CITY's delayed first matchup against Tim Parker and company wasn't the prettiest example of Damet Ball we've ever seen, but St. Louis overcame a couple below-average performances and some really terrible pitch conditions (Mexico and Peru played at SI Stadium the night before, leaving the surface incredibly chewed up and bumpy) to grind out yet another win. Let's take a look at each of CITY's three goals:
Rafael Navarro - Goal (5')
Good strikers have an inherent knack for putting themselves in the right position to score goals - sometimes difficult goals, sometimes easy goals. Rafa Navarro has been outstanding in his positioning in the box since his arrival, and it's led to some easy goals (Portland is a good example). Tonight, his pitch awareness and movement in dangerous areas paid off again here.
A nice layoff pass from Polvara to Totland sets up a really well-placed switch to Wallem, who was alone and calling for the ball on the right side. Because Totland's ball was so deep into the box, it caused RBNY's defense to get completely out of shape.
As Totland plays the ball into the box, you can see the movement from CITY here - Navarro puts himself in front of goal and inside his nearest defender, Julián Bazán (#14). Even Timo and Fallou turn and move towards goal, with Timo unguarded behind Navarro in the box.
Wallem plays a perfect headed ball back across the box, and Navarro flicks a header past Ethan Horvath for an early CITY lead. Great positioning by CITY's #9 on the end of a well-placed pass by Totland and a fantastic header from Wallem. CITY's wingback pair have been incredibly good, and their quality was on full display here.
Simon Becher - Goal (87')
CITY looked uncomfortable against the New York press for long stretches of this match, but finally got the insurance goal they needed to see this one out in the 87th minute - courtesy of yet another well-taken strike from an in-form Simon Becher off of their own defensive pressure.
The play originated with Horvath rolling the ball out to Julián Bazán, but this seemingly simple act was plagued by 2 mistakes - the ball was not rolled with enough pace, and Bazán backed away from the ball into what he thought was space. Instead, backing up delayed the ball in getting to him, and allowed Becher to close down on him.
This pressure from Becher created the defensive triangle that CITY wanted, with Becher at the top with Totland and Ostrák. Bazán's hurried pass into the triangle towards Andy Rojas (#70) was off the mark and intercepted by Chris Durkin, who correctly read the situation and moved to defend the center of the triangle. Rojas' touch was poor, Durkin nicely touched the ball ahead to Becher, and Simon turned and buried a low hard shot to Horvath's left.
A somewhat self-induced mistake here from New York, but there's no understating the quality of the finish from Becher, who continues his torrid pace of late. It also underscores his value as a substitute, bringing energy and hustle late in games against tired defenders when Damet chooses to start Navarro alone up top at the start of matches.
Tomáš Ostrák - Goal (90+1')
Not a ton of analysis needed on this one - a truly horrible free kick into no man's land by New York's Robert Voloder in the general direction of Andy Rojas is headed back up field by Totland, and as the ball is pinged towards Polvara, he one-times over a cluster of players and into space for Becher.
As Simon turns towards goal, Sang-bin makes a strong run behind him into the box past a completely lost Voloder. Becher's slip pass finds the speedy CITY winger, who's a little over the ball and unable to get much on his shot - a shot that New York's Ethan Horvath is able to make a save on, but was unable to control the rebound.
Unfortunately for Horvath, Tomáš Ostrák was trailing the play and stopped celebrating what he thought was going to be a Sang-bin goal just in time to cut to his right and bang home the rebound to close out a 3-0 CITY win.
CITY showed multiple times tonight their willingness to send multiple attackers forward when turnovers occur, and this is another example - Ostrak, like Sang-bin, made a run into the box as Polvara's ball came over the top to Becher, and he was rewarded with an easy putback goal.
