Ismael Tajouri-Shradi, Maxi Moralez help NYCFC knock out Philly 

Ismael Tajouri-Shradi made his coach look quite smart Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

After his New York City FC squad cruised past the Philadelphia Union on the final day of the regular season, head coach Domenec Torrent was coy about his ideal starting lineup for the knockout round match between the conference rivals. When the teams took the pitch for the playoff opener, Tajouri-Shradi was the lone change, replacing Jesus Medina at forward.

The Libyan international made the most of his first start since Sept. 29 by scoring the opening goal, while Maxi Moralez put on a clinic in midfield to help NYCFC control the game from the kickoff in a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia in the knockout round of the MLS Cup playoffs.

"I was ready," Tajouri-Shradi said after the game. "[Torrent] spoke with me and I was ready. It was a very good win for us, very important win. It was a difficult game for us, more difficult than Sunday, but we played very well and we take the win and continue on this way.”

NYCFC’s quest for the club’s first trophy will continue Sunday in the first leg of the conference semifinals against Atlanta United FC at Yankee Stadium.

City scored the first goal of the MLS Cup playoffs in the 10th minute thanks to a dipping shot over the keeper by Tajouri-Shradi from just outside the box. Moralez received a pass near midfield and saw a cutting Tajouri-Shradi. As Moralez delivered a ball toward the edge of the box in the center of the field, David Villa stepped in the path and slightly flicked it on for Tajouri-Shradi, who put the ball in the back of the net on his first touch.

The goal was the first since Sept. 1 for Tajouri-Shradi, who recently returned to play after battling an ankle injury.

“I knew David would take the ball and flick it to me," said Tajouri-Shradi. "I had to change to shoot on one touch because if I took the second touch the defender would be there, so I’m very happy about the goal and more happy about that win.”

Torrent said playing Tajouri-Shradi over Medina was a tactical decision based on what he saw from Philadelphia in Sunday's victory.

“Tonight, I decided to play with Ismael because the last game I saw they defend high and maybe we can take advantage if they decide to play high," Torrent said. “Jesus has a good quality, but Ismael has another quality, and when you’re looking to play quickly or play behind them, maybe you decide this player over another player. I have confidence in everybody, but when you play the knockout game in the playoff, you have to decide.” 

City was on the board for the second time in the 26th minute when Moralez again made a key pass en route to the goal. After a long ball toward the left edge of the box, Moralez split the Philadelphia centerbacks with a slow pass in front of Villa. The NYCFC captain took a few touches before gliding the ball past Philadelphia keeper Andre Blake and into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Moralez put the nail in the coffin of Philadelphia’s season in the 78th minute with his first goal of the night, finding himself on the end of an Anton Tinnerholm long ball and chipping the keeper from 12 yards with his first touch. Philadelphia got one back as Cory Burke buried a low cross from Ilsinho in the 83rd minute, but there wasn’t nearly enough time remaining.

After dominating possession through the first 20 minutes of action, City went into a groove for the rest of the match, defending its lead smartly and not forcing an attack without numbers. New York finished the match with 10 shots to Philadelphia’s seven, while the Union finished with just two shots on target all night. Sean Johnson was solid in goal when tested, coming off his line in stoppage time of the first half to stop a last-gasp Union attempt before the break, but Philadelphia gave Johnson little to worry about.

The victory puts NYCFC into the Eastern Conference semifinals for the third consecutive season. City will host No. 2 seed Atlanta in the first leg of the semifinals on Sunday before heading south for the second leg on Nov. 11. In each of the last two seasons, City has failed to advance from the conference semifinal round, losing over two legs to Toronto and Columbus.

In its fourth year of play, NYCFC picked up just the second playoff win in club history, the previous victory coming in the second leg of last year’s conference semifinal.