Hannes Wolf shines with a shot – NYC FC wins 3-1 against Chicago Fire!

Hannes Wolf shines with a shot – NYC FC wins 3-1 against Chicago Fire!

New York City FC scored an impressive 3-1 home win against Chicago Fire on Matchday 15 of Major League Soccer (MLS). The game took place at the legendary Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and marked the seventh win of the season for NYCFC, which currently sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, three points behind third-place Nashville. Hannes Wolf, the 24-year-old ÖFB legionnaire, made a decisive contribution to the victory by making it 2-1 with a magnificent shot into the far corner. This was another highlight in the young career of the Austrian, who recently moved from Borussia Mönchengladbach to NYCFC.

Before joining New York City FC, Wolf was described as a creative and versatile player who could add to both offense and defense. In his career so far, the former Austrian national team player has gained a lot of experience, scoring 51 goals and 40 assists in over 238 professional games. He is now part of coach Nick Cushing's team, which also includes talents such as Talles Magno and Julián Fernández.

Game history and goal scorers

The match started unusually quickly for Chicago Fire as Philip Zinckernagel scored the first goal in the 11th minute. But New York City FC was not discouraged. Monsef Bakrar equalized in the 42nd minute, just 30 seconds after the visitors' lead goal. It was Wolf who turned the game around shortly afterwards. His second goal of the season gave NYCFC a decisive boost before Alonso Martinez made the final score 3-1 with a penalty in the 89th minute.

The spectators also experienced a turbulent game, characterized by two red cards for Chicago Fire, which severely weakened the team defensively. Brian Gutierrez received a red card in the 17th minute, followed by Dje D'avilla in the 84th minute, who received his second yellow card. On the New York side, Thiago Martins and Tayvon Gray received yellow cards, while second-half substitutions were strategically placed to keep the score.

Future Prospects of NYCFC

With this win, New York City FC puts itself back in the discussion for the playoffs, which it is targeting in 2023 after a disappointing season. The current team has the potential to be one of the best teams in the league again, especially with the reinforcements of players like Hannes Wolf. The Austrian's contract runs until the 2027 season, with the option of an extension for 2028. NYCFC will be keen to capitalize on the positive momentum as the new season begins on February 24 against Charlotte FC.

For Wolf and his teammates it is now a matter of carrying the momentum from their current success into the coming games and keeping a clear focus on the goals of the next few months.