Match Recap | New York City FC 3-1 Colorado Rapids
New York City FC Goals: Nicolás Fernández 22’, 45’, Talles Magno 86’
Colorado Rapids Goals: Darren Yapi 45+4’
Quick Read
New York City FC continued their impressive start to the 2026 season with a 3-1 win over the Colorado Rapids at Yankee Stadium. Nicolás Fernández’s brilliant brace - his third and fourth goals of the season - plus a late Talles Magno strike, clinched a third successive victory from their hosts’ opening four games. Darren Yapi had halved the deficit on the stroke of halftime, but Pascal Jansen’s side produced another spirited display to continue their excellent unbeaten run.
Match Recap
Starting the day top of the Eastern Conference with seven points from nine in their opening matches, New York were enjoying their second-best ever start to an MLS campaign.
Jansen’s men welcomed Colorado to the Bronx, looking to claim a second straight home win, after last weekend’s demolition of Orlando City SC, and hoping to regain top spot after Nashville’s last-gasp victory earlier in the evening.
Saturday night’s clash marked the first meeting against the Rapids since 2024, and the eighth overall, with New York unbeaten in all bar one of the previous encounters versus the Western Conference side.
It promised to be an intriguing contest, with Colorado - rejuvenated under the stewardship of new manager Matt Wells - also in fine form, and victorious in the last two of their first three fixtures of the year.
Jansen named an unchanged New York side to the one that defeated Orlando 5-0 last time out, as Kai Trewin retained his place in central defense. The Dutch Head Coach had praised his side’s aggression against the Florida outfit, and (after a brief delay to kick-off due to a technical issue with the officials’ equipment), the Boys in Blue started on the front foot again against the Rapids, employing a high-pressure intensity from the off.
It would be the away side who crafted the game’s first chance of note though - Keegan Rosenberry driving a dangerous cross across the six-yard box, which was swept away for a corner.
New York, sporting the iconic All Nations Kit, carved their first effort through a set-piece, as Fernández struck a curling free-kick goalward, which was fairly comfortable for goalkeeper Nico Hansen.
With both sides closing each other down well, neither was able to gain a real foothold in the first half, generating little in terms of sustained possession or goalmouth action.
However, it was the high-press that served to break the deadlock right on 21 minutes. As Colorado looked to play the ball out from the back, Maxi Moralez chased down Rob Holding, who could only clear as far as Trewin, midway through the Rapids half.
Trewin lofted his interception into the final third, with the ball falling kindly for Fernandez in the box. The Argentine struck a powerful drive goalward, which Hansen was equal to, but made no mistake at the second attempt, taking a touch to compose himself before expertly drilling home his third of the campaign.
Chances continued to come at a premium - AgustÃn Ojeda seeing a shot blocked, while Kevin O’Toole was on hand to thwart a dangerous Rapids breakaway - until the game sparked into action on the brink of halftime.
Fernández doubled New York’s advantage, courtesy of another set-piece, after Moralez was upended on the left flank. Spotting the smallest of gaps, Fernández stepped up to whip in a wicked delivery, which evaded everyone to sneak into the nearpost.
Thiago Martins almost made it 3-0 before the break, arriving at the backpost to meet a floated cross - but the defender could not quite connect to sweep home.
There was still time for another goal before the break, as Colorado pulled one back four minutes into stoppage time. Rafael Navarro drove forward, and found Yapi with a perfectly-weighted pass, and the striker turned inside and out before firing across Matt Freese and into the back of the net to halve the deficit.
Chasing a leveller, the visitors sought to pick up where they left off after the restart, but struggled to create any real openings. Paxten Aaronson perhaps could have done better with a clipped first-time effort, which trickled wide on 56’ - and heeding the warning, the home side rallied to reclaim their two-goal cushion.
Jansen also opted for his first change of the evening, introducing Talles Magno in place of last weekend’s two-goal hero Keaton Parks.
Hannes Wolf, played through by Moralez, forced Hansen into a smart stop, before trying his luck again from distance - to the same result.
At the other end, Yapi went in search of what would have been an impressive equalizer (and his second of the evening), with a rasping effort from range that cleared the crossbar.
With seven minutes of normal time remaining, Raul Gustavo, brought on in place of Ojeda, then produced a crucial block to deny Aaronson a Colorado comeback, and in response, New York killed the contest.
The Australian connection saw Aiden O'Neill and Trewin combine in midfield - the former winning the ball back in the center to find his fellow countryman, who then released Moralez. The midfield magician played in Talles Magno with a superb through-ball, and the Brazilian sealed the victory with a low finish into the bottom corner - his first goal since returning to the club from his loan spell.
Three goals earned three points, and with 10 points from their opening 12, New York’s superb start to 2026 rolls on. Jansen’s men retain their place atop the Eastern Conference on goal difference.
Player of the Match
How we lined up
What’s Next
New York City FC are back at Yankee Stadium on the afternoon of Sunday, March 22, facing reigning MLS Cup Champions Inter Miami in a 1:00pm ET kick-off in the Bronx.
