Nicolas Fernandez scored two goals in the first half, helping New York City FC secure a 3-1 victory against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday.
Talles Magno added a late goal for NYCFC (3-0-1, 10 points) with an assist from Maxi Moralez.
Darren Yapi found the net for Colorado (2-2-0, 6 points) with a goal from Rafael Navarro’s assist. The Rapids missing starting goalkeeper Zack Steffen due to a shoulder injury played their second consecutive match without him.
Fernandez struck again in the 45th minute, launching a shot from an acute angle to extend NYCFC’s lead to 2-0 following a deep restart.
Colorado stayed competitive when Yappi scored during first-half stoppage time. Navarro’s pass found Yappi, who skillfully shot from a wide position into the bottom corner, making it 2-1 at halftime.
NYCFC kept pressing, with Hansen denying a shot from Hannes Wolf inside the 6-yard box. Shortly after, Hansen saved another shot from Fernandez on a restart. The backup goalie for Colorado recorded five saves, while NYCFC’s keeper Matthew Freese had only one.
The Rapids had a chance in the 83rd minute, but Dante Sealy’s assist to Paxten Aaronson was blocked by NYCFC’s defense. Magno ultimately secured the victory with his goal, receiving a through ball from Moralez that slipped past the Colorado defense.
The first half was physical, resulting in four yellow cards, with two for each team. Overall, Colorado committed 25 fouls to NYCFC’s 13. Despite holding 58.1% possession, the Rapids were outshot 12-9, with NYCFC getting a notable 8-2 edge in shots on goal.