New York City FC hang on to beat D.C. United

ByReuters ESPN logo
Thursday, October 12, 2023

Santiago Rodriguez collected a goal and an assist to lead New York City FC to a 3-2 win over visiting D.C. United on Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

Talles Magno and Thiago Andrade also scored and Gabriel Pereira and Braian Cufre each had an assist for NYCFC, which won its second straight game.

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Christian Benteke and Steven Birnbaum scored and Mateusz Klich had two assists for D.C. United, which has dropped two of its past three games.

Trailing 2-0 at half-time, D.C. cut the lead in half in the opening minute of the second half.

Klich delivered a perfect crossing pass to Benteke, who headed the ball off the post and into the back of the net past Luis Barraza.

NYCFC put the game away in the 88th minute when Rodriguez fed a pass to Andrade, who slipped a shot past goalie Tyler Miller.

D.C. United pulled to within 3-2 when Birnbaum headed Klich's corner kick inside the post in the 90th minute.

NYCFC outshot D.C. United 10-9, but just six of its shots were on target, two more than D.C. The hosts completed 79.1 percent of their 387 passes, while D.C. United completed 73.9 percent of their 418 passes.

Miller finished with three saves, while Barraza made two for NYCFC.

NYCFC broke through first in the 17th minute.

After taking a pass along the left side of the penalty box from Keaton Parks, Cufre centered a pass in front of the goalmouth to a cutting Magno, who one-timed it with his left foot past Miller.

The goal was initially ruled offside, but the call on the field was overturned by VAR.

NYCFC struck again 20 minutes later.

Pereira corralled a loose ball and delivered a pass to spring Rodriguez on a breakaway, which Santiago finished by sliding a low shot past Miller for a 2-0 lead.

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