NYCFC collapse late, let Chicago Fire draw in Queens

After four straight road games in July and a deep Leagues Cup run, New York City FC returned to the Big Apple for a Saturday night Major League Soccer matchup against a struggling Chicago Fire. NYCFC led 2-0 for most of the game thanks to a first-half brace from Alonso Martínez, but the home side conceded two late goals and settled for a draw at Citi Field.

New York City remain in 5th Place in the Eastern Conference, and will look back at this game as a missed opportunity to gain two points on the 4th Place New York Red Bulls, who drew 1-1 with Charlotte FC on the road.

The Alonso Martínez show

After scoring the club's fastest-ever goal against Columbus last week, Alonso Martínez got the home crowd at Citi Field jumping with a 16th-minute wonder strike that was assisted by Maxi Moralez.

ALONSO SAID “SAY LESS” 🇨🇷 pic.twitter.com/Qk8nlvVFTr

— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) August 24, 2024

You don't usually see Martínez take shots from that far out. In fact, that goal was his first from outside the box and only his 10th effort from outside the 18 this season.

But that was just the start of the Martínez show. Seven minutes later, a great play started on the right flank and was finished off by the Costa Rican for his 10th MLS goal.

The run of play started when Keaton Parks worked hard to recover Santiago Rodríguez's loose pass, sliding the ball to the feet of Martínez. The striker faked out two Chicago defenders, then slammed the ball into the top corner of the net.

HE SENT THEM FOR A NEW YORK HOT DOG 🥶 pic.twitter.com/40CB0WuhNj

— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) August 25, 2024

Martínez now leads the team with 11 goals in all competitions and 10 goals in league play, and is the clear-cut answer at No 9. After the game, Head Coach Nick Cushing praised Martínez, explaining that they converted him from a right-winger to a striker because he is clinical. He also said they are still working on his movement, implying that Martínez still has another gear in him.

A second-half collapse (again)

At halftime, NYCFC led Chicago 2-0 and looked poised to earn their first MLS win since July 3. That game was a 2-0 dispatching of CF Montréal at Citi Field, when Martínez also scored a brace.

Spoiler alert: That didn't happen.

It began in the 78th minute, when a Hugo Cuypers blast against the run of play found the back of the net. Kevin O'Toole was caught out of position: The goal could've been defended better, but it was a perfect strike from Cuypers that Matt Freese had no chance of stopping.

Take a bow, Hugo Cuypers 👏@ChicagoFire are right back in it! pic.twitter.com/JtvDf1aSpq

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 25, 2024

Chicago might sit towards the bottom of the table, but Cuypers is one of the league's best strikers, and he continued to make the final minutes of regulation tense.

NYCFC did well in weathering the incoming Chicago storm following the goal, but a Tayvon Gray handball deep in stoppage time gifted the away side a golden opportunity to complete the comeback. Brian Gutiérrez stepped up and easily converted past Freese to end Chicago's three-game losing streak.

It was the third goal NYCFC conceded after 90 minutes in 26 MLS games. After the game, Cushing said that this is part of progress and that it's important that the team doesn't allow this to be an "every four weeks thing," but added that tough times make top teams.

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Momentum shifts

Following New York City's deep Leagues Cup, headlined by a statement 2-1 win over Tigres UANL, it felt that the team had a switch of momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.

That was seen out of the gates against Chicago, when New York City scored two quick goals and controlled a dominant first half. But it turned out to be another game NYCFC couldn't see out.

Cushing said the locker room mood was flat and low after the result, similar to the reaction to the 0-2 home loss to Colorado back in May that ended a three-game win streak.

New York City will next face a Columbus Crew that will play in the Leagues Cup Final tonight. NYCFC will make the trip to Lower.com Field for the second time in two weeks, and will try to regain their momentum with an away game against one of the toughest teams in the league.