NYCFC Hasn't Scored in 17 Days and the Crew Is About to Make It Worse

Here's the brutal reality for New York City FC heading into Sunday's matchup with Columbus: they're stuck in a seven-game winless drought in league play, and the goals have completely dried up. NYCFC is 0-5-2 since their hot start, and they haven't found the back of the net since Talles Magno scored on April 22 against FC Cincinnati. That's 17 days of offensive silence in a sport where one goal can change everything.

Both teams are deadlocked at 3-5-3 with 12 points, making this an Eastern Conference clash between two sides struggling to find their footing with nearly a third of the season already in the books. But NYCFC's problem is more acute. While Columbus has at least managed to win three of their last six matches after a brutal 0-3-2 start, the boys in blue are completely stuck. They've been outscored 15-8 during their winless skid, which is the kind of stat line that keeps you up at night.

Injuries Are Forcing NYCFC Into Lineup Roulette

Part of NYCFC's offensive struggles traces back to injuries. Talles Magno, who scored that last goal back on April 22, is dealing with a calf injury and will be sidelined for several weeks. That's forced Malachi Jones into the starting lineup for the first time since he broke his leg in June 2024, and while his effort is there, Jones is still finding his rhythm after missing that much time.

"I'm going to have to take them more often, and that's part of finding my boots again," Jones said. "Putting the team on my back a little bit and saying, 'I will go get us a goal if needed.' For me coming back, those are moments I got to take care of and put away, because that's the standard that I have for myself."

The vulnerability is real. NYCFC followed up their April 25 loss to Montreal with a 2-0 defeat to DC United last weekend. They need goals, they need health back, and they need it soon.

Columbus Has Its Own Problems to Solve

Columbus coach Henrik Rydstrom knows his Crew aren't out of the woods either. The Crew have scored more than two goals just once in their first 11 matches. They lost a two-goal lead last weekend against Minnesota United, conceding three straight goals after the 56th minute in a 3-2 home loss. Two of those goals came off corner kicks in a span of seven minutes, and the tiebreaking goal was a header in the 74th minute.

"We take steps, but you could also see that we are not by far done," Rydstrom said. "We have a lot of things we need to improve."

Sunday's match isn't just about getting points. These two teams will face each other again on May 20 in a U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal, so this becomes a measuring stick moment. NYCFC desperately needs to break their winless streak. Columbus needs to prove they can hold a lead. One of these teams is going to find what they need on Sunday, and the other is going to leave even more frustrated than they arrived.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.