NYCFC claims Campeones Cup over Atlas FC with its best performance in weeks

New York City FC’s showcase against reigning Mexican champion Atlas FC on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium was the final perk of the local side’s MLS Cup title run in 2021, but its 2-0 victory may serve a larger purpose.

With the club’s City Hall championship rally now a distant memory and its 2022 CONCACAF Champions League appearance a regretful missed opportunity, Wednesday’s Campeones Cup represented the last chance for NYCFC to make more of its first title. Add in that NYCFC had endured one of the club’s worst-ever stretches in MLS, winning just once in 11 matches over the last six weeks, and the glory from the gleam of its first championship trophy surely was dulling entering Wednesday.

But at least for one night against Atlas, New York City remembered how to perform at a championship level.

NYCFC came out fast against the 2021-22 LigaMX Campeon de Campeones, putting on a professional performance despite a somewhat makeshift lineup — and playing with a certain class that’s evaded the club for some time — to claim its second major trophy and perhaps turn its fortunes with three matches remaining in the MLS regular season.

"After winning the MLS Cup final, that's a feeling you want to live every year," said centerback Maxime Chanot. "It's not an MLS Cup, but it's a trophy and very important for the squad and for the club. We're still a young club so winning a second trophy in one year means a lot."

In front of a festive crowd split between City and Atlas supporters, Alex Callens and Maxi Moralez scored to give City its first victory since Aug. 21, a needed exhale for a club still hoping it can defend its MLS Cup title in the upcoming postseason.

"One thing I never, ever felt was that the team was coming apart," NYCFC interim head coach Nick Cushing said of his team's recent run. "There was always belief and hunger there."

A fourth-minute set piece helped City grab the early lead, taking advantage of a foul by an Atlas side seemingly flustered in the opening minutes. Gabriel Pereira launched a floater from distance toward the near post and Nicolas Acevedo ran under it, flicking it with his head to the far side and into the path of Callens. The centerback, whose penalty shootout goal in last year’s MLS Cup vs. Portland clinched the title, slid his foot in the ball’s way past Atlas keeper Camilo Vargas into the net to give NYCFC a 1-0 lead.

Shortly after half, an impressive team goal unseen from City in its recent poor stretch doubled the lead. A sequence that started from a Moralez pass ended with the veteran midfielder corralling a Talles Magno poke and firing from the right side into the bottom left corner in the 49th minute.

New York City surprised many with its starting 11, playing backup keeper Luis Barraza instead of captain and All-Star Sean Johnson (out with a leg injury) plus handing a start at fullback to second-round SuperDraft pick Kevin O’Toole, his first minutes with NYCFC’s first team after a season mostly with NYCFC II in MLS Next Pro. Neither player succumbed to the pressure, with Barraza recording seven saves and O’Toole holding his own against the Atlas attack.

Whether the Campeones Cup victory is indicative of a needed reset for NYCFC remains to be seen. The club is back in action Saturday, hosting its final Yankee Stadium match of the regular season against the Red Bulls, who jumped City in the Eastern Conference standings during the August-September rough patch. For now though, City can take solace in making something more out of its championship: a second major trophy, and another prize to boast before their older rivals.

"That feeeling never, ever gets old," Cushing said of lifting silverware. "This is the reason why we do the job."

By Ryan Gerbosi

ryan.gerbosi@newsday.comRyanGerbosi

Ryan Gerbosi is an internet news manager for sports at Newsday.com. He also covers NYCFC and mixed martial arts and believes the designated hitter should be banned from baseball.