The warning signs were there for New York City FC coach Ronny Deila long before Eduardo Vargas snuck in a rebound in second-half stoppage time to lift Tigres UANL to a 1-0 win in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinal Wednesday night at Red Bull Arena.
There were the multitude of chances in the first half, but perhaps more puzzling for the first-year coach was how NYCFC changed in the second half.
“The second half, as I said, why we stopped playing the way we do on the ball?” Deila said. “We’re still fighting and working together as a team, but we need to take more chances on the ball, so they have to get troubled, so they have to run after us. And that didn’t happen in the second half. It was too little on the ball.”
That allowed Tigres to get more into the game, and eventually, come away with a critical away goal at the death.
So what happened after halftime?
“I think a little bit is too much transition,” midfielder James Sands said. “Every time we did win it, we were just going, going, going. Sometimes we just have to put our foot on [the ball] and slow it down a little bit. That will give us the ball more and we’re not defending for so long.”
As for the opening 45 minutes, it played out exactly how Deila would have hoped and almost the same way it did against AD San Carlos.
On Wednesday night, though, those chances weren’t converted into goals.
“We get the ball in central, get it wide, put up the wingers one-v-one, get chances,” he said. “The way we played was fantastic. That’s something we have to continue.”
The difference, Deila said, was NYCFC were too rushed in the attacking third when those chances came against Tigres.
“I think we have to be more calm. In this situation, we have more time than we think we have. … I think we are a little bit stressed in these situations,” Deila said. “I think that’s the main part. The worse is if the chances [don’t come].”
Autore: Stefano Bentivogli
Other news - News
Other news
- 13:35 One absent for New York City FC for the trip to Charlotte
- 13:29 New York City FC 2024 team numbers confirmed
- 16:52 Three Keys of NYCFC 0-0 Red Bulls
- 16:23 NYCFC 0-0 Red Bulls, Cushing: "Incredible atmosphere at Yankee Stadium"
- 01:20 The Knicks can sacrifice Immanuel Quickley for a star
- 00:01 Maxi Moralez: "I can't wait to be reunited with the fans"
- 23:00 Maxi Moralez back to NYCFC: "I couldn’t be more excited"
- 22:03 David Lee: "Maxi will bring leadership and experience to our group"
- 22:00 OFFICIAL - Maxi Moralez Returns to New York City Football Club
- 13:00 David Lee: "We're excited to integrate Fernandez into the team"
- 07:20 NYCFC Signs Argentinian Forward Julián Fernández
- 15:30 Bernardeschi can leave Toronto: there is interest from an Italian club
- 14:30 Los Angeles Galaxy crazy offer to Hriving Lozano
- 13:42 CR7: "Saudi Pro League is much better than the MLS"
- 18:44 NYCFC, failing season. The trend needs to be reversed
- 17:27 Birk Risa: "I'm happy to be here, I can't wait to get started"
- 15:39 OFFICIAL - NYCFC Signs Norwegian Defender Birk Risa
- 13:44 Taty Castellanos moves to Lazio
- 13:40 Inter Miami, Alba también se sumará al proyecto
- 23:36 OFFICIAL - Inter Miami, Gerardo Martino named new coach
- 22:58 Timothy Weah has landed in Turin, he will be a Juventus player
- 22:56 OFFICIAL - Kai Havertz is a new Arsenal player
- 15:30 Bayern Munich on Kane, there is an agreement on the contract but not the one with Tottenham
- 14:30 West Ham reject Arsenal's third offer for Rice. Manchester City are considering withdrawing from the auction
- 13:24 Mbappé at Real, the striker's mother-agent is the key: she will be the one to deal with PSG
- 19:15 OFFICIAL - "Welcome to Finnesota". Center forward Pukki restarts from MLS
- 19:13 OFFICIAL - Mateo Kovacic leaves Chelsea and signs with Man City
- 18:30 AC Milan wants Pulisic. Berhalter advises the US midfielder
- 18:00 West Ham: 100 million not enough for Declan Rice, rejected offers from Arsenal and Man City
- 17:30 Timothy Weah moves to Italy
- 17:00 NYCFC may pursue former Vancouver Whitecaps player
- 16:30 Antoine Griezmann wants to play in MLS and rejects the offer from Saudi Arabia
- 15:59 Keaton Parks: "I'm happy to be able to do goal and assist"
- 15:32 Bayern Munich, formal offer for Harry Kane
- 15:23 Andrea Pirlo returns to Italy, signs with Sampdoria
- 13:28 Manchester City's Champions League win could impact NYCFC's future
- 12:00 James Sands Selected To Represent The USMNT At The 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup
- 08:30 Lionel Messi lands in the MLS: pros and cons
- 23:48 Real Salt Lake vs NYCFC: one player unavailable for Cushing
- 23:46 NYCFC, Cushing: “We’re Desperate For The First Road Win"
- 22:34 MLS statement on Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF
- 21:54 OFFICIAL - Messi is a new player of Inter Miami FC
- 19:09 Messi's signing with Inter Miami FC