It’s do or die time for New York City FC on Sunday evening in the Bronx and Alex Ring is ready to give his all for the City.
The Finland international has been revelatory in his first campaign in Major League Soccer, earning a spot on the shortlist for league MVP.
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Now, he’s setting sights on a comeback for the ages when his team take to the Etihad Pitch vs. Columbus Crew at Yankee Stadium bidding to overturn a 4-1 deficit.
Ring told NYCFC.com: “Everyone knows what the stakes are and that’s why I love this sport – these are the games you look forward to at the start of the season.
“They have to come here to Yankee Stadium and play us – I think it’s one of the more difficult games to come here and play us in front of our fans.
“That’s what I’m looking forward to, these moments are what you live for as a soccer player. It’s do or die – if we win 3-0 or more, we carry on, if not, it was all for nothing.”
NYCFC created enough chances to say that the margin between the teams should be narrower on Sunday but Ring isn’t one for living in the past.
The midfielder has faith in his and his teammates’ abilities and he has delivered a warning to this weekend’s visitors, pledging that no one in Blue has given up the ghost with 90 minutes still remaining in this tie.
“There’s nothing we can do about the first game anymore,” Ring reflected, “We have to win at least 3-0 to go through and that’s what we’ll focus on – that game is in the past.
“We just have to concentrate on not turning the ball over so easily and, if we do, we have to work as a collective to get it back.”
Ring continued: “I have that confidence against any team in MLS that we can create chances.
“Against Columbus, there’s always been a lot of goals on each side but, and I’ve said it before, with this team I will always take my chances against anyone because I think we have a special bond and we’re a special unit.
“We always come back from adversity when the stakes are high, so I’m looking forward to showing up on Sunday with the team.”
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Columbus boss Greg Berhalter has hinted that his team will attack NYCFC on Sunday rather than simply try to keep what they have.
For Ring, it’s more important to focus on the home team’s own gameplan than to worry about external factors beyond their control.
Ring added: “I can’t tell what the Columbus coach is thinking – quite frankly, it doesn’t matter.
“We have to stick to our gameplan and bring it through – that’s the only way we can achieve what we want and go forward.”
