New York City FC player ratings are determined by Hudson River Blue readers: Here are your NYCFC player ratings from the emphatic 4-2 win over Orlando City at Yankee Stadium.

After a dreadful three-match losing skid that saw New York City FC shut out twice on the road, the Boys in Blue closed out the month of June with an emphatic 4-2 home win over Orlando City.

Facing down a struggling Orlando, who have only one win in their previous six matches, New York City dominated the first half. The home team went up 3-0 after a Santi Rodriguez screamer — and two assists from your Player of the Match, Tayvon Gray.

ABSOLUTE SCREAMER FROM OUR 🔟 pic.twitter.com/gclgyrx4Oy

— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) June 28, 2024

But, the second half saw the Boys in Blue take their foot off the gas, going from a comfortable lead to barely holding on to a 3-2 lead with under 10 minutes to play. But a moment of magic from Mounsef Bakrar sealed the win and all three points for New York City.

Yet the lethargic, and quite frankly sloppy second-half performance from Nick Cushing’s side seemed to play a major role in your Player Ratings, with only two players receiving above an 8.0.

Giving Santi a rating of 8.1 is fair, considering the Uruguayan’s goal in the 15th minute. He bossed the first half, dominating the run of play when New York City padded their lead.

However, a 6.8 for the goals-coring Hannes Wolf seems a bit harsh. The Austrian received a 7.6 rating from Fotmob, thanks in part to his strike in first-half stoppage time to make it 2-0 NYC, as well as his five-of-eight successful dribbles.

7️⃣ @MLS goals and counting for @DuncanMcGuire5 in 2024 👏 pic.twitter.com/j8z1HvjJ8T

— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) June 29, 2024

Was his defending atrocious in the build-up to Duncan McGuire’s stoppage-time goal for Orlando? Yes, but so was the defending of every other blue shirt in the box during that play.

A player who managed to defend well AND contribute to the attack was Tayvon Gray, who received a 9.0, one of the highest ratings of the year for a New York City FC player.

Note: FotMob ratings are in parentheses.

Player Spotlight 

Mounsef Bakrar

Last week vs Nashville, you gave the Algerian striker a 2.1 rating after an abysmal night which seemed to reflect his season to date fairly well. Zero goals, zero shots on target, it was a disaster for Bakrar, warranting the lowest player rating in HRB history.

However, it seems that Bakrar heard your cries, your comments, and your critiques, and did the unthinkable. He scored.

OUR NUMBER 9. pic.twitter.com/Y0w7cCFzRR

— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) June 29, 2024

And credit where credit is due, it was an impeccable finish at that. A nutmeg on the Orlando City defender before cutting inside, setting himself, and curling a delightful strike in the far bottom corner. A strike reminiscent of Antony Martial’s debut vs Liverpool. A strike that would have sent Martin Tyler into a coma.

After a productive, yet goal-less outing from the presumptive starting No 9 moving forward, Alonso Martínez, Bakrar was given seven minutes, plus stoppage time, to make an impact. And, much to the delight of head coach Nick Cushing, the 23-year-old Algerian international did exactly that.

Is this a sign of better things to come? A turning point in the young forward’s New York City FC career perhaps? That remains to be seen. Regardless, Bakrar seemingly isn’t lacking confidence now that he’s returned to the score sheet.

He even had a cheeky response to fellow HRB writer John Blaney’s question on where he ranks this strike all time in terms of his best finishes.

Rather bold coming from someone with just two goals in 2024, but hopefully this represents an uptick in Bakrar’s confidence, because with confidence comes goals, with goals come wins, and with wins…well just look back to 2021.

Player of the Match

Tayvon Gray

After an impressive offensive and defensive display, Tayvon Gray is your Player of the Match, receiving a whopping 93% of the vote.

Coming off three straight defeats, where the Boys in Blue conceded six total goals, it’s quite refreshing to see a defender claim this honor, a fully deserved honor at that. An offensive spark plug, Gray managed two assists and created five chances across the full 90 minutes (plus a load of stoppage time). The Bronx native failed to put a foot wrong on defense either, winning two of his three tackles (67%) and six of his eight ground duels (75%) and managing seven interceptions, five ball recoveries, and a blocked shot.

YOU SENDING THE WOLF ⁉️ pic.twitter.com/vr9kEsNf4H

— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) June 29, 2024

It’s safe to say that the Jamaican international was a force all over the pitch Friday night, performing well worth a 9.1 rating, courtesy of Fotmob. And, with a 9.0 fan rating, it was Gray’s best rating of the season and ranks fifth in the team this season behind Martínez (9.5), Maxi Moralez (9.2), and Matt Freese (9.1, twice).

Oh, and we can’t forget the 9.4 you gave to Raquinho when New York City defeated Philadelphia Union.

After failing to make the Jamaica squad for the 2024 Copa America, Gray gave fans a taste of what he has to offer going forward, as the 21-year-old’s two assists were impressive, even for genuine wingers. Gray now has four assists this year, which ties with Wolf for the second-most on the team, behind Rodríguez.

GOALS GALORE IN THE BX 🤩 pic.twitter.com/vYE7dPSKbF

— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) June 29, 2024

A player who consistently gives his all for the New York City FC badge, this performance was a long time coming for Tayvon Gray. Here’s to hoping it inspires another club-record win streak as we head into the second half of the MLS season.

Bronx born and made 🗽 pic.twitter.com/DmU9XglYqv

— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) June 29, 2024