Santiago Rodriguez scored the tiebreaking goal in the 80th minute and Alonso Martinez scored three goals in the final 10 minutes plus stoppage time as New York City FC extended their winning streak to five — and also equaled last season’s win total — by beating the San Jose Earthquakes 5-1 at Yankee Stadium on Friday night.
Rodriguez scored his sixth goal before Martinez’s hat trick gave him six this season, and their performances gave NYCFC five straight wins for the first time since Aug. 17-Sept. 7, 2019.
Rodriguez’s clutch goal occurred after NYCFC got an emotional lift from Maxi Moralez’s season debut. Moralez entered the match as a substitute in the 74th and made his first appearance since tearing his ACL last September.
Moralez helped create Rodriguez’s goal by entering the penalty area and dishing to Martinez. He nearly lost possession, but Andres Perea kept it alive and found Rodriguez, who sent a right-footed shot past San Jose defender Rodrigues and into the right side of the net past the diving attempt of Earthquakes goalie William Yarborough.
Hannes Wolf scored NYCFC’s first goal in the 50th minute, and Martinez followed Rodriguez by adding an insurance tally in the 85th. Martinez scored after getting a pass from Moralez, who was credited with his 70th career MLS assist, and Martinez then finished it off with two goals in stoppage time.
The second-half outburst gave NYCFC (9-5-2, 29 points) their eighth win in nine matches and a 9-2-2 record since a season-opening three-match losing streak. It also occurred on a night when Thiago Martins was out due to injury and Kevin O’Toole sustained a leg injury late in the first half.
Amahl Pellegrino scored a tying goal in the 53rd for the Earthquakes (3-11-2, 11 points), who have allowed 29 goals in their nine road matches.
NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese made two saves.
Yarbrough allowed five goals on seven shots as NYCFC finished with 20 shots overall.
–Field Level Media
