New York City’s Luis Barraza shows potential in MLS debut
Not an easy task for Luis Barraza, the New York City FC goalkeeper making his MLS debut in a 2-1 loss to CF Montreal on Wednesday night.
Barraza got the start for New York City FC with incumbent starter Sean Johnson away with the United States national team for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. He made four saves in the losing effort, his first ever minutes in MLS play.
In the 13th minute, Barraza came up big, making a body save on a shot from eight yards out by CF Montreal forward Rommel Quioto.
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“It’s tough when it’s your first game and there is this build up and emotion to the game. But once you step in, it’s business as usual. I thought I did well in portions of the game. There were other portions that I thought could have been better,” Barraza told reporters after the match.
“But in talking to Sean, we talk all the time and he’s always giving great advice since I got to the Club. He told me to enjoy it. We see each other and we see the work we put in week in and week out. He told me to enjoy and do my thing.”
Barraza was a first round pick of New York City FC in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft, taken No. 12 overall. In late May, he spent two games on loan with the Oakland Roots in the USL Championship. He was a multi-year starter in college at Marquette and is known as a good distributor and comfortable with the ball at his feet.
It was an overall solid performance from Barraza in his MLS debut and he can’t be faulted for either goal conceded. With the loss, New York City FC is now 5-4-2 (17 points) and is in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
New York City FC took the lead in the 30th minute, only to see CF Montreal equalize from a penalty kick in the 43rd minute. Then in the 73rd minute, CF Montreal took the lead via Quioto.
“I think he did well. I can’t blame him for the penalty situation,” New York City FC head coach Ronny Deila said after the match. The goal, I haven’t seen again…so for me, he had one good save in the first half and had good distribution. To be his first game in MLS, it was a good start.”
Deila said he thought New York City was the best team in the game’s opening 30 minutes. Keaton Parks scored from 15 yards out on a beautifully well-taken strike to give New York City FC the lead.
For Parks, it was a second straight game with a goal.
Follow Kristian Dyer of ‘MLS Multiplex’ on Twitter @KristianRDyer