NYCFC Fall to New England for First Time Since 2022: "We Need to Be Better," Says Thiago Martins

New York City FC suffered a setback on Saturday night, falling 2-0 to the New England Revolution in what was their first loss to the Revs since a 3-0 defeat on September 4, 2022. The result marked a rare blemish in an otherwise favorable history against the Eastern Conference foe.

This time, however, the script was different. Many of City’s past defeats in recent months had come in the dying minutes—meltdowns near the 90th minute that led to dropped points and frustration. But this match at Gillette Stadium was a contrast: NYCFC were undone early, conceding goals in the 45th and 48th minutes, never quite recovering.

“It’s tough,” said center back Thiago Martins postgame. “We concede... too fast, so quickly. We would have to be better. We need to improve.”

The Brazilian defender didn’t sugarcoat the situation. Asked to elaborate on what exactly needs fixing, Martins deferred specifics but pointed to the obvious: “You guys watched the game. You guys saw what happened. It’s just like we need to be better as a team. We need to improve. We need to see what our head coach is going to say, and during the week, prepare for the next game.”

Despite the disappointment, Martins emphasized the importance of mental reset and forward focus. “Now it’s already like the game is finished. We need to move forward and think for the next game.”