The report says Real Salt Lake had 15 shots to NYCFC’s six, underlining how important the visitors’ goalkeeper was during the opening stages.
That pressure could easily have produced another difficult night for NYCFC. Instead, Freese gave the team a platform to grow into the match.
Nicolás Fernández Mercau opened the scoring from a rehearsed free-kick, with Agustín Ojeda’s short pass creating space outside the box. The finish reportedly exposed a lapse in Real Salt Lake’s tracking and gave NYCFC a lead against the run of play.
Ojeda was involved again for the second goal. His advance down the right created the opening for Luighi, who controlled the delivery before finding the net with a low finish.
The two goals reflected a sharper attacking edge, even though NYCFC created fewer reported attempts. Clinical finishing turned a pressured performance into a clean-sheet victory.
The report says Alonso Martínez made his first appearance since tearing his ACL last year. His return should be handled carefully, but even a late cameo can change the mood around a squad that had struggled to win.
The next MLS fixture will reveal whether this was a one-off escape or the start of a genuine recovery. NYCFC must now pair Freese’s resilience and set-piece threat with greater control of possession.