It had been 16 games dating back to last season since NYCFC forward Mounsef Bakrar last scored a goal.
But Bakrar picked the biggest moment of the young NYCFC season to finally snap his scoring drought in the 64th minute of a tie game with the club’s biggest rival, the New York Red Bulls.
The goal helped lift NYCFC to a 2-1 win on Saturday night at Citi Field and pulled them even in the Eastern Conference standings with the Red Bulls.
The go-ahead goal developed off a spectacular display of passing by NYCFC as Hannes Wolf moved the ball to Tayvon Gray after shaking a defender.
Gray dribbled the ball along the edge of the box before finding Bakrar, who quickly directed the ball past Red Bulls keeper Carlos Coronel.
The moment of joy was evident on Bakrar’s face.
He celebrated by running over to NYCFC head coach Nick Cushing and jumping into his arms before other members of the team’s coach staff and his teammates joined in the celebration.
The victory capped an impressive week for NYCFC, which picked up its third straight win, and snapped a two-game winning streak for the Red Bulls, who had entered the match in third place in the Eastern Conference just three points in front of their Big Apple rival.
Saturday’s NYCFC win was also the first time in more than a year that they have managed to beat the Red Bulls in a Hudson River Derby showdown, and it marked the first time the teams had played one another at Citi Field.
NYCFC opened the scoring in the match’s third minute off Wolf’s second goal of the season when he faked out a Red Bulls defender then buried a laser of a shot past Coronel.
The goal was the second in as many games for the Austrian footballer, who scored what amounted to the game-winning goal Wednesday night against the Philadelphia Union.
The skilled goal started when NYCFC attacker Malachi Jones went streaking up the far side of the field and, under pressure, managed to send a cross to Wolf who was standing in the center of the box.
Wolf got Red Bulls midfielder Daniel Edelman to bite on a fake shot and booted the ball past the diving keeper.
But a dominant first half was undone in the closing moments.
The Red Bulls evened the score in stoppage time thanks to a defensive miscue by NYCFC and a blast from Cameron Harper from outside the penalty area.
Harper dribbled the ball a few steps before firing a shot that went just out of the reach of NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese, hit off the crossbar, and went down into the net for the equalizer.
Saturday night’s match was certainly worthy of its rivalry designation, with fans from both clubs making their way to Queens and creating a lively atmosphere at Citi Field.
A march along Seaver Way by NYCFC’s supporters groups caught the eye of seasoned soccer fans and curious onlookers alike as they chanted, banged drums and made plenty of noise.
Red Bulls fans packed themselves into several sections of Citi Field and gave their club a loud ovation as they walked off the pitch after the final whistle.