What happens when a stoppable force meets a movable object? Precious little, it seems, if New York City FC’s dreary 1-1 tie with Los Angeles FC at Citi Field is anything to go by.
It is hardly surprising that a game between NYCFC – without a home win in the MLS since July and with just one win in its last 12 league games – and LAFC – without an away league win since July – failed to produce a winner.
The sides played out one of the most forgettable games in recent memory in front of a large, but unenthusiastic crowd in Queens, as Andrés Perea’s thumping header midway through the second half canceled out a Leo Walta free kick that had given the visitors the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Even the sizeable pocket of supporters who had journeyed to Citi Field for a glimpse of Son Heung Min only seemed to half-heartedly cheer for the South Korean star at times. It was certainly nothing like the frenzied atmosphere that has accompanied Lionel Messi’s visits to the Big Apple; their hearts just didn’t seem to be in it. How could they be when the product on offer was so desperately dull?
It was, in many ways, symbolic of the inertia that has gripped Pascal Jansen’s side in the second half of the MLS season, which has seen its chances of snatching a play-off place diminish with each passing week.
That inertia seemed to take hold of NYCFC’s Matt Freese, who – quite literally – froze as Walta’s long-range free kick drifted past him in first-half stoppage time. Walta’s effort was not particularly powerful, nor was Freese unsighted. And yet, he remained rooted in place as the effort traveled toward the bottom corner on his side from 30 yards out.
Walta’s goal bookended a drab opening half, coming as a bolt from the blue after both sides struggled to create any chances of note.
New York City FC midfielder Andres Perea (8) celebrates his goal during the second half against the Los Angeles FC at Citi Field on Oct. 17, 2026.Mark Smith-Imagn Images
By the time he lined up to take the long-range effort in the first minute of stoppage time, both NYCFC and LAFC had managed just one shot apiece, with Walta’s goal coming as the game’s first effort on target.
Jansen’s side, meanwhile, enjoyed plenty of the ball on Saturday but did very little with it, only registering one blocked shot in a turgid first half and only registering its first shot on target in the second half.
The outlook improved for the hosts after the half-time interval, with Tayvon Gray forcing Hugo Lloris to tip over the crossbar with a snapshot just inside the area on 53 minutes, for NYCFC’s first effort on goal.
Their equalizer came six minutes later, when Perea met a Nico Fernández-Mercau corner at the near post to power a bullet header past Lloris.
But any hopes that the equalizer would prove the shot in the arm that NYCFC desperately needed were quickly extinguished, with the hosts struggling to create meaningful opportunities in the final half-hour and largely reduced to efforts from unlikely angles.
In the end, they were fortunate to leave with a point as Son led a break deep in stoppage time but whipped his effort against the inside of the post, with Freese beaten all ends up.
With Saturday night’s tie, NYCFC’s distant hopes of a play-off place slip further out of reach. The club drops to 11th in the Eastern Conference, with just four games left to save its season.
Jansen bemoaned his side’s inability to convert possession and territorial dominance into the three points NYCFC so desperately needed.
“There were different options, either to shoot or lay it off, so you get a better chance to shoot on goal. And we missed those moments,” Jansen said. “We need wins and in order to win, you need goals.”