Match Recap: D.C. United 0-2 NYCFC

Simreen Kheraj

NYCFC Goals: Mitriță 35', Héber 56'

D.C. United Goals:

Summary

On a day of firsts, a Héber-inspired New York City FC locked in their first win of Season 5 against D.C. United at Audi Field.

Goals from Alexandru Mitrita and Heber (who was making his first start) were the difference as City defeated the Eastern Conference leaders convincingly with a 2-0 scoreline.

Recap

New York City FC visited D.C. United for an Easter Sunday showdown at Audi Field looking for their first victory of 2019 against the early Eastern Conference pacesetters.

The last time these two teams met for City’s Home Opener, both teams left Yankee Stadium with one point apiece after a goalless draw but the Boys in Blue were coming in off a much-improved performance in the 3-3 draw against Minnesota United last weekend.

Héber came in for his first start up front in place of the injured Taty Castellanos, while Alexandru Mitriță was also restored to the lineup, replacing Ismael Tajouri-Shradi as Dome Torrent fielded a 3-5-2 formation, with Anton Tinnerholm and Ronald Matarrita providing the width.

Héber and Mitri were lively from the start, and the Romanian only just missed an attempt after cutting inside on 10’ with a curling strike from the edge of the box which had Bill Hamid scrambling across his line.

That set the tone for a dominant road team, who played the majority of the 90’ inside the D.C. half, well in the ascendancy.

After a series of near-misses, NYC finally scored the goal their dominance had earned on 35' through Mitriță, who banked it into the back of the net from Héber’s assist for his second goal for the Club.

It was a tidy finish, with the Romanian finding squeezing the ball between Hamid’s outstretched palm and the inside of the post.

Before going into the half Leonardo Jara committed a foul on Anton Tinnerholm, resulting in a penalty kick, meaning Dome Torrent’s men had a great chance to go in 2-0 up but, unfortunately, Maxi Moralez’s spot-kick found the outside of the post.

NYCFC kept up their dominance after the interval and struck again 10 minutes into the second period.

This time it was Héber who scored his first goal in his first start for the City. The striker rifled it in emphatically from an acute angle after a lovely lofted through ball from Matarrita, making it 2-0 to the Road Blues.

There were more chances for second half substitute Jonathan Lewis and Moralez in the remaining minutes and Matarrita hit the post, but NYC would go back to the Big Apple content with a dominant, exciting 2-0 road win over the Eastern Conference leaders.

Next up, Chicago Fire visits Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night as NYCFC looks to string together consecutive victories and climb up the standings.

NYCFC.com Man of the Match

Héber

NYCFC's new striker made his first start for the Boys in Blue and his performance did not disappoint. Héber scored his first goal and recorded an assist before getting subbed off in the 63rd minute.