Unsung hero

Torrent understands why a lot of the post-match emphasis was on Mitrita, who scored the third hat trick in club history. Heber added a goal, Maxi Moralez picked up his 20th assist of the season, becoming the third player in league history to do so, and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi also had an assist.

But Torrent was quick to laud the play of Taty Castellanos, who didn’t make it onto the scoresheet, but was instrumental in the decisive win, according to Torrent.

“Taty, for example, played amazing,” he said. “The people think about strikers or the wingers its important they score. OK, I agree, but important is to play well and he played really well and he helped us 100 percent. He was really tired, but he’s a fighter.”

“Without Taty today it would be impossible to win the game,” he added.

NYCFC will be without Castellanos Sunday in New England. The Argentine winger, who was booked in the 71st minute, will be suspended for yellow card accumulation. He joins captain Alex Ring, who will also serve a one-game ban for his fifth yellow card.