New York City FC Plays Inaugural Home Game

One of the MLS’s newest teams, the New York City Football Club, played their inaugural home game at Yankee Stadium on March 14 against the New England Revolution.

New York City FC defeated the defending Eastern Conference Champion Revolution 2-0 to earn their first win of the season. The team is currently 1-0-2, with five points to lead the Eastern Conference early in the season.

Soccer fans at Ramapo College are excited about the MLS’s newest franchise and some say that it is a sign that the MLS is growing as one of the world’s prominent soccer leagues.

“Its great to see. New York already has the Red Bulls, but I think another team in there is a good thing,” said senior Greg Mascola. “Every other major professional league has at least two teams in New York, so why not the MLS?”

According to an article on mlssoccer.com, league commissioner Don Garber announced plans to add a second MLS team to the New York Metropolitan area in 2010, and planned to begin operations for the 2013 season.

However, due to disputes over team ownership, the club did not begin play until this season, joining the MLS as the league’s 20th franchise along with the newly established Orlando City Soccer Club.

The team is owned by representatives from the Manchester City Football Club of the English Premier League and from the New York Yankees of the MLB.

While plans to build New York FC its own stadium, adjacent from Yankee Stadium, are finalized, the team will play its home games at Yankee Stadium for at least the remainder of the season.

New York FC opened the 2015 regular season against the other newest expansion team, Orlando City SC on March 8 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. The game ended in a 1-1 tie as Mix Diskerud scored the first regular season goal in New York FC’s young history.

New York FC won their first ever regular season MLS game on March 14 against the New England Revolution. David Villa and Patrick Mullins each scored in the franchises first MLS win.

Their last game ended in a 0-0 tie with the Colorado Rapids on March 21.

New York FC will play their next game at home against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.

Though the 2015 MLS season is still in its infancy, fans are already excited about the potential of a new team coming into the New York area and finding success.

“They haven’t proven anything yet,” Mascola said. “But beating the defending Conference Champions in their first ever home game is a good sign.”

The league’s two New York area teams will meet for the first time in regular season MLS action on May 10, when the Red Bulls host New York FC.

Though the New York FC is just three games into a 34 game regular season, there is already a lot of excitement surrounding New York’s newest professional sports team. 

 

mmontal1@ramapo.edu