Alonso Martínez leads NYCFC to a win in the final preseason game | OneFootball

On Saturday, New York City FC played their final preseason game in the Coachella Valley Invitational. The Pigeons were coming off the loss against St. Louis City SC which saw some good play despite the loss.

This time, the Boys in Blue faced off against Minnesota United FC. Pascal Jansen switched back to utilizing mostly starters, but some of the younger players like Jonathan Shore and Nicholas Cavallo. It was an interesting choice since the team starts the Major League Soccer season next Saturday.

Although, Shore is probably getting the chance to prove to Jansen that he can play in the midfield when Maxi Moralez does not. Santiago Rodríguez is close to leaving the club, with an announcement expected in the upcoming week.

In the end, NYCFC managed to pull off a 1-0 win thanks to a consistent fight and good defense. This means they end the preseason with a 3-1-2 record, which is respectable.

NYCFC wins thanks to Alonso Martínez

Minnesota threatened early with a solid chance in the seventh minute. Matt Freese and the backline had to put in the work to keep the Loons out of the goal. A swift shot by Carlos Harvey forced the goalkeeper into making the save while the rebound shot deflected out for a corner kick. It was a good moment of defense, but NYCFC should not have allowed that opportunity.

The Bronx side did well though when they were under pressure against the Loons. The defenders, whether they were starters last year or one of the younger players, did well to intervene on shots taken, forcing deflections or blocking the ball. Freese was his usual self in between the sticks and made a few vital stops throughout the match.

Similar to the St. Louis game, the Boys in Blue grew into the fixture, but this battle was more even, with MUFC dominating at times. The first half saw a few opportunities, but nothing was truly threatening. Shore's deflected shots in the 13th and 39th minutes were probably the greatest chances during the first 45 minutes.

In the second half, Drew Baiera, who came on for an injured Tayvon Gray, had an early shot in the 48th minute that went wide, but just by a little. The defender had some good crosses and passes into the box, showing off his offensive side. He is a player who could see playing time in the case of any injury, so one should follow his progress in 2025.

Still, the back-and-forth match meant anything could happen. Then Loons continued to be more threatening in the attack based on the chances on target. However, there were promising signs from NYCFC.

The offense became a little stronger when Julián Fernández and Agustín Ojeda came on to play on the wings. This moved Alonso Martínez into the striker position, and this move eventually worked out.

In the 78th minute, Martínez made a great run thanks to a pass from Birk Risa in the Pigeons' half. The striker's pace allowed him to move beyond the Minnesota defenders, run into the box, and slot the ball into the bottom right corner.

The goal would be enough to give NYCFC the win. The Bronx side had some good play but it was not the best game by a long shot. Alas, they scored to win, which is something they struggled with at times over the last couple of seasons.

One thing to note is that Gray came out in the 29th minute due to an injury. It is unknown whether it was serious or precautionary with the season one week away. Another notable aspect of the match was that Keaton Parks wore the captain's armband. When Thiago Martins is out, as he has been for most of the preseason, Parks would be a fantastic option for the vice-captain.

There is no question that there is still a lot of work to do regardless of the result. A few signings, specifically in the midfield, are needed, while perhaps a few of the draft picks can be signed for defensive depth. In addition, a few Homegrown players who normally play for the MLS Next Pro team should be given a chance to play with the first team.

In complete honesty, it would not be shocking for NYCFC to have some growing pains with their new head coach. Plus, the team's midfield will look different without Rodríguez and James Sands. They also are dealing with some injuries. The Pigeons had their moments in the preseason, but after watching the CVI, one could only wish there was another week two before NYCFC opens the season against Inter Miami CF.