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Major League Soccer

Jul 12, 2015 at 8pm UK

NY City New York City FC
4-4
Toronto

Villa (17', 65' pen.), Perquis (29' og.), Mullins (84')

FT(HT: 2-3)

Giovinco (34' pen., 40', 43'), Delgado (82')

Build-up

Match Report

Football

Patrick Mullins header rescues draw in eight-goal thriller

By Chris O'Keefe, Reporter | 12 July 2015

New York City miss the chance to move up the Eastern Conference standings after a dramatic 4-4 draw with Toronto at Yankee Stadium.

Patrick Mullins's late header denied Toronto a thrilling victory as New York City earned a 4-4 draw at Yankee Stadium.

The Blues, minus the injured Frank Lampard and the ineligible Andrea Pirlo, almost took the lead after a quarter of an hour when Thomas McNamara teed up David Villa towards the edge of the area, but the Spaniard steered his effort wide.

Villa wouldn't be denied for long as his curling free kick beat the despairing dive of keeper Chris Konopka and went in off the post.

Toronto were given the chance to equalise from the spot immediately when Benoit Cheyrou was brought down by Mehdi Ballouchy.

However, ex-Juventus forward Sebastian Giovinco smashed his penalty against the woodwork.

New York City were then awarded a penalty of their own just before the half-hour mark for Damien Perquis's foul on McNamara.

Villa's spot kick was saved by Konopka, but McNamara followed up and his effort deflected into the net off the luckless Perquis.

Toronto were awarded a second penalty after a rash challenge from Kwame Watson-Siriboe on Daniel Lovitz, and Giovinco atoned for his earlier miss by slotting past Josh Saunders.

City fans thought their side had scored a third when Villa's free kick soon after grazed the side-netting.

However, the Canadians managed to pull back level when a thunderous strike from Giovinco left Saunders helpless.

The Italian international completed a first-half hat-trick on 43 minutes when he beat the offside trap before stroking the ball into the back of the net for his 11th goal of the season.

He nearly scored his fourth of the afternoon when his shot from a tight angle beat Saunders, but came back off the post.

On 65 minutes, the hosts were awarded yet another penalty after Konopka tripped Villa before the ex-Barcelona forward sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot.

Toronto thought they had snatched victory eight minutes from time when Giovinco's pass set up Marco Delgado to score the visitors' fourth.

However, City were level within two minutes when a failed clearance allowed Mullins the chance to equalise, although the result leaves them second from the bottom of the Eastern Conference.