Anton Tinnerholm had a goal and an assist and New York City beat the Fire 3-1 on Saturday night in Harrison, New Jersey.
Maximiliano Moralez played a low ball to Tinnerholm for a tap-in inside the far post that gave NYCFC (3-5-0) a 2-1 lead in the 53rd minute. Moralez, who led MLS with 20 -assists last season, was a halftime sub, making his first appearance since suffering a calf injury July 20.
Keaton Parks scored in the 16th minute to give New York City a 1-0 lead before Mauricio Pineda of the Fire tied it in first-half stoppage time.
Tinnerholm evaded two defenders and played a cross to Alex Ring for a side-netter that capped the scoring in the 75th minute.
The Fire (2-5-1) have lost four of their last five regular-season games.
NOTE: Former Fire coach Veljko Paunovic was hired to manage English second-division club Reading FC. Paunovic spent four seasons with the Fire, taking them to the 2017 MLS playoffs but was dismissed in November after the team fell short of the postseason for the third time in his tenure.
Reading finished 14th last season in England’s second tier, and last played in the Premier League in 2013.
“With vast experience of top-flight football as a player and a coach across Europe and in the United States, and with proven pedigree of successfully working with young up-and-coming footballers on the domestic and international scene, I am confident Veljko can help take this club forward,” Reading owner Dai Yongge said in a statement.
