NYCFC rebounded from a season-opening loss with an emphatic 5-0 victory over FC Cincinnati at Yankee Stadium. 

Jesus Medina scored a pair of goals in his first start for the hosts with Gudomir Thorarinsson and Taty Castellanos getting their names on the scoresheet sandwiched between an own goal by Nick Hagglund.

Story of the match

NYCFC had much of the early pressure and it paid off in the seventh minute as Thorarinsson's free kick on the right found an unmarked Medina at the back post and he rifled it past Cincinnati goalkeeper Cody Cropper to give NYCFC a 1-0 lead.

Calvin Harris picked up a yellow card for the visitors in the 10th minute, but seven minutes later, the Orange and Blue should have been level after an under hit pass by Keaton Parks landed at the feet of Allan Cruz, but NYCFC cleared.

Yuya Kubo would have the visitors' first shot on target a few minutes later, but he dragged it wide. After Maxi Moralez nearly struck in the penalty area, NYCFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson soared his side's blushes.

A near one-two between Harris and Brenner saw the former send in a cross that took a deflection towards goal. Johnson managed to scramble across his goal and tip it wide and nothing came of the resulting corner.

Harris again tested the NYCFC captain, this time tipping the shot over the bar in what turned out to be the last meaningful action of the first half.

Four minutes into the second half, Medina made a clever turn in the box and forced Cropper to tip his shot over the bar. There was nothing the Orange and Blue netminder could do on the hosts' second goal as Medina's cross landed on the head of Hagglund and dribbled into the net.

It was soon 3-0 after a foul on Cruz gave NYCFC a free kick in a dangerous area and Thorarinsson curled his shot around the Cincinnati wall and into the back of the net. Hagglund then saw Castellanos' shot ricochet off of his knee and into the net.

Despite a four-goal deficit, the Orange and Blue kept competing and Johnson made a fabulous double save to first deny Hagglund and then Brenner. A double change was in order for the hosts as Nicolas Acevedo and Malte Amundsen replaced James Sands and Thorarinsson.

In the 83rd minute, Tayvon Gray made his debut, replacing Anton Tinnerholm and before he could get comfortable, Medina capped the scoring with a stunning looping effort over Cropper's head.

Man of the Match: Christian Medina

The Paraguayan was at the heart the NYCFC attack, whether it was taking of advantage of open space for his first goal, pressuring the Cincinnati net and then providing a touch of class to round off a brilliant afternoon for himself and the club.

Takeaways

NYCFC show off set-piece prowess 

All five goals scored were on set pieces, something that will surely please manager Ronny Delia. Whether it was strong free kicks, superb corners or nifty passing that set up further chances, the work put in on the training ground during the week leading up to the game paid off.