talking point even though he grew up close to Yankee Stadium.

“The New York Red Bulls have been here since the very beginning of the league. They are one of the original clubs and for many people growing up, that was the true team in New York,” Fernandez said.

“I don’t agree with people claiming that New York is blue just because of this new team coming in. I have always supported the Red Bulls and will continue to always claim that New York is always going to be red.”

In the micro, the derby match is always a heated one between these two sides, no matter the date or what the league table might say.

But for both clubs, this is an important match on the macro level for the playoff picture.

The Red Bulls are five points shy of the playoff line in the Eastern Conference. NYCFC is four points away.

“It is coming towards the end of the season, where every game counts now. There is at least seven or eight games left that are really important and every single game is important,” Fernandez said.

“It just happened that this next game we are playing is a derby away from home. This can be the start of a good push that we need to be able to make it to the playoffs.”

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Former Rutgers men’s soccer star MD Myers can’t stop scoring in MLS Next Pro

MD Myers continues his hot streak in MLS Next Pro.

MD Myers continued his hot run in MLS Next Pro, scoring the equalizer for New York City FC II in a shootout loss at the Chicago Fire II. The former Rutgers star forward has enjoyed an incredibly successful first season of professional soccer with NYCFC.

In fact, after his goal on Wednesday night, Myers now leads MLS Next Pro with 16 goals on the season. Given his form his season, his recent performances could see him knocking on the door of a first-team call-up.

Myers has six goals in the last three games, this latest was a stoppage-time header off a corner kick.

MLS Next Pro is in its first season as the developmental/reserve league for MLS.

 

In his one season at Rutgers, Myers spearheaded an attack that led Rutgers to win the Big Ten Tournament and earn a place in the NCAA Tournament.

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He scored 13 goals and had seven assists in the regular season and was the unanimous selection as the Big Ten Player of the Year.

NYCFC took him in the third round of the MLS Super Draft.

Following the late equalizer from Myers, NYCFC II lost to the Fire II in a shootout.

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