May 11, 2022; Jamaica, New York, USA; New York City FC defender Maxime Chanot (4) gestures after scoring a goal in the second half against Rochester New York FC at Belson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Maxime Chanot gives thanks for his goal. (Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports)

Thiago Andrade, Heber and Maxime Chanot scored for New York City FC, which registered a 3-1 win over Rochester New York FC in the Round of 32 at the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Belson Stadium on St. John’s University in Queens, N.Y. on Wednesday night.

NYCFC head coach Ronny Deila made nine lineup changes from his team’s scoreless home draw with Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.

“These games are always hard,” he said. “Rochester was physical. They were well organized, and they gave everything so it was a tough game but I think the boys did their job. They were fighting. We got three goals and the win in the end and that’s the most important thing in this game. It’s tough when you change almost the whole team. It’s a lot of new relations, but as I said the attitude was good. We are happy to be in the next round.”

Deila decided to start Maxi Moralez, who had missed several matches with a lower body injury.

“I started everyone who has been on the bench,” he said. “Justin [Haak] was the only one to come on last. I gave everyone a game. Maxi has played this game before he had no problem playing on artificial [turf]. I think he did a good job as well, I was happy to get him through 60 minutes now and build him up to the level he has been for us for a long long time.“

Andrade lifted the defending MLS Cup champions into the lead in the 23rd minute lead with a spectacular volley off a pin-point right-wing cross by Gabriel Pereira that sailed over goalkeeper Philip Ejimadu’s head and under the crossbar.

Heber doubled the advantage in the 31st minute. After Gustavo Rissi sent the ball back to Ejimadu, Heber rushed in, stripping the keeper of the ball to tally a gift goal.

Three minutes into first-half added time, Rochester sliced the lead in half on a sequence that began off a throw-in as Jesus Batiz beat goalie Luis Barraza from four yards.

Chanot gave City some breathing room in the 76th minute, heading home Santiago Rodriguez’s corner kick.

Ejimadu denied Gedion Zelalem’s 90th-minute penalty kick before Pereira was given his marching orders for his second yellow card a minute into second-half stoppage time.

“He knows that it was a mistake from doing it only one time,” Deila said. “Kicking the ball away first and then getting into a fight when you’re 3-1 up is immature. He was sorry afterwards and he will learn from that. We as a team, as well, do not have these kinds of red cards.”

The visitors’ Preston Popp was awarded a straight red card six minutes into injury time.

The encounter was the second time Rochester lost to an NYCFC side as it dropped a 3-2 decision to NYCFC II in MLS NEXT Pro action on April 23. As the Rochester Rhinos in 1999, RNY FC is the last non-MLS team to win the Open Cup.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.