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David Villa has said New York City FC are nearly at peak form after he scored in Sunday's 3-1 win over Atlanta United. A week after missing NYCFC's game at Columbus with a virus, Villa returned to give his team the lead in the 17th minute with a strike in off the post. The win was NYCFC's third in four games, and Villa, in his third season in MLS, said they were on the right track. "We did well today. It's one of the best, if not the best game in our season," Villa said. "We had chances to score more goals, we played well, we don't concede a lot. They scored a goal, but they scored a crazy, amazing goal. "We defended well, we pressed well. I think we did almost 100 percent well and congratulations to the team, the performance was amazing." Coach Patrick Vieira said Villa provides NYCFC with a mental boost in addition to his abilities. "David is an important player for us and when he plays the way he played today, he lifts the team. He's one of the leaders," Vieira said. "When he plays like he did today, the confidence builds in the team and that's why it's important for him to be at this level every single game." Atlanta United came back down from a high-flying start to their first MLS season, with a third defeat in four games following a four-game unbeaten streak, and captain Michael Parkhurst said it was a critical period for the expansion club. "This is a challenge for us, the first time this team is facing some adversity where now its two games in a row that not only do we lose, but we don't play well," he said.
"This is a testing time for us to see how we can regroup and come out in our next game and pull things together and have a better performance."
Coach Tata Martino admitted Atlanta had been "the inferior side" on Sunday but resisted the urge to change tactics after back-to-back defeats. "We'll evaluate everything this week," Martino said. "We have to see who is recovering and what players will be available, but I also think we played a very good first six, seven games and just because played two poor games that doesn't mean we have to modify everything."
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