Field Level Media
02 Mar 2026, 05:49 GMT+10
(Photo credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)
Tayvon Gray scored on a header in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time to lift New York City FC to a wild 2-1 victory over the 10-man Philadelphia Union on Sunday in Chester, Pa.
Gray's second career MLS goal, and the first since the 2024 season, came eight minutes after Philadelphia defender Olwethu Makhanya was sent off after receiving his second booking for dissent.
Hannes Wolf also scored before halftime for NYCFC (1-0-1, 4 points), which won its second in a row in Philadelphia after a 1-0 win in a 2025 Eastern Conference semifinal.
Indiana Vassilev's 89th-minute penalty pulled the Union (0-2-0, 0 points) level after they were the aggressors for the majority of the second half.
But Philadelphia failed to score from open play for a second consecutive match, after an offseason in which it parted with several members of its 2025 Supporters' Shield-winning team, including leading scorer Tai Baribo and striker Mikael Uhre.
The Union had peppered NYCFC's goal up until their equalizer, earning a spot kick awarded when referee Chris Penso ruled Thiago Martins had hauled down Stas Korzeniowski in the penalty area.
Vassilev stepped up and hammered his finish down the middle, then quickly ran to retrieve the ball as it appeared the hosts were more likely to take the victory.
That changed when Makhanya disputed a decision to award a penalty kick and was summarily dismissed.
Invited forward, NYCFC found their winner on a recycled play after an initial attack was repelled.
Talles Magno reached the ball on the left side of the penalty area and played the ball to Agustin Ojeda near the top corner of the box.
Ojeda curled in an inswinging cross, and Gray outmuscled his marker to meet with a firm header that left goalkeeper Andre Blake little chance to react.
Ojeda also played a role in the setup of NYCFC's 36th-minute opener, hitting a diagonal pass that led to Nicolas Fernandez's shot from the left side of the penalty area to force Andre Blake into a lunging save.
Wolf was first to the rebound and hammered it into an open net before Blake could recover.
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Pittsburgh Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Pittsburgh Star.
More InformationDUBAI, UAE - Loud explosions have been heard in Dubai, while a Pakistani national has been killed by falling debris from a missile...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The United States Postal Service cannot be sued even when employees deliberately refuse to deliver mail, the U.S....
NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO: Senior Meta executives pressed ahead with plans to encrypt Facebook and Instagram messaging services despite...
(Photo credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images) Tayvon Gray scored on a header in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time to lift...
(Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images) Konnor Griffin, the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, homered...
(Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images) With their playoff hopes fading, the Toronto Maple Leafs will be out to end a three-game...
WASHINGTON DC - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is dead, according to Israeli and U.S. officials. Iran State Media confirmed...
DUBAI, UAE - Loud explosions have been heard in Dubai, while a Pakistani national has been killed by falling debris from a missile...
The United States and Israel launched a wave of air strikes against targets in Iran on Saturday, triggering explosions and columns...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: During his State of the Union address, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on inflation, immigration, tariffs, and...
MADRID, Spain: Spain's plan to grant legal status to at least half a million undocumented migrants is already straining immigration...
PARIS, France: Laurence des Cars, the director of the iconic Louvre Museum, resigned on February 24 after being in the public glare...
