(Portland) Goalkeeper Sean Johnson makes a difference in the shootout and New York City FC beat the Portland Timbers to win the MLS Cup on Saturday.
It was Alex Collins’ goal in the tiebreaker that provided the scales in favor of the NYCFC. This is the first title for a New York franchise. The championship had to be decided in a shootout, as they were tied 1-1 after extra time. NYCFC won 4-2 in one event.
MLS Golden Boot recipient Valentin “Tatty” Castellanos scored the first goal of the game in the first half. NYCFC then seemed to be heading for the coronation, but Felipe Mora decided differently by drawing a tie when the referee added late in the game.
In the shootout, goalkeeper Johnson superbly stopped two shooters, Mora and Diego Valerie. Appropriately, Johnson was selected as the MVP for the final.
“What a crazy adventure we had this year! There were so many ups and downs, the hero commented the day after the game. We talked to each other before the game and we thought we had a big chance to make it all worthwhile. And we are living, these moments. ”
Commenting on his selection as the final MVP, Johnson added: “It’s a big deal, but at the same time, lifting this cup with this club is even bigger.”
As soon as the NYCFC players saw Cullens’ shot going into the net, they approached him at the ceremony. In the opposing camp, Valerie appears to be stunned, frustrated by Johnson.
A team of NYCFC players soon pulled out of the festivities and gathered in the opposite corner of the stadium to greet their supporters who had traveled.
The players stay on the pitch for a long time after the game is over. Head coach Ronnie Delia stretched out to lift the cup in his underwear as the players drank champagne.
“I don’t regret what I did, it was a great moment,” Delia said. If we continue to win cups I will continue to do so! ”
Since coming to MLS in 2015, NYCFC has never reached the Grand Final.
Costellanos, who scored 19 goals in the regular season, returned to the starting XI after missing the association’s final game against the Philadelphia Union. The Argentine forward was suspended after receiving a red card in the semi-finals against favorite New England Revolution. Also won the NYCFC shootout.
NYCFC won the MLS Cup after entering the playoffs in fourth place at the Eastern Conference by a 14-9-11 regular season record.
For their part, the Timbers are also fourth in the Western Association with a 17-13-4 record in the regular season. During their playoff run, the Timbers favorites showed the way to the Colorado Rapids, and then gave Real Salt Lake the same fate before dropping to New York.
Timbers won the MLS Cup in 2015 and also lost in the final against Atlanta in 2018.
“It’s cruel, you feel bitter, it’s hard to accept,” said Timbers head coach Giovanni Savaris.
Although he recognizes that you have to learn in defeat, Savaris insists that before you learn any lesson, you must go through an emotional process. That is .. the pain of failing in the quest for the goal of lifting the cup in front of Portland fans.
“We can not imagine a better scene than lifting the cup. So, the first thing to do is to deal with our emotions and realize that it did not happen as expected. The sport is very brutal, ”he shared.
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