NYCFC vs Vancouver Whitecaps FC-Post Game Reaction: Both teams split the points as it's a tie at NY

Standings

It feels like from now until the end of the season, we will have to talk about the standings. As it is a huge question mark to where the Whitecaps will finish at the end of the year, some fans have high expectations in finishing top 2-3, while most fans at least expect Vancouver to make the playoffs. The Whitehouse drop a spot from where they were on Wednesday night, as they finished 5th on Wednesday night, now they're in 6th after the draw on Saturday night. So not really a drastic change, but still every dropped point might matter at the end of the season, overall some games went our way, as the draw between Seattle and Portland, means that Seattle drop points at home, that also means that the Whitecaps are Cascadia Cup champions. While you have Real Salt Lake, who went in front of the Caps in the standings. So you went down by one in the standings, but that's what is going to happen, as when you drop points you should expect another team to take advantage, in this extremely tight playoff brawl.

The pitch/ disrespectful

Now I would prefer to play in the turf of BC Place over this pitch here at Yankee Stadium, as this stadium is supposed to be a baseball field, but it was used to play soccer here, you can tell on TV or in Yankee Stadium, that the pitch is obviously smaller than usual. The width of the pitch seems short, as it feels like the player were a bit squished in and narrow, I think there might be a possibility where this pitch affected the result and the entertainment of this game. As with the players being forced to be more narrow, and can't have as much freedoms with making wide runs, it wasn't really the most entertaining match. This also feels like the opposition stadium not taking the Whitecaps seriously, as we can see last game at Soldier Field in Chicago, they had weird football lines and it was extremely difficult for us to tell which line is out as it was very ugly, and a bit complicated. Now at New York, they play in a seemingly smaller pitch that in my opinion affected the Whitecaps a bit. It also wasn't good for the MLS, as for real MLS enjoyers, they'll watch most the games, with this game New York City FC versus Vancouver Whitecaps being the only game that's starting at noon, I believe some neutral fans may have tuned in to the action. With a badly structured soccer pitch, and with the Whitecaps kinda being held back, as a lot of their style is to put crosses into the box, for their strikers to attack. But with the pitch being more narrow, it was harder to do that. So the pitch, may have affected the result and made the Whitecaps be not as great in front of the MLS fans.

Stat of the game

The stat of the game against NYCFC for me was the pass accuracy, as the passing completion % was only 68%, which is way below their average in the MLS of 82.7%, really just balls being misplaced by the Caps. For the New York City FC, they had a passing percentage of 85% which is a huge 17% difference between these two sides. It dropped all the way to only 62% in the second half, as a lot of players seem to not really have the flow and consistency then before. Brian White, usually being a pretty underrated passer in my opinion, had a 59% pass completion percentage. Mathias Laborda with a 61% at center-back is very bad, as his long balls were a 1/7, if it's the short passes it's still only 16/20 which isn't really ideal for a center back. So a pretty bad day at the office with the passing for the Whitecaps.

Game Recap

This wasn't a game full of chances, only maybe 4 or 5 real chances here in this game.

Gauld has a free kick from pretty far out, but it is for sure in shooting distance, but this time the NYCFC goalkeeper Freese saves it pretty comfortably.

Here in the 32nd minute, Mathias Laborda's clearance was blocked and Rodriguez plays it back inside for Bakrar but he didn't get the contact that he wanted.

A NYCFC player, plays the ball to Moralez, Moralez with a lovely cross, Jasson is left free at the back post, but he skies his volley attempt. As the Whitecaps avoid going down 1-0.

It was a ball that was very high in the air, after the clearance attempt by Blackmon, and Moralez volleys it from outside the box, forces Takaoka to dive and make a stop.

Right before halftime, it is Vancouver on the counter, it might be a potential 2v2 as Brian White passes it to Laryea who skies his very far chip attempt.

Still 0-0 at the break.

The second half kicks off, and 9 minutes after the break, New York City FC has a potential counter attacking possibility, Rodriguez with a lovely ball, that slips past the Whitecaps defence, it's Bakrar receiving the ball, he is now 1v1 against Takaoka, and he shoots it with his left and he nutmegged Takaoka to give NYCFC the lead.

Now Vancouver on the attack, now a physical battle between White and Risa, Risa falls down, White finds Gauld inside the 18, and here Ryan Gauld with an major opportunity, he takes a touch then he was brought down by Sands, penalty to the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Ryan Gauld steps up to take it, 4 taken in the MLS open play this season, 4 scored he steps up, it's Ryan Gauld vs Matt Freese from the penalty spot, he shoots left and gets Freese to go the wrong way and it's now level once again.

Javain Brown dribbles forward, finds Ryan Raposo still looking to push forward, he crosses it to Gauld, Gauld with a free header, but he hits it wide to the right side.

In the 76th minute, NYCFC is down wide, Fernandez tries to cut it back in, Blackmon with the sliding challenge, some players though it was a handball but we play on, Gray just inside the 18, shoots it on target but Takaoka saves it.

And no more real chances, and New York City FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps will share the points in Yankee Stadium.

Player Of The Match

It is kinda a tough one to choose from, I believe no one played absolutely sensational today, I will give a honorable mention to Richie Laryea who I believe had a decent performance, but I will give this to the Scotsman Ryan Gauld, as he was the person who drawed the foul to get the penalty, and he was also obviously the player to convert it. 10 goals this season already, and the penalty being the 10th this season in the MLS. The way he got the penalty, you can see his efforts, he was battling to keep the play alive for the Caps and then he was taken down, so that was brilliant efforts by the Scotsman before getting given the penalty. Also even though passing for Vancouver was a issue tonight, his passing percentage was 82%, completing 23/28 passes, while completing 2/3 long balls so it was another good showing by the Scotsman here against NYCFC.