New York City FC will look for a response against Real Salt Lake, with head coach Pascal Jansen acknowledging that his side must improve its concentration and execution late in matches.
Coming off another frustrating result against the New England Revolution, Jansen said NYCFC had produced a solid first half and continued showing progress after halftime before anxiety began creeping into its play. That ultimately contributed to another costly late goal.
Jansen pointed to several breakdowns on New England’s decisive attack, including NYCFC’s failure to aggressively prevent the cross and its defensive positioning inside the penalty area. He was particularly unhappy that Dániel Gazdag was allowed to control the ball on his chest before getting a shot on target.
“This is something that’s completely on us,” Jansen said.
While NYCFC had shown signs of becoming more defensively consistent in previous matches, Jansen acknowledged maintaining that standard for the entire game remains an issue.
The coach said his team must maintain the same focus and concentration late in games that it demonstrates over the opening 60 or 75 minutes.
NYCFC could receive some help from an improving injury situation. Aiden O’Neill has returned to action, while Alonso Martínez is also nearing a return after approximately nine months out.
O’Neill said he feels increasingly comfortable after missing roughly seven or eight weeks of training. The midfielder has participated in six or seven training sessions and two matches since returning, but said regaining his awareness and sharpness in midfield requires actual game experience.
O’Neill also reflected on playing through an ankle problem at the World Cup before undergoing surgery. He described representing his country on the world stage as a dream come true and said adrenaline helped carry him through matches despite struggling physically between games.
Now the attention turns to Real Salt Lake.
Jansen dismissed the idea of treating RSL as a “wounded animal” despite its difficulties, noting that altitude and heat provide additional challenges in Utah. NYCFC, he said, must respect its opponent while exploiting weaknesses and continuing to correct its own problems.
With 30 points still available, O’Neill said NYCFC’s approach remains straightforward: every match is an opportunity to collect three points.
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