Facts After the Match: NYCvCHI
(Heading picture from mlssoccer.com)
Brief Introduction: This is a new series of posts for NYCFC Nation continuing from the series I started on NYCFC's subreddit. I started writing these after the 5-1 win over Colorado and someone asked for me to write one after every match. So I took up the challenge. Now here I am, at NYCFC Nation. I hope you enjoy this series!
Now, here are some facts after tonight's match against Chicago Fire at Yankee Stadium.
1. NYCFC now has more home wins than road wins, 7W-6D-3L at home and 6W-3D-6L away. To add, NYCFC has won 19 of the last 21 league points at home, compared to winning only 8 of 27 before that.
2. The goal differential is a "healthy" +2. A three goal advantage does us well tonight.
3. Khiry Shelton raises his bet of two assists in the last match to three tonight. He now has nine, tied with McNamara, and one behind Pirlo.
4. inonit.com repots a 100% chance of making the top 5 in the conference. The chance of a knockout round bye is now 51.14%, and the chance for a top four finish is 99.78%. What shocks me is we have a 10.21% chance of winning the MLS Cup.
5. The top three player rankings on whoscored.com are Villa at 9.5, Shelton at 8.4, and Mendoza at 8.3. My honourable mention is Mena, in fourth with a 7.6.
6. The first time we played Chicago this year, the halftime score was also 3-1, NYCFC winning that game 4-3. I bet I wasn't the only one feeling that we were on track for three points again tonight.
This is the same HT scoreline from the first game against Chicago, and we won that 4-3. I think we're in good shape. #NYCFC #NYCvCHI
— Roddy Russell Jr. (@rrusselljr93) September 24, 2016
Lo, and behold!
7. As of tonight (Friday), NYCFC has the highest goals-for count in the league, at 55, but is tied for the highest goals-against count with Orlando City, at 53. (Eh, no worries!)
8. Apparently, David Villa scored three goals tonight, one of them being an own goal:
No, not really...but Villa did get his fifth brace of the season. (It could have been a hat trick if Harrison passed him the ball on that last play instead of being selfish and skying the shot, HARRISON WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!?--sorry, my apologies...) The other matches that featured Villa braces are the 2-2 draw versus Toronto on March 13th, the 2-3 loss versus Columbus on April 16th, the 3-2 win against Vancouver on April 30th, and the 3-3 away draw at Columbus on August 13. The brace moves him one goal behind this one guy across the river...
9. The first two goals were the fastest back-to-back goals in NYCFC's history, scored in the 8th and 9th minutes. The next fastest 1-2 punch was last season in a 3-2 home win against San Jose, in the 63rd and 65th minutes. In that match, it was Ned Grabavoy and David Villa respectively; in tonight's match, it was Jefferson Mena and David Villa respectively (it's as if they both got Villa's sign of approval). Both Grabavoy and Mena were first time scorers in these matches as well, with the difference being that Grabavoy scoring his second before Villa's quick follow-up.
If you have any more, put them in the comment section below! Also, leave any feedback in the comments as well.
Enjoy the rest of the football this weekend! And here's to getting help with some results!
