New York City FC recorded a team record on Saturday after beating Portland Timbers 1-1 (4-2) on penalties to lift their first Major League Soccer Cup trophy. Sean Johnson has been the hero of the night, saving two important shots to win the coveted title.
After qualifying for the playoffs five times in a row, the NYCFC finally won all the way.
Portland’s heavy rain opens the door to the league final as the Timbers host New York City FC in Providence Park. Both teams started a tough game, forcing them to play 17 mistakes in the first half alone.
The sides were level until the Timbers made a silly mistake in the 40th minute which forced the free-kick to be put in a dangerous position. Maximiliano Moralez climbed into the area and bent the cross well to find Valentin Castellanos. The 2021 Golden Boot winner did his magic to make the ball past Timbers goalkeeper Steve Clark and into the net surprisingly 1-0.
Visiting NYCFC supporters have caused a stir as Taty’s “MVP” songs echo through Providence Park.
The home team is back on the field after the break and new energy. Portland dominated the game as it came to an end, constantly pushing forward to attack to reach Sean Johnson. It was their last explosion of power to save the Timbers. After a rough view of the shots inside the box, Felipe Mora found a rebound and directed the ball in the lower right corner to send the game into extra time.
In the extra minutes, he saw attacking tracks on both sides, but in the end, the game was set for penalties.
NYCFC moved up to first place with Castellanos driving the Celestes. Mora, Alfredo Morales, and Diego Valeri all missed their efforts. Everyone else got their penalties, but the Timbers were unable to close out their first errors.
Alex Callens came up to score the final penalty and sent his team into the fray. Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online.