Since their founding on May 21 2013, it’s been a long wait for NYCFC’s historic first match.
On Sunday 8 March 2015, the day finally arrived as the Major League Soccer season got under way for Jason Kreis’s side on the road in Orlando and the occasion certainly did not disappoint.
Jason Kreis’s side got off to an encouraging start, drawing 1-1 at the Citrus Bowl.
The away side took the lead courtesy of Mix Diskerud with the Club’s first goal – a stunning right-footed effort after 76 minutes.
The US international was fed by David Villa on the edge of the area and the lank-haired midfielder did the rest, opening up his body and curling the ball around Donovan Ricketts.
Orlando’s Kaka would have the final word, levelling with a deflected free-kick in the last minute of normal time.
Of the 12 expansion teams that have arrived into MLS since the league’s inaugural season in 1996, only four have won their opening fixtures.
However, New York City FC were taking on a fellow newcomer in Orlando, so both clubs were in the same boat going into this clash at Orlando’s temporary downtown home.
With newly-assembled squads, featuring a World Cup winner apiece in Kaka and David Villa, an intriguing spectacle was in prospect in front of 62,000 spectators waiting to see which of these new sides would get off to the perfect start.
It was the second-largest attendance for an MLS game in the history of the competition, beaten only by the 69,000 who crammed into LA Galaxy’s first game at the Rose Bowl.
Villa captained the away side, leading the line alongside Slovakian international Adam Nemec, while Ned Grabavoy, Mix Diskerud, Andrew Jacobson and Mehdi Ballouchi made up the midfield four.
Josh Saunders started in goal in front of Jeb Brovsky, Chris Wingert, Jason Hernandez and Josh Williams to complete Kreis’s first-ever XI.
It was an understandably cagey opening to the game, considering the teams would have known precious little about one another but the home team, roared on by the majority inside a frenzied Citrus Bowl, were initially successful in cutting the midfield supply line to Villa.
There was a first moment of concern for Kreis when his goalkeeper was clattered by Seb Hines when attempting to claim a high ball from Lewis Neal.
The collision sent the NYCFC stopper tumbling back and crashing into one of his own posts, causing a nasty-looking bruise to emerge on the back of his head but Saunders proved he’s as tough as teak and continued on despite the injury.
Ex-City midfielder, now Orlando boss Adrian Heath would have been marginally the happier of the two managers at half-time but NYCFC had what was arguably the best chance of the opening 52 minutes.
Villa finally escaped the attentions of a resolute Orlando backline and was inches away from turning home a Williams cross which flashed across the face of Ricketts’ goal.
Buoyed by this first real opening, the away side continued to grow into the match and had another good opportunity to take the lead on 64 minutes when Villa delivered a perfectly weighted through ball to second half substitute Khiry Shelton but his shot across goal flew a yard past the far post.
On 76 minutes, the increased pressure from the away team finally told when Diskerud scored a goal that went straight into the history books.
It was a stunning strike that is sure to be replayed for many years to come and the task of holding on to the advantage looked to have gotten slightly easier when Orlando defender Aurelien Colins was given a straight red card for an ugly challenge on Villa with seven minutes to go.
The NYCFC captain was thankfully unhurt and curled the resulting free-kick just past the post.
It was looking for all the world like a dream start to life in MLS but Orlando equalised in the final minute via a Kaka free-kick which took a huge deflection to wrong-foot Saunders and fly into the back of the net.
It was a slightly disappointing note for the evening to end on but New York will dust themselves down for yet another momentous occasion just around the corner.
The countdown is on to the home opener against the New England Revolution at the Yankee Stadium next Sunday.
One week to go!
Orlando: Ricketts, Ramos, Colins, Heins, Shea, Okugo, Neal (Rochez 80mins) Higuita, Kaka, Molino, Rivas (St Ledger 90mins)
NYCFC: Saunders, Brovsky, Wingert, Hernandez, Williams, Mix (Velasquez 87mins), Jacobson, Grabavoy, Ballouchy (Shelton 62mins), Villa (C), Nemec (Calle 89mins)
