New England Revolution midfielder Dániel Gazdag proved his worth as a substitute, scoring a dramatic winner deep into second-half stoppage time on Wednesday night.
The goal came in the third minute of added time at Citi Field, giving the Revolution a hard-fought 2-1 victory over New York City FC.
Gazdag had only entered the match in the 72nd minute, leaving him less than 20 minutes to make an impact before the final whistle approached.
He needed just one chance to deliver, converting with the help of assists from defender Ilay Feingold and Brooklyn Raines to seal the comeback result.
It marked Gazdag’s first goal in just his second appearance for New England, a promising return since making the move from Columbus Crew.
The Hungarian attacker had registered three goals across 17 appearances for the Crew before linking up with the Revolution earlier this season.
Both Feingold and Raines notched their second assists of the season, underlining the collective contribution that made the late victory possible.
New England had taken the lead much earlier in the contest, with Carles Gil converting a penalty kick in the 12th minute to give his side the advantage.
That spot kick was awarded after NYCFC defender Aiden O’Neill was penalised for a foul, handing Gil the opportunity to put the Revolution in front.
New York City FC fought back in the second half, with Luighi Hanri Sousa Santos levelling matters in the 71st minute after coming off the bench in the 63rd minute.
Santos scored his second goal in just his sixth league appearance, briefly threatening to deny the Revolution all three points before Gazdag had the final say.
The result moves New England to 12 wins, 8 losses, and 4 draws on the season, while New York City FC remain in a difficult stretch at 7 wins, 9 losses, and 8 draws.
