Ronny Deila wants NYCFC to build on CCL performance, despite Seattle Sounders loss

NYCFC didn't manage a miraculous comeback against the Seattle Sounders in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions League semi-final, but it wasn't for the want of trying.

The reigning MLS Cup champions trailed 3-1 from the first leg and went further behind in the 28th minute thanks to a Raul Ruidiaz goal.

But from there, NYCFC dominated and piled pressure on the Sounders. Santiago Rodriguez pulled one back in the 51st minute but from there, Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei was inspired. The 35-year-old made no fewer than seven saves as NYCFC finished the match with eight shots on target and 3.31 xG to Seattle's 0.85.

New York need to be far more clinical if they're to get their stuttering season off the ground, but head coach Ronny Deila was pleased with his team's performance on Wednesday and knows it's something the players can build on.

"We created enough to score at least three goals, but their goalkeeper was unbelievable today," he said. "Again, losing is terrible. I feel sorry for everybody and the players as well, but if you're going to lose, this is the way to lose. We gave everything out there and that's what we have to keep on doing."

Deila added: "I said to the players: This is the team I know. This is how we are when we're at our best. This is energy we have to come into every game. And now we have gone a lot of games without winning, we have to start to win football games again. If we put out this performance on Sunday, then we're going to play really, really well."

To not only keep their heads after falling further behind early on, but also push a team of Seattle's caliber so hard is an achievement in itself. NYCFC now look forward to a five-game home stretch in MLS and this is the sort of energy and desire they'll need to overturn a start of just one win from five.

"I'm [really] proud of the players. I think they did everything except putting the ball in the net more. I talked to them before the game about showing intensity and energy that we know this team can do," Deila said. "And today, they were on fire. They were all over Seattle, which is a really, really good football team. It was a tough match.

"In the end, we were not good enough inside the boxes compared to them and that's why they are in the final and we are not. But we know what we can do in our best moments, we have seen it. And now this team, how they played today, is when we are playing the way with the energy we know we have. It's nice to see that back again."