Tajouri-Shradi scores again as New York City FC demolish Orlando City SC

Ismael Tajouri-Shradi continued with his fine run of form in Major League Soccer after he scored in New York City FC’s 5-0 thumping of Orlando City SC at Yankee Stadium on Sunday.

It was New York City who seized control of the game from the onset but they had to wait until the 40th minute to break the deadlock when Jesus Medina put them ahead, before Tajouri-Shradi made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute.

Maximiliano Moralez then made it 3-0 in the 65th minute, before Malte Amundsen added the fourth in the 79th minute and Valentin Castellanos sealed the emphatic victory in the 82nd minute.

Going into the game, New York City were missing four key players - Brazilian forward Heber, who is out with a knee injury, his compatriot Talles Magno, who was nursing a knee complaint, and James Sands and Sean Johnson, who were sidelined owing international duty with the United States men’s national team.

The absence of the aforementioned players forced coach Ronny Deila to make two changes to the team that overcame CF Montreal in their last assignment, introducing Keaton Parks and Malte Amundsen in place of Nicolas Acevedo and Gudi Thorarinsson.

After a good start, New York City were, however, forced to wait until the 40th minute when Medina powered the ball to the roof of the net after a clever pass from Castellanos.

After half-time, New York City continued to raid Orlando and it was the turn of Tajouri-Shradi to find the back of the net, his fifth goal of the current campaign.

The 27-year-old Libyan international, who was voted in the MLS team of the week three days ago after his goal enabled New York City to edge out Montreal 1-0, rifled home the second goal after exchanging passes with Rodrigo Schlegel and he was immediately substituted in place of Thiago Andrade.

The third goal arrived after Thiago played through Castellanos in behind the Orlando defence before he squared it to Moralez in the middle, who turned to hit the back of the net.

New York City were 4-0 up courtesy of Amundsen after another quick counter-attack saw Moralez set him up and the home team wrapped up the huge win as Castellanos also made sure he was among the goals when he scored from a rebound after Moralez’s shot was punched back into play by the keeper.

New York City will next face Columbus Crew at Yankee Stadium on Friday.