3 things we learned about NYCFC in the 1-0 win over Toronto FC | OneFootball

On Saturday, New York City FC made their way to Canada to play against Toronto FC.  The teams had to face one another on an extremely windy day, making it difficult for them to give their all during the match.

NYCFC was the slightly better side on paper, while the Reds are having another troublesome year.  Hence, the Pigeons entered the match with expectations that they would win.  They also had to obtain all three points, for their recent struggles have been on full display, especially in the attack.  The team is going through one of their stretches where the finishing department’s lights are dimmed, and players are not reaching their quota.  In this case, they are not scoring enough.

In Toronto, it was more of the same with the scoring issues.  NYCFC did win, but it was due to a penalty kick goal by Alonso Martínez.  The Bronx team won 1-0, but they must be stronger in the attack.

With that in mind, here are three things we learned from NYCFC’s win against Toronto FC.

3 things we learned from the NYCFC road win

3. NYCFC finally has a road win

In 2023, NYCFC only won one road game in the regular season.  In 2024, they won four, last winning away from home on September 28 against the New York Red Bulls.  Notably, the first road win occurred on May 11.

Now, the Pigeons finally have a win away from home under their belt for 2025.  The match against the New England Revolution was a road win chance they let slip away, so it is a good thing they secured the three points a week later against Toronto FC.  These were matches that NYCFC should have won, and at the very least, they won one of the two.

The road win comes at a vital time too.  NYCFC will play, at a minimum, eight games in May.  As fans know, busy periods can lead players to struggle during some of their matches.  Hence, the road win can act as a confidence booster for the team.  Sure, the match was not pretty, but in the end, three points are three points.

2. NYCFC will not consistently win until they score more

It has been mentioned numerous times, but a big reason for NYCFC’s recent struggles has been the scoring difficulties.  After Saturday, the Pigeons now have scored one or no goals in five of their last six fixtures.  In the two wins, a little luck helped the team edge out their opponents.

Therefore, more goals are still desperately needed.  The Boys in Blue cannot consistently win without that finishing touch.  Without the goals, they can fall down the table and make it harder to earn a playoff spot as the season progresses.

At the same time, expectations are higher than just making a playoff spot, even in Pascal Jansen’s first season with the club.  NYCFC has to score more, for luck will not be on their side in every game.

1. There were some injury scares for NYCFC

During the match against Toronto FC, there were a couple of injury scares for the team.  Kevin O’Toole went down at one point after his knee made contact with another player, crying out in pain as he fell.  For a split second, it felt like he would have to come out.

Thankfully, the left-back was able to continue until Jansen took him out in the second half for Nico Cavallo.  But that was not the only injury scare of the game.  Birk Risa, who was a defensive substitute, was hit right in the head when he blocked a shot, sending him to the ground instantly.  There were some early concerns, but he too stayed in the match.  The urgency for the trainers to come onto the pitch made it seem worse, but the center-back was okay.

NYCFC fans can breathe easily after the game.  There were injury concerns, but the team will head home with everyone who played in the match staying healthy.