CHESTER, Pa. – New York City FC know the path to an MLS Cup title, and that includes surviving a daunting visit to Subaru Park, their penultimate stop on last year’s impressive championship run.
Even bruised, shorthanded, targeted by the rest of the league all season, they thought they’d found a way yet again on Sunday night when they drew first blood in the Eastern Conference Final vs. the Philadelphia Union, their talisman Maxi Moralez capping a flowing foray forward with a low drive lashed inside the left post.
“We feel like we had the game in our hands,” a gutted Moralez told MLSsoccer.com outside the visitors’ locker room postgame. “And then they were just clinical in their opportunities and turned the score around.”
For several fateful minutes after his goal, the defending champs were vibrant, the standing-room-only crowd shocked, their team reeling, much like CF Montréal were a week ago as the Pigeons outfoxed them in their Conference Semifinal win at Stade Saputo.
Right on the hour mark, the coup de grace seemed to have arrived when Alex Callens materialized in Philly’s penalty box to nod a Kevin O’Toole cross on target. A two-goal lead beckoned. But then Andre Blake produced what may turn out to be the biggest save of the entire 2022 postseason, turning the game on its head.
“We lost the game on two moments,” lamented City head coach Nick Cushing after what he called an “incredibly intense” affair. “The save from Blake keeps them in it, and then we lose our concentration.”
You snooze, you lose
A few minutes later Jakob Glesnes found Julián Carranza’s savvy angled run with a quick-taken deep free kick and the home side were level, the fans deafeningly loud again, NYCFC dragged back to level terms and soon rolled over by the Union’s resurgence.
“We just lose our concentration and they get in and get 1-1, and then we just don’t manage that next two, three, four minutes well enough,” said Cushing. “We know what it’s like here in Philadelphia, the crowd gets on and they get you in that moment. The game can go from 1-1 to 2-1 really quickly.”
In seemingly the blink of an eye – it was actually about 11 minutes – the Union reeled off three goals, feeding off the frenzy of their faithful. Cushing shifted his team’s shape and formation, pushing Moralez higher and bringing in Brazilian attacker Thiago Andrade, whose countryman Talles Magno was unavailable for this occasion due to injury. The Cityzens’ fleeting advantage was gone, and would not return, as the hosts won by a 3-1 scoreline.
“The game just came down to a couple of opportunities. We weren’t as clinical as we wanted to be, especially in that second half,” said Moralez. “But they’re the best team, so kudos to them, they deserve it. Obviously we tried our hardest to get back to where we were last year. We really wanted to get back there again, but that's just how soccer goes.”
Maxi, Cushing futures in limbo
The 2021 champs now face a winter of weighty decisions. Cushing is still the interim boss, having stepped in for Ronny Deila when the Norwegian joined Standard Liege in midseason. Moralez will turn 36 in February and is exiting the guaranteed portion of the contract re-up he signed in January, with the club holding an option for 2023.
He’s defied Father Time in these Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, though, carrying his team for key stretches, and the bustling Argentine maestro remains a linchpin even as talented youngsters have arrived around him.
“He was incredible, he played in that deeper role again and he showed that he’s got that versatility and he can manage the game. I can’t speak highly enough about Maxi,” said Cushing. “From the moment I came in as interim manager until now, he’s been an incredible professional, an incredible leader, and has had some top, top performances on the pitch.”
But will Moralez return? Too soon, said his coach.
“For us ultimately it’s about now reflecting on losing a Conference Final,” said Cushing. “We won last year, we’ve lost this year, it hurts now, it’s hard to even think about next year.”
The player himself sounded cautious, clearly feeling the weight of a title defense fallen agonizingly short.
“We'll see what the future holds,” said Moralez. “We have to have a conversation with the club, we’ll take a couple days and kind of just regroup. And then if the club wants me back, I know we can have those kind of conversations.
“The desire is there,” he said when asked if he wants to remain in Gotham, but declined to go further. “We have to rest, we have to regroup and we have to see what options we have available.”
Cushing, too, will have to find out where he fits into the club’s plans. Coping with the departures of Deila and star striker Taty Castellanos, City’s form took a pronounced dip when he took charge but found their rhythm down the stretch.
“Of course I want to come back next year,” said Cushing. “I think you’ve seen from the moment that I came in here, I will take responsibility for the results, whatever happens. We’ve had some exceptional results this year, we’ve had a period where it was really disappointing, and we’ve been able to turn that around and finish third and get to the Conference Final.
“As long as I’m here as a coach, whether it be assistant coach or head coach, my aim is to make sure this organization is always at this point. Because our organization demands that, and the individuals in the organization want to work for that. We have to be at the table every year and if you consistently get to Conference Finals, then you’ll win more MLS Cups.”
