BRONX, NY — NYCFC knows something about the Columbus Crew and they should with two MLS Eastern Conference matchups also sandwiched in between a quarterfinal in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in the span of a month. Significant, though are conference games and compiling three points in the standings.
However, three more points in the standings has been difficult in the past month. NYCFC was 0-5-2 in its previous seven matches and hadn’t won since beating the Colorado Rapids 3-1 at home on March 14th. So at Yankee Stadium Sunday afternoon in their final home game prior to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the opponent was familiar. But the result was different.
From the opening kick of Sunday’s matchup between Columbus and NYCFC, there was a different mentality appearing out of the home team in the Bronx – Image Credit: Ernesto Diaz/Latino Sports
From the opening kick, coach Pascal Jansen knew the complexion changed. This was a team desperately seeking answers and he had to be pleased. Midfielder Hannes Wolf scored three goals for his first hat trick and midfielder Nicolás Fernández had an assist on all three scores, helping NYCFC end a seven-match winless streak with a 3-0 victory.
Wolf found the net in the 12th minute and again in the 16th, his third and fourth goals of the season for the 2-0 lead. Agustín Ojeda added his third assist on the first score and defender Nico Cavallo picked up his first in his 18th career appearance on the second.
It was Wolf again, his fifth goal to complete the hat trick in the 66th minute. It was the 20th goal for Wolf in 78 appearances over three seasons and Fernández recorded his first assist this season.
All that was needed was a win to break the skid as NYCFC waited and earned the three points that have been elusive. Jansen said scoring the first goal was important. He also stressed that word “mentality” we hear so often in sports with teams and those who play the game. He mentioned the block of games with Columbus and league matches bunched in a matter of days along with the U.S Open Cup competition.
“We are convinced that 90 percent of it is a mentality issue,” Jansen said. “Something we discussed obviously. I used the word casual at some point as well. You see the games we played in the second block but there were also one or two that were way below our standards.”
He mentioned four goals scored against Cincinnati that resulted in a draw as a mentality issue and that was not acceptable. And then there was Columbus, also knowing what NYCFC had to offer on the pitch, familiarity of course and both teams looking for those three points.
“Thats’s a mentality thing,” he said. “If you have Charlotte here and they have zero shots on target, but we’re not clinical in finishing our moments, then one shot on target might be enough. That’s something we are very well aware of going into this third block. The mentality we showed today on-and-off the ball was better and that helps going forward.”
Prior to Sunday’s victory over Columbus, NYCFC was 0-5-2 in its previous seven matches and hadn’t won since beating the Colorado Rapids 3-1 at home on March 14th – Image Credit: New York City Football Club
And it was Wolf who had the mentality, he basically set the tone as NYCFC needed to adjust. They will need that momentum moving forward with the remainder of their schedule on the road until the hiatus of World Cup play in a month. Wednesday to Charlotte, next Saturday at the rival Red Bulls, again at Columbus, and to Nashville after that.
“Very important,” Wolf said of the team’s showing. “I think we were in a little bit of a tough place and I think we all played well in some of these games but if we don’t make the points nobody cares in the end. Today, we rewarded ourselves. I think if you look at us last season, the strongest thing we probably had was the mentality to defend as a team.”
Wolf mentioned 11 guys blocking, and their urgency of what could happen when they cross the ball. NYCFC worked on adjusting to their game by watching extensive videos and did not decline overnight. It was as he said a bad moment and they want to be themselves again in the future.
It was a career type of day for Hannes Wolf Sunday in the Bronx as he recorded his first hat trick while helping NYCFC cruise to a win over Columbus – Image Credit: Ernesto Diaz/Latino Sports
NYCFC jumped from 11th place in the Eastern Conference to seventh with the victory on Sunday, which was significant. But to continue this before the long hiatus, they will need this momentum to continue. It has to be more than Wolf and his hat trick. They scored quickly this time and Columbus had not been good at coming from behind.
“So for sure this is special,” said midfielder Maxi Morález who referred to the mentality. “We would have lost points in the East, especially at home. For sure maybe this mentality is more focused. And it was important to win the last home game before (The Break), we will try and win away now. It’s for sure momentum.”
Maxi Morález believes Sunday’s victory showed what NYCFC is all about with their mentality – Image Credit: New York City Football Club
Though there was never a doubt about focus, like every team NYCFC may have hit a minor skid to their game. They believe this win will get them over the hump and wins will come especially against Eastern Conference opponents. NYCFC (4-5-3) has scored 22 goals and conceded 18 through the first 12 matches of the MLS regular season.
Of course it is the mentality but as Fernández said: “We have to stay focused and on what we need to do and keep moving forward. We were able to score quickly and that’s why we won.”
Rich Mancuso is a senior writer and columnist at LatinoSports.com with coverage of MLB, boxing, and MLS – X:@Ring786, Facebook.com/Rich Mancuso
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