He may not have gotten the start on Sunday night, but Jonathan Lewis found a way to make the highlight reel anyway.
Coming on in the 85th minute for Rodney Wallace, Lewis made the most of his cameo, banging in the game-winning goal in the third minute of stoppage time and sending Yankee Stadium into a frenzy.
The NYCFC faithful weren't the only ones cheering on the goal scorer, either. Lewis did just about as much as a player can do in a shift that short, and his lethal effectiveness earned him a spot in the MLS Team of the Week.
Coming up clutch against an Eastern Conference foe is just about the best way Lewis could have followed up his performance in Los Angeles last week, when he bagged an absolute belter to open his MLS account.
After spending the first portion of the season adjusting to the tempo and quality of MLS as a rookie, while also appearing for the United States U-20 National Team in World Cup qualifying, the 20-year-old attacker is rounding into form at the perfect time—after all, the final push to the playoffs is in full swing.
READ:Match Recap: NYCFC 2-1 New England
Key Moment
It's really a no-brainer, isn't it?
With three points and a chance to keep pace with Toronto FC near the top of the Eastern Conference on the line, Lewis drifted into space near the back post, latched onto a low Ben Sweat cross (or was it a shot?), and finished with authority.
It was a great first touch to settle a ball fired in with pace, and an emphatic finish from the youngster, who sent the Yankee Stadium crowd into an equally emphatic round of applause.
In Jonathan's Words...
đź’¬ | @Jon_Lewis710 on how it felt to score the winning goal tonight... #NYCFCpic.twitter.com/qXJZrXWJeW
— New York City FC (@NYCFC) August 21, 2017
In Patrick's Words...
"Jonathan just needs to keep working hard in training," said the gaffer. "When you come in as a rookie, you always need time to adapt to the quality of the MLS, the tempo of MLS, and try to understand the game better because of the players you are surrounded by.
"He's been working really well, he's been working really hard, and all the good things he's been doing on the field are because, since the very first day, he's always got his focus right.
"When you work hard and you work well, you get rewarded."
READ:Vieira: Our Depth is Our Strength
His Teammates Said...
The Fans Said...
In Numbers...
PHOTOS: NYCFC 2-1 New England
