Our latest top five list was perhaps the toughest to pull together so far.
Following on from our look at assists, funniest moments, long range strikes, skills and saves, today we turned our attention to the best matches of 2016.
It wasn’t easy – arguments and counter-arguments have raged at NYCFC HQ in the compiling of this list but there could only be five!
Without any further ado, here are five of the best matches of the 2016 season (in our opinion).
In no particular order…
NYCFC 3-2 Philadelphia Union
For the first time, all three of the team’s designated players were on the scoresheet as NYCFC edged a five-goal thriller.
Frank Lampard, Andrea Pirlo and David Villa gave us a three-goal lead inside 50 minutes before a late Philly rally almost cost us the three points.
Ending The Union’s eight-match unbeaten streak, NYCFC held on to clinch an invaluable victory and, really, how could we not include a game in which Andrea Pirlo netted his first free-kick for the club?
Please enable Javascript to watch this video
NYCFC 5-1 Colorado
We journey back to July for another historic day at Yankee Stadium as Lampard scored our first-ever hat-trick to send us on our way to an emphatic win.
Tony Taylor and Steven Mendoza also wrote their names up on the scoreboard as NYCFC ended Colorado’s 15-match unbeaten streak in brutal style.
Please enable Javascript to watch this video
Portland 1-2 NYCFC
Tommy McNamara and Villa goals in each half gave NYCFC a win at the home of the defending champions.
Both goals were golazos too – with RJ Allen’s stunning assist providing Villa with the opener eight minutes in before Tommy’s screamer to win it with 25 minutes remaining.
To make the goal even sweeter, Ronald Matarrita came up with one of the moments of the season a minute earlier, tracking back to complete a stunning goal-line clearance.
Please enable Javascript to watch this video
NYCFC 2-0 Red Bulls
NYCFC turned the city blue in July when we beat Red Bulls for the first time.
Jack Harrison was the star of the show, putting a definitive punctuation point on his injury-plagued start to the year with a goal and an assist.
Villa scored the other as the majority of the 33,613 partied in the stands to celebrate a famous win.
Please enable Javascript to watch this video
NYCFC 3-2 DC United
If matches were judged for this list only on the strength of their opening 75 minutes, this one would be no way near the top five… but they’re not.
The final 15 minutes of this one provided some of the most thrilling action Yankee Stadium has ever seen, as Frank Lampard did what Frank Lampard does.
Villa equalized Lloyd Sam’s 36th minute opener to make it 1-1 with ten minutes to go before Lampard gave NYCFC the lead five minutes later.
Just when it looked as though NYCFC were going to hold on to the narrow win, Lamar Neagle levelled it up and surely saved a point for the visitors… but no, Frank had other ideas.
Please enable Javascript to watch this video
There we have it… five of the very best but which did we miss? Let us know on Twitter!
