The game in 100 words (or less): It’s official: No one wants to win the Eastern Conference in 2016. New York City FC, who have been at or near the East summit for much of the season, have had every chance — many of them straightforward, on paper — to run away with the top spot and home-field advantage through the playoffs. They have, instead, stumbled through the last two months of the summer and into the fall, racking up just three wins in their last eight games after Saturday’s 3-1 defeat away to the eighth-place New England Revolution. Juan Agudelo, Lee Nguyen and Diego Fagundez got the goals, more than enough to cancel out Frank Lampard’s 12th goal of the season, which (briefly) brought NYCFC back to within one early in the second half. With the victory, the Revs are within a point of Orlando City SC in the race for the sixth and final playoff place in the East. They have, however, played two more games than the Lions. They will face FC Dallas in the U.S. Open Cup final on Tuesday.
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Three moments that mattered
21' — Agudelo goes far post for the opener — At some point, someone should probably consider closing down Agudelo as we creeps closer and closer to the six-yard box.
Top shelf finish from @JuanAgudelo.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 11, 2016
1-0 @NERevolution. #NEvNYC https://t.co/PnnGafYYGl
42' — Nguyen finishes off a fine piece of build-up — Nguyen scores a goal here, but it’s tough to care after also watching, 1) Kelyn Rowe break a defender’s ankles, and 2) Diego Fagundez pull off the casual dummy to attract the attention of three defenders.
The dummy. The finish. Sensational.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 11, 2016
2-0 @NERevolution. #NEvNYC https://t.co/Wrwb9zZVkG
49' — Lampard ghosts in right down Main Street for 2-1 — Lampard’s ability to become invisible to opposing players, but remain visible to his teammates, is an extremely unfair advantage.
Speaking of in-form...Lampard pulls one back for @NYCFC. #NEvNYC https://t.co/8T7KJXs5Nx
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 11, 2016
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Man of the match: Juan Agudelo
Goalscorers: Agudelo (21'), Nguyen (42'), Lampard (49'), Fagundez (58')