NYCFC vs DCU, Season Opener
The NYCFC kicked off their Season 5th Home Opener against D.C. United aiming to build upon the 2-2 tie on the opening day of the season in Orlando.
The first half started with D.C. United on the front foot, creating early opportunities to score but Luciano Acosta and Wayne Rooney found Johnson in fine form.
As the first half went on, NYCFC were able to gain control, picking apart the D.C. United defense and creating chances of their own. Alex Ring was closest to opening the scoring for the Blues in the first period with two long-range strikes; one flying just over the crossbar and the other drawing Hamid’s first great save of the night.
On his Bronx debut, Mitriță made Yankee Stadium his home with an influential performance, creating chances and working well in tandem with Maxi Moralez to develop the connection between the midfield and the front line.
Homegrown James Sands, also showed his toughness in the midfield by making crucial plays to prevent D.C. United from connecting on passes and gaining traction near the goal, as well as spreading the ball neatly when in possession.
It was Mitriță who drew the next great stop from Hamid with a free-kick which had to be beaten away in the early minutes of the second period as City stepped up the search for the deadlock-breaker.
Against Orlando, NYC had to soak up a lot of pressure but this time City were in the ascendancy. Sadly Hamid, like Johnson, proved to be like a brick wall between the sticks, making another unreal save from a diving header by Ring late in the game.
On 82′, United’s Luciano Acosta threatened by curling the ball towards the net, but Johnson once again was there to paw it away with a magnificent save of his own.
Despite late pressure and more close shaves in the D.C. box, both teams had to be content with one point, meaning NYCFC remains undefeated in home openers thus far through five (W3 D2).
Same time, same place next Sunday for LAFC as we go for the first three points of 2019.
