Way back on May 5th, New York Red Bulls scored two goals in under five minutes to run New York City FC off the pitch. Philadelphia Union did not score until the second half, but they were similarly dominant over the course of 90 minutes in knocking off NYCFC 2-0 Saturday evening.
Strength in midfield
New York City’s surprising 4-4-2 formation was designed to isolate Philly’s central defenders and prey on their aggression. David Villa and Jo Inge Berget took turns dropping off and trying to play quick passes to Ismael Tajouri-Shradi running behind Keegan Rosenberry. On the surface, the plan made sense: The Union have had issues against two-striker sets and Rosenberry’s defensive positioning has been inconsistent in the past.