MLS week 31:
New York City FC 4-1 Chicago Fire
New York Red Bulls 1-0 Montreal Impact
The two clubs clinch playoffs berth with their respective win. It will be the first participation in NYCFC history. The two club are leveled atop of the Eastern Conference standings tied up at 48 points also with Toronto FC, which has a game in hands.
NYCFC Forward and captain David Villa enjoys the moment:
“We are only one-and-a-half years old and we fight with teams that play for 20 years. We are very happy, I am very proud for 48 points, We are happy to make history for our club.
Of course, the second objective is to fight for the best position possible to be good in the playoffs. We are three games more, but now its time of rest and Monday start the week again to try and get another three points in Houston.
I’m always thinking the same in my career. The best you can do on the pitch is good for the team. When the team is good, individually the players are good. If you say I can be MVP, it’s for NYCFC, which is top of the table now. With the same work from me, if the team is in a bad position, it’s impossible to fight for MVP.”
Coach NYRB Marsch comments on the win and playoffs ahead:
“I think it took us 31 games to get to first place. It took us 31 games to solidify a spot in the playoffs. After seven games, it was a big hole that we dug and a difficult moment for us as a group, but we’ve always tried to use tough moments to make us stronger, and I think that’s been a hallmark of this team is that, when things get tough, they respond. They don’t back down.
It would have been easy again — it wasn’t a 2-0 lead, it was a 1-0 lead, but the confidence we had on the field, the ability to just take care of the moment when they were throwing things at us, everything was under control and the group was focused, and they knew how to take care of the game.
So I feel very proud of our group, but we’ll say that this is only the start. So I think it’s really key for us to keep pushing to get a top two seed and then set ourselves up for success come playoff time.
