There was only one change in the line up for Nick Cushing’s squad on Saturday night with Tavon Gray coming on to start the match in place of Mitja Ilenic, but the result was the same as NYCFC emerged with three points and a win at home sending DC United home in a 3-2 victory.
New York City played a near perfect first half dominating possession and creating overloads on both flanks. Talles Magno opened the scoring with a beautiful build up play in the seventeenth minute. Keaton Parks sent a good ball through to Brian Cufree, springing the left back free to cross the ball into a streaking Magno. The young Brazilian deftly sent the ball into the back of the net.
NYCFC would score again twenty minutes later with Gabriel Pereria sending a ball forward to a wide open Santiago Rodriguez who slotted home the would be game killer.
It was as near a perfect half of football that NYCFC has displayed all year. DC would not be denied, however, with Wayne Rooney making wholesale changes at half. The gamble paid off immediately for United. Christian Benteke scored under a minute into the second half and put NYCFC on their heels. The next forty five plus minutes would not be pretty for either squad.
Thiago Andrade would ultimately make the definitive difference, scoring off a beautiful play with just two minutes left in regulation putting NYCFC up 3-1. DC kept it interesting scoring just a minute later off a Steven Birnbaum header.
Ultimately, the home side prevailed and NYCFC move upward in the Eastern Conference with another three points at home. The real test will come as the team goes on the road. Nick Cushing said after the match he told the team ‘If you want to win the Conference you have to win on the road. We have to be that team.”
We will see if NYCFC is that team as they travel to Houston in seven days. In the meantime, they continue to work and add players in the transfer window. Can NYCFC be the spoilers in the East or will they fall from grace? The verdict is still out.
