AFP, NEW YORK: Chelsea legend Frank Lampard’s long-awaited Major League Soccer debut didn’t go according to plan on Saturday as the Montreal Impact handed his New York City FC a 3-2 defeat.
More than a year after it was announced he had signed to play this season with the fledgling NYCFC, Lampard at last took the field for them, coming on in the 69th minute of a match at Yankee Stadium.
But Lampard’s presence — completing a star NYCFC trio along with Italian midfielder Andrea Pirlo and Spanish striker David Villa — wasn’t enough as Ignacio Piatti scored twice — once from the penalty spot in the 84th minute — to help the Impact nab the away triumph.
Goals from Dominic Oduro and Piatti gave the Impact a 2-0 halftime lead before Villa pulled one back with a penalty in the 68th minute.
Although Lampard received a warm welcome from New York fans when he came on a minute after Villa converted, he admitted he felt pressed to find an equalizer.
After Piatti had stretched Montreal’s lead, Villa helped create Thomas McNamara’s 85th-minute goal for the hosts, but that was as close as New York could get.
The match marked Pirlo’s first MLS start. The Italian had made his debut in the North American league as a substitute in New York’s home win over Orlando last weekend.
NYCFC announced Lampard’s signing in July 2014 — when the club was still building toward the start of its first MLS campaign in March of this year.