Not good enough: NYCFC fails to beat Orlando City despite another comeback draw
Alarm bells have been ringing for New York City FC. Every match the team does not win is another game closer to the end of the season. It is difficult to believe they will make the postseason, and entering the match against Orlando City SC, doubt was in the air. That 5-0 win against the Lions back in March feels like one hundred years ago, so it made sense that the story would be different on Saturday.
NYCFC failed to get the needed three points, drawing Orlando City 2-2. It was another frustrating game, as the Boys in Blue were not poor in their play. They provided an entertaining battle, but it was not good enough. In fact, it was somewhat of a miracle that it ended in a draw.
It did not help either that before the fixture, both the Columbus Crew and New York Red Bulls won their respective matchups, putting pressure on the team.
Meanwhile, after the draw with Los Angeles FC, it did make sense to go with a similar lineup. Alonso Martínez was the lone change, and his return has been a positive for NYCFC. It will take time for the Costa Rican to fully return to the player he was before his ACL tear. However, it helps that he scored his first goal since his return, which was a positive on the night.
NYCFC falls to Orlando
He initially gave NYCFC the lead in the 18th minute. Maxime Crépeau attempted to stop the ball from a Hannes Wolf shot, but fell to his right and missed, leaving the goal open. Martínez was in the right spot at the right time and tapped the ball into the goal with nobody to stop him.
That joy did not last long, though, as Matt Freese unfortunately had to come out due to a possible shoulder injury about halfway through the first half. Tomás Romero subsequently came on.
Afterward, Orlando had a sudden burst of energy. The home side began to relentlessly attack the NYCFC backline, almost as if they felt they could do anything with Romero between the sticks. Sadly, that quickly came to fruition.
The Lions were on the prowl, and the Pigeons struggled to clear the ball. Star player and summer signing Antoine Griezmann found himself in a perfect spot. The ball fell right to him, and he headed it into the goal with ease, tying the game in the 32nd minute.
Thankfully, that was not the end of any hope. NYCFC got back into the game. But it soon turned into the same old story of the 2026 season.
In the 49th minute, the Pigeons’ defense turned into a mess. Martín Ojeda was given too much room to strike, and he swiftly shot the ball from the left side of the goal toward the right corner. Romeo got down to attempt the save, but the strike was too powerful and quick.
From that point on, hope had dwindled into a speck of dust. NYCFC still threatened Orlando, and it was a back-and-forth affair. But as the story goes, the Pigeons usually struggle to score when they are down. Despite the positives from the performance, winning was out of reach because that is just the way the season has gone.
But again, they had great chances. Nicolás Fernández Mercau had a great free kick in the 65th minute, but the ball fell right to the Orlando goalkeeper. Then, Martínez had a brilliant shot from an angle a minute later, but Crépeau made a superb save. And he did it again two minutes later, after Wolf missed out on the perfect opportunity to level the game.
NYCFC was given a lifeline, though, when awarded a penalty kick. Talles Magno interestingly stepped up to take it. At first, he scored, but the referee never blew the whistle, and the Brazilian had to take it again. So, he sent the ball toward the left side of the goal, as he did before, but sent it wide in the 81st minute.
Truly, scoring, but it does not count, and then missing altogether is the perfect metaphor for the 2026 season.
But the Queens team refused to quit. They attacked, and attacked some more. And in the final minute of stoppage time, an unlikely scorer came to the rescue. Sort of. James Sands had the ball in the box and passed it back to Jonathan Shore. The young midfielder was toward the back of the box, and he just took his chance. He sent the ball into the bottom-left of the goal, salvaging a point.
Still, that was not good enough. At this rate, fans know the Pigeons will not make the postseason. It is not official, but that day is getting closer. It is frustrating because NYCFC is a good team, but they are not getting the results that they should. It is great that Shore scored the late goal, but it is not feasible to celebrate the draw.
