Photograph by Katie Cahalin, courtesy NYCFC.com You know what to do: It’s time to rate New York City players, head coach Nick Cushing, referee Guido Gonzales Jr, and Apple TV’s broadcast team of Mark Rogondino and Heath Pearce on an unforgiving 10-point scale Rate the Players is now a thing here at Hudson River Blue, and we’re asking you once again to grade the New York City FC squad that took the field in the turgid 1-0 loss to Houston Dynamo. Deadline: The form will close on Monday, March 27 at 6 am ET, and the results will be published at 7 am ET. Using a mobile device? You might have troub ..read more

Does it look small to you? | Photograph by Michael Battista Field dimensions and other facility issues could have forced Manhattan to forfeit, but Motown alleges the match commissioner pressured them to play The US Open Cup match on Wednesday night between Manhattan SC and FC Motown is being officially protested by Motown following their 2-1 loss in extra time. Neither team responded to requests for comments, but a copy of Motown’s protest request letter was acquired by HRB. In the letter, the Motown alleges the field used by hosts Manhattan SC on the campus of the College of Mount Saint Vince ..read more

Photograph by Katie Cahalin, courtesy NYCFC.com The Luxembourg international won’t be in Houston — and that will reveal much about NYCFC’s defensive depth chart, captaincy hierarchy We’re in the midst of another international break that Major League Soccer has brazenly chosen to ignore. That means many top players from around the league will be missing Matchday 5, with the total number of MLS call-ups approaching 90 players. The losses hit all but two MLS teams, though New York City FC is lucky to not be impacted as severely as clubs like Minnesota United, Seattle Sounders, Atlanta United, and ..read more

Photograph by Eddie Sutton, courtesy Manhattan SC The local organization will play FC Motown in the First Round on the campus of College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale on March 22, at 7 pm ET New York City is no stranger to the US Open Cup. Since Brooklyn Field Club won the inaugural National Challenge Cup in 1914, a total of 16 other teams have lifted the trophy. Countless more clubs have played matches within the city for the tournament that has come to be known as the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. This week, that tradition continues. The 108th edition of the US Open Cup kicks off across ..read more

Safe flight, Mitja. | Photograph courtesy NYCFC.com NYCFC will be without the two defenders for Matchday 5 New York City FC defenders Maxime Chanot and Mitja Ilenič were called up to national team duty, and could miss up to two league games as the MLS schedule this year is not accommodating the March international break, which runs from March 20 to March 28. Chanot was once again called up to the Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Football – that’s the Lëtzebuergesch Foussballnationalequipe in Luxembourgish – as the team fight to qualify for UEFA Euro 2024. The 33-year-old center-back has been a fi ..read more

The playmaker scored his first goal of the season, and earned your vote for Player of the Match. | Courtesy NYCFC.com You liked what you saw in New York City’s narrow 3-2 win over United on March 18 New York City FC player ratings are determined by Hudson River Blue readers — be sure to check HRB immediately following the final whistle of each game to fill out the form for that match. Here are the ratings from NYCFC’s 3-2 win over DC United at Yankee Soccer Stadium on Saturday, March 18, 2023. Starting XI Talles Magno (off 80’) - 7.4 Talles Magno finally opened his account this season with his ..read more

Photo via PSV’s Twitter. Young American midfielder reportedly leaving Europe for NYCFC as the club looks to bolster its attacking depth Richy Ledezma, the 22-year-old PSV Eindhoven attacking midfielder rumored to be a New York City FC target since early February, looks set to finally, officially be joining on loan. MLSsoccer.com’s Tom Bogert called Ledezma coming to New York on loan essentially a done deal a few hours before NYCFC kicked off against DC United, and PSV itself has since confirmed that the young American midfielder signed a contract extension with them, but would be heading out o ..read more

Bundle up. | Photograph by Katie Cahalin, courtesy NYCFC.com New York City rediscover their scoring ways in a too-close-for-comfort win at Yankee Soccer Stadium It was a tale of two halves, with New York City FC playing their best soccer of this young season in the first 45 minutes of their 3-2 win over DC United. New York City were dominant on the mottled grass of Yankee Soccer Stadium, creating chance after chance and finding the back of the net twice in what looked at the time like yet another romp in the Bronx. But after DC United head coach Wayne Rooney inspired – or terrified? – his squa ..read more

Welcome to the Bronx. | Photograph courtesy NYCFC.com How to watch, stream New York City play the Wayne Rooney Experience. Plus: Injury report, kickoff time, referee crew, broadcast team, game thread, and more. It’s Matchday 4, and New York City FC are in the Boogie Down Bronx for the second week in a row — and looking for their second win of the season when they face DC United. NYCFC is looking better and better with every game, but scoring is still a problem: The team have logged just two goals in three games, and one of those was an own goal that was deflected into the net by an Inter Miami ..read more

That’s Jonny in the middle. | Photograph courtesy NYCFC.com The Homegrown joined the NYCFC Academy in 2017 at the age of 10, made two appearances for NYCFC II last season New York City Football Club announced yesterday that they signed 15-year-old midfielder Jonathan “Jonny” Shore to a Homegrown Contract through 2027 with an option for 2028. Shore is the eleventh Homegrown to sign with New York City since the NYCFC Academy was established in 2015. Shore joined the NYCFC Academy in 2017 he was a ten-year-old, and moved up through the ranks over the years. He featured for NYCFC II last season, a ..read more