Teal Bunbury scored the Revs’ lone goal. (Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports)
BRONX, N.Y. — Jonathan Lewis struck four minutes into stoppage time to lift New York City FC to a 2-1 comeback win over the New England Revolution at Yankee Stadium Sunday night.
Lewis tallied his second goal of the MLS season from seven yards off a Ben Sweat pass as City avoided its second draw with the Revs, before a crowd of 22,415.
The result allowed second-place NYCFC t(14-7-4, 46 points) o keep pace with leader Toronto FC(14-3-8, 50) in the Eastern Conference and gave the side some breathing room ahead of third-place Chicago (12-8-5, 41).
The less said about the first half, the better.
Most of the game was played in the midfield and when both teams managed to get close to the goal, either sloppy play or poor execution stopped anything that resembled a decent chance on net.
The Revs had something to do with that, keeping five men on the backline as they found a way to clog all of City’s passing and shooting lanes.
Villa had NYCFC’s best opportunity when his 15-yard shot off Jack Harrison’s freed sailed wide right in the 16th minute.
New England wasn’t much better. Striker Kei Kamara headed Teal Bunbury’s left-wing cross over the net in the 22nd minute.
U.S. international midfielder Kelyn Rowe actually tested NYCFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson in the 39th minute as he sent a blistering shot from distance that the keeper managed to get a hand on. The ball then ricocheted off the left post, but nothing came of the rebounds.
A mistake by Sean Johnson gave the Revs a goal in the 57th minute. A Rowe free kick was headed out of the penalty area by City defender Ben Sweat to Andrew Farrell, who smashed a shot that a startled Johnson spilled in front of the net. Teal Bunbury was there to slot home the rebound from two yards for a 1-0 New England lead.
Villa came close to equalizing in the 73rd minute when he fired a bouncing shot toward the right corner of the net that keeper Cody Cropper managed to tip away.
The Spanish international woke up the slumbering crowd in the 77th minute as he slipped home a six-yard shot past Cropper for a 1-1 tie. The goal was Villa’s league-leading 19th of the season and his 60th of his MLS career.