Struggling New York City FC aim to break out vs. D.C. United

Two weeks after last taking to the pitch, New York City FC return to action looking to snap a six-match winless streak when they visit D.C. United on Saturday at Washington D.C.

New York (11-10-6, 39 points) enters the match on a 0-2-4 stretch. NYCFC haven't collected three points since a victory against CF Montreal on July 3, one of just two wins they've posted over their past 11 matches. They've been held to two goals or fewer in all but one of those matches and have been shut out three times.

New York is fifth in the Eastern Conference table, four points behind its Hudson River rivals, the New York Red Bulls, and two up on seventh-place Orlando City.

NYCFC will face D.C. United (8-12-8, 32 points) for the first time since April 20, when New York earned a 2-0 win. That triumph was one of eight wins in a stretch of nine matches for the club.

While the team has struggled for results, striker Alonso Martinez has delivered with his foot. After scoring just twice in 13 matches across all competitions, the Costa Rican has tallied four times in a three-match scoring streak. He has a team-best seven goals in MLS play.

"Alonso has been incredibly clinical," NYCFC coach Nick Cushing said. "His goals per 90 shows that. ... I think what has really pleased me is his work out of possession. His pressing intensity and the effort that he puts into the other side of the game. It really helps the team."

D.C. United enter the match looking to continue their strong run of late that helped them move into the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The club, which is coming off a 2-1 victory against the Chicago Fire on Sept. 7, has won four of its past MLS five matches after going 11 straight matches (0-8-3) without a win.

D.C. has a slim hold on ninth place, sitting one point up on 10th-place Atlanta United and two ahead of the Philadelphia Union in the 11th spot. D.C. United also are just one point behind eighth-place Toronto FC.

"You could just see everyone so committed to the three points and not letting that result slip away," coach Troy Lesesne said after the match against the Fire. "That's the mentality we're going to need in the final six matches to stay in the position that we earned, which is to get above the playoff line. And that's a position that's good to be in, but it's a position we want to be in at the end of the season, not just with six games left."

Christian Benteke put himself atop the Golden Boot leaderboard with his 18th goal of the season in the win against Chicago, one more than Real Salt Lake's Cristian Arango. Benteke has scored six goals in his past eight matches across all competitions.

--Field Level Media