Philadelphia Union produced a remarkable second-half turnaround at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, beating New York City FC 3-2 after trailing by two goals at the interval. Bruno Damiani was the decisive figure for the visitors, scoring in the 69th and 75th minutes to complete a comeback that had begun almost immediately after the restart.
NYCFC appeared firmly in control after taking advantage of two first-half penalties. Bénie Traoré converted from the spot in the 4th minute to give the hosts an early lead, before Luighi Hanri doubled it with another penalty in first-half stoppage time, at 45+2′.
But Philadelphia emerged with far greater urgency after the break. Danley Jean Jacques pulled one back in the 48th minute, shifting the momentum and giving the Union a foothold in the fixture. The visitors continued to press, despite New York City holding a narrow edge in possession and earning eight corners.
Damiani then took over. The forward levelled the match in the 69th minute before striking again six minutes later, in the 75th, to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 Philadelphia lead. It was a ruthless spell from the Union, who finished with 17 shots and five efforts on target compared with NYCFC’s 16 shots and four on target.
The closing stages were tense and physical, with NYCFC searching for a late equaliser. Tayvon Gray was booked in the 79th minute and Malachi Jones in the 90th minute, while Philadelphia’s Kai Wagner saw yellow in the 85th. The Union, however, managed the final minutes effectively to see out a valuable road victory.
For New York City FC, the result will sting after a strong first half and a 2-0 advantage. For Philadelphia, it was a statement of resilience: three unanswered second-half goals, capped by Damiani’s match-winning brace, transformed the afternoon in the Bronx.
Goals
- New York City FC: Bénie Traoré 4′ (penalty)
- New York City FC: Luighi Hanri 45+2′ (penalty)
- Philadelphia Union: Danley Jean Jacques 48′
- Philadelphia Union: Bruno Damiani 69′
- Philadelphia Union: Bruno Damiani 75′
