BRONX, NY — There was no talk about defending MLS Cup champions Inter Miami CF and the great Lionel Messi visiting Yankee Stadium for an early season Eastern Conference match next Sunday afternoon.
Instead, NYCFC handled business Saturday evening in the Bronx and won their second consecutive match at home. Their 3-1 win against the Colorado Rapids unfolded to their style of scoring early and getting an insurance goal that has made a statement.
Their early season mission has been aggressive on the pitch, a lineup that has chemistry, scoring eight goals in two matches. Responding to the daily regime of coach Pascal Jansen has NYCFC off to a 3-0 start, best in franchise history. Again, this is not running it back after a surprising 2025 run for the MLS Cup that ended with a disappointing 5-1 loss to Miami.
Nicolás Fernández’s brace with his third and fourth goals of the season at forward set the tone early. A late Talles Magno strike was the insurance. It’s a style of play that wasn’t evident last season until a late NYCFC run to the Cup, basically scoring goals early and frequently was hard to find until that marvelous stretch in October.
Jansen was impressed with the play, adjustments, and with Magno. It’s a chemistry that is working in the early stages of this long campaign, not bypassing that NYCFC is doing this at home with their solid fan base. The team plays well at Yankee Stadium and after the Miami game will shift again across the borough to Citi Field.
Next year, of course it’s all played at their $780 million, 25,000- seat soccer specific stadium (Etihad Park) that is rapidly erecting across the street from Citi Field in Flushing, Queens. But the emphasis now is winning, NYCFC has that momentum in their first four MLS contests and the forward Magno can be a major catalyst with significant playing time after missing two weeks of pre-season with an injured calf.
“Having Talles (Magno) come on with his quality, and also having the creative minds still on the pitch with Nico and (midfielder) Maxi Moralez made a difference,” said Jansen, “If you see the run‑up to the goal, how we played and how Maxi set it up for Talles that shows the quality we have within our team. We always try to be very dominant in our way of playing, but sometimes you have to adapt, and we adapted quite well today to score that third goal and secure the win.”
A win against a solid Colorado team of the Western Conference that is considered again a favorite to have a team reach the MLS Cup finals. But NYCFC is intent on reaching that plateau also and the confidence has started early with those goals coming at a rapid pace.
Moralez has recorded three assists and one goal in the club’s last four games. He is the oldest player in NYCFC history to record an assist at 39 years and 15 days old, surpassing his own record of recording an assist at 38 years and eight days old.
“Obviously we’re happy because it’s the beginning of the season,” Moralez said through a translator. “I feel good. I missed this moment here. Now I’m back, and this is a big moment for me. I’m very happy today, not only because of my goal but because the team had a big win. Now we need to focus on the next game, but in this moment, I want to enjoy it a little because it’s a great moment.”
“I think we deserved the points we’ve earned. In almost all the matches we played, maybe taking away parts of the Galaxy game and a bit of the Philly Philadelphia game.”
In those first two matches, Moralez was also instrumental as NYCFC began season matches on the road—a tie with the Galaxy of the West and 2-1 win over Eastern Conference rival the Union.
“Did enough to deserve the three points,” he said. “We’re happy with this start, but the season is long. We know we have to reach the playoffs as high as possible in the standings, which is the most important thing. The start has been great, but we have to go game by game.”
“I’m happy because they were three tough points to get against a difficult opponent. It wasn’t easy, but I think we did a good job. Obviously, we’re happy for the three points and to keep winning at home, which is important. Now we’ll rest for a couple of days and then start focusing on the next match.”
And that next match is with Miami. Messi of course will be the focus as Yankee Stadium will be packed with opposing fans and of course the NYCFC fan base. Messi also the reigning top star in the MLS, however, NYCFC is focused on this early season success.
And for Magno, this was special. A win and getting back on the pitch at Yankee Stadium. This was his first scoring night for NYCFC since the 2024 MLS regular season where he scored in a 2-2 draw against Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 17, 2024.
“I feel good,” he said. “I missed this moment here. Now I’m back, and this is a big moment for me. I’m very happy today, not only because of my goal but because the team had a big win. Now we need to focus on the next game, but at this moment, I want to enjoy it a little because it’s a great moment.”
The big game early versus Miami awaits, though not a defining moment of their season. NYCFC has a long task ahead, For now, though winning is a good feeling and the chemistry is right.
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com with coverage of MLB, boxing, and MLS – X: @Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
