Match Recap

New York City FC Goals: Moralez 41', Bakrar 54', Wolf 57', 59'

Atlanta United Goals:

Quick Read

New York City FC recorded an emphatic 4-0 win against Atlanta United on Thursday night. A clinical four-goal burst, including a Hannes Wolf brace and strikes from Bakrar and Moralez, capped a dominant performance. Tomás Romero impressed on his league debut for New York City, while their high press and attacking fluency sealed their biggest win yet under Pascal Jansen.

A warm summer evening in the Bronx set the stage for New York City FC’s Thursday night clash against Atlanta United.

Eager to build on their spirited 2-2 draw with Nashville SC, the Boys in Blue entered the contest with purpose. Head Coach Pascal Jansen made five changes to the lineup, notably handing Tomás Romero his MLS debut for the Club in goal.

The home side started brightly, pressing high and forcing several early corners. Their first real chance came in the ninth minute, when Justin Haak found space in the box and let fly, only to see his effort blocked by Alexey Miranchuk.

Moments later, captain Thiago Martins rose highest to meet a corner with a thundering header, drawing a sharp save from Atlanta’s veteran goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

Atlanta struggled to create much going forward until the 32nd minute, when Miranchuk nearly turned the tide with a powerful strike from distance that rattled the crossbar. Just five minutes later, the visitors thought they had taken the lead. Derrick Williams met a corner with a strong header, and Jamal Thiaré turned it over the line — only to see the goal ruled out for offside.

New York City took full advantage of the reprieve. Just before halftime, Maxi Moralez forced a poor pass from Brooks Lennon, that allowed Hannes Wolf to intercept the ball deep in Atlanta territory.

The Austrian quickly found Moralez, who in turn made no mistake, coolly slotting the ball past Guzan at his near post to give New York City a deserved 1-0 lead.

NYC began the second half with electric intent, scoring three goals in a breathtaking five-minute spell that stunned the visitors.

The flurry began in the 54th minute when Mounsef Bakrar found the net. Having been denied just moments earlier, the Algerian striker responded in emphatic fashion, firing a crisp first-time finish from the edge of the box to double New York City FC's lead.

Barely three minutes later, it was 3-0. A sweeping counter-attack saw Maxi Moralez turn creator, slipping a perfectly timed pass to Hannes Wolf. The Austrian forward made no mistake, bending a precise shot beyond Brad Guzan.

New York City weren’t done. In the 59th minute, Wolf struck again. This time, Justin Haak unlocked Atlanta’s high defensive line with a superb through ball.

Wolf raced onto it and showed ice-cold composure, dinking the ball over the onrushing Guzan to seal his brace and New York City’s fourth of the night.

Jansen turned to his bench for the first time on the 73^rd minute to make a triple substitution. On came Kevin O’Toole, Nico Cavallo, and Tayvon Gray, in place of Strahinja Tanasijevič, Birk Risa, and Agustín Ojeda.

Atlanta continued to look for a route back into the game and that saw Miranchuk fire off a shot that required a last ditch block from Haak to divert it away from goal.

Bakrar's night would end in the 78th minute as he was replaced by Seymour Reid. New York City's final change of the night saw Jonny Shore replace Julián Fernández.

New York City would ride out the rest of the game to confirm an emphatic 4-0 win at home—their biggest winning margin of the Pascal Jansen era so far.