Match Recap

Philadelphia Union Goals: Vassilev 89'

New York City FC Goals: Wolf 36', Gray 90'+9'

Quick Read

New York City FC earned a dramatic 2-1 road win against the Philadelphia Union on Sunday afternoon. Hannes Wolf opened the scoring in the first half before Indiana Vassilev equalized from the spot in the 89th minute. Despite that setback, New York City continued to push for a winner and were rewarded with Gray's back-post header deep into stoppage time.

New York City FC were back on the road on Sunday as they took on the Philadelphia Union.

The Boys in Blue secured a 1-1 draw during their season opener against the LA Galaxy last time out and were now keen to claim all three points from a trip to Subaru Park.

Head Coach Pascal Jansen made one change to the side that took on the Galaxy, as Keaton Parks replaced Kai Trewin in midfield.

The visitors started the stronger of the two teams and that saw Hannes Wolf register the first chance of the game five minutes in.

Philadelphia responded six minutes later when Danley Jean Jacques fired off a shot that flew wide of Matt Freese’s goal.

He went close again in the 16th minute before Milan Iloski also registered a look at goal.

Despite that mounting pressure, New York City came within a whisker of taking the lead in the 26th minute when Agustín Ojeda hit the post.

The move began when New York City won the ball high up the field and Parks slid a pass through for Ojeda to run onto.

The winger cut onto his right and tried to curl a shot around the goalkeeper, only to be denied by the woodwork.

New York City FC then went close again just before the half-hour mark when Nicolás Fernández Mercau slid Wolf in down the left and he crossed it into the six-yard box.

Unfortunately, Kevin O’Toole could not produce clean contact, and the ball landed safely in the hands of Andre Blake.

There was little Blake could do seven minutes later, however, when New York City eventually claimed a first-half lead.

A wonderful flowing team move down the left, involving seven different players from front to back, ended with Mercau’s initial shot being palmed into the path of Wolf to convert.

The start of the second half saw New York City register an early chance through Mercau, who stung the palms of Blake from distance.

Philadelphia were desperate to find an equalizer and that forced Raul Gustavo to block an effort from Bruno Damiani before Freese saved Agustín Anello’s follow-up.

Freese was called into action again on the hour mark after Stas Korzeniowski fired off a shot from inside the area.

The hosts thought they had a strong claim for a penalty after a coming together between Gustavo and Jovan Lukic, but after consultation with VAR, the referee chose to stay with his on-field decision.

Jansen chose to make his first change of the evening in the 74th minute, introducing Seymour Reid in place of Moralez.

Philadelphia came within inches of an equalizer not long after when Korzeniowski flicked a header toward goal that clipped the outside of the post.

Harriel then went close in the 81st minute, drilling an effort at goal that forced a brilliant save from Freese at his near post.

In response, a lightning-quick counter put Reid through one-on-one, but he could not beat Blake.

Two further changes came for New York City FC in the 83rd minute as Trewin and Drew Baiera came on for Wolf and Aiden O’Neill.

The Union continued to force the issue in the final minutes of regulation time, and Harriel's low effort was cleared off the line by Gray.

The hosts were then awarded a penalty late on when Thiago Martins was adjudged to have fouled substitute Korzeniowski. Indiana Vassilev stepped up to convert the subsequent spot kick.

New York City’s final change of the evening saw Mercau replaced by Talles Magno heading into stoppage time.

Philadelphia were reduced to 10 men early in stoppage time after defender Olwethu Makhanya collected a second yellow card.

New York City FC continued to push for a go-ahead goal, and it arrived deep into stoppage time when a cross from Ojeda was headed home by Gray at the back post in the 99th minute.

That goal sent the traveling away fans delirious, and after the game restarted, it proved to be the last act of note as New York City FC secured a dramatic 2-1 win on the road against the Philadelphia Union.