By John Tsaros
Ebenezer Ofori got the pass from Maxi Moralez Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium late in the second half and NYCFC got their fourth and final goal in a 4-0 win over Real Salt Lake. It was his first goal for the team that is off to a 5-0 start with one draw,
But the story here is another player on the NYCFC roster that is making an impact. This has been a new season that provided some options for coach Patrick Vieira and the midfielder Ofori, an international star from Kusami, Ghana, with a one year loan from VIB Stuttgart, may have more options.
With the star power that has been acquired by NYCFC, Ofori may have a home. He made his debut March 11 against the Los Angeles Galaxy in the Bronx and his first goal could lead to more playing time because there has become a consistency of players on the field that are being used by Vieira in the first six games this season.
Ofori said about his goal and getting playing time, “It’s a family. Every week you have to show up at the training grounds to make into the eleven. We keep growing better, like a family. Everybody is giving one hundred percent and I think we can keep going.”
And it is expected that Ofori will keep it going and stay with NYCFC the entire season. With the 2018 World Cup on the horizon, NYCFC has an influx of international talent that could be lost for a significant amount of time which could impact their chances of keeping their hold on first place in the eastern conference of the MLS.
“No,” he said about heading to World Cup Play. His country lost to Egypt in the qualifiers and that enabled him to sign a deal with an incentive to lead NYCFC to a MLS championship.
He began his career in his native Ghana with New Edubiase UnC and made his debut for the Ghana national team in February 2017, scoring his first goal for the Black Stars later that year in an African Cup of Nations qualifier against Ethiopia.
Vieira said about his decisions in putting eleven on the field, perhaps more time for Ofori, “Their job is to make it difficult to choose the starting eleven. I have a decision to make and I will make it but always putting the team first.”
As for NYCFC, they hope to keep this consistent winning going in another eastern conference matchup at Atlanta. Their next home game at Yankee Stadium is Sunday April 29th against FC Dallas with a start time at 6:30PM.
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