Calheira scores brace against Columbus Crew 2

New York City FC II traveled to face Columbus Crew 2 on Sunday, following a comprehensive 5-2 victory over Orlando City U-23 midweek. The two previous meetings with Columbus resulted in a 2-0 away victory for the Baby Blues and a 4-3 home loss. It almost guaranteed fireworks for this encounter, which the game didn’t take long to deliver.

Quick goal allowed, quick response

In the 13th minute, a Crew 2 attack through the right flank saw an endline cutback meet NYCFC’s Stevo Bednarsky. The defender was only able to get a small touch on the ball, unintentionally sending it directly into the path of Crew wingback Jacob Greene. The Columbus player pounced at the loose ball and slotted it into the bottom left corner to give his side a 1-0 lead.

Crew 2’s lead didn’t last, as a brilliant NYCFC II move leveled the match in the 19th minute. A clever combination in a tight space found striker Camil Azzam Ruiz, who skillfully scooped the ball directly into the path of Taylor Calheira’s late run. Calheira easily slotted the ball through the keeper’s legs to score his 12th goal of the season.

TAYLOR BRINGS US LEVEL 💥 pic.twitter.com/vHBNQEB1iN
— New York City FC II (@newyorkcityfcii) September 1, 2024

The Baby Blues should’ve taken the lead three minutes later as another beautiful combination saw Andrew Baiera through on goal. The young right-back has been a key feature in the attack in recent matches, scoring the winning penalty in the 2-2 draw at home to Chicago FC United and bagging a brace in the 5-2 victory against Orlando City U23. However, a point-blank save denied Baiera on this occasion, and the rebound fell just out of Calheira’s reach to preserve the score at 1-1.

Both teams had prime opportunities to take the lead before heading into the break. In the 40th minute, a beautiful dummy set up an open shot for Crew 2 at the top of the box. Fortunately for the Baby Blues, the attempt went straight into Alex Rando’s gloves. Three minutes later, New York City’s Jonathon Shore lofted a perfect cross into Ronald Arevalo’s path at the back post. However, his header was shoveled away by the Crew 2 goalkeeper Stanislav Lapkes, leaving the game tied going into the half.

Calheira scores a brace

Five minutes after the break, NYCFC II logged another miss, and the game began to resemble the First Team’s performance the night before against Columbus Crew. This time, Calheira found Shore’s run into the box finding the youngster in plenty of space around the penalty spot. His left foot strike trickled aimlessly wide of the post, scrapping a real opportunity for the visitors.

In the 58th minute, the Crew 2 punished the Baby Blues for their missed opportunities. A clinical counterattack saw the home team break three-on-two which quickly turned into three-on-one due to an extremely unfortunate Samuel Owusu slip, and which resulted in an easy finish for Crew 2’s Taha Habroune. The counter resembled the Columbus Crew move that resulted in Diego Rossi's goal on Saturday.

But once again the Crew 2’s lead didn’t last, with the Baby Blues tying up the match two minutes later. Midfielder Piero Elias, who had drifted wide off a pass from Calheira, returned the favor finding the goalscorer at the top of the box. A single touch and then a beautiful strike found the lower left corner, tying the match up at two each. This marked Calheira’s thirteenth of the season, placing him second in MLS NEXT Pro’s Golden Boot race.

TAYLOR AT THE DOUBLE #⃣9⃣9⃣ pic.twitter.com/pKGSiZFs5X
— New York City FC II (@newyorkcityfcii) September 1, 2024

The 22-year-old contributed another five assists, giving him 18 goal contributions in 18 games. The First Team historically has not called up their NextPro strikes regardless of form: Last year’s MLS NEXT Pro Golden Boot co-winner MD Meyers moved to the Charleston Battery of the United Soccer League, and longtime servant JJ Jimenez still has yet to get first team minutes. Still, Calheira has proven his quality, and if New York City doesn’t provide him with an opportunity to play at a higher level, another Major League Soccer or USL team will likely move to sign the striker.

Next Stop: Icahn Stadium

Both teams had opportunities to claim all three points in the waning moments of the match, but the Baby Blues didn’t collapse and were able to see the result through to the customary penalty shootout.

Unfortunately, the shootout did not prove fruitful as misses by Elias and Calheira saw the visitors head back to the Big Apple with a solitary point. This result means that NYCFC II remain one point behind Crew 2 in 4th Place with a game in hand.

NYCFC next play Atlanta United 2 on Friday, September 6th at Randall's Island at 5 pm ET. The game will be the club’s inaugural match on the new grass surface at Icahn Stadium, which was funded by a $3 million gift from New York City FC.