Match Recap - NYCFC 3-2 Houston Dynamo

New York City FC returned home to the Bronx to celebrate Brooklyn Borough Night and take on the Houston Dynamo for the first time this season. 

As City looked to defeat the Dynamo at home for the first time in their short five seasons Dome Torrent made numerous changes to his Starting XI after the road defeat to RSL last weekend.

Eric Miller and Gary Mackay-Steven made their first NYCFC starts since joining the club a few weeks prior, while Alex Callens, Jesus Medina, and Keaton Parks also made their returns to the XI.

NYCFC kicked off the match as a dominant force by maintaining possession and creating chances in the final third. 

Thanks to Jesus Medina’s fancy footwork, an incisive passing move and Alexandru Mitriță’s finishing touch, NYCFC took a 1-0 lead in the 15th minute. 

Medina, Héber and Mitri fought through Houston’s heavy defending with some stunning interplay and the Romanian was able to finish it off from inside the box for his sixth goal of the season. 

Eleven minutes later, the Dynamo responded with a goal from Juan Cabezas on an assist from the returning hometown hero, Tommy McNamara. 

McNamara made his return to Yankee Stadium for the first time since his departure in 2018, and once again he made his presence felt on the pitch. Only this time it was for the opponents, tying the game up 1-1. 

Before halftime, NYCFC was in the hunt to regain the lead, and they almost had it. Keaton Parks tore through the Dynamo’s defense squaring up with Houston’s ‘keeper, Tyler Deric. His shot from the center of the box was unfortunately stopped by a full-body save by the onrushing Deric. 

Both team’s returned to the locker room to wait out an hour-long rain delay, before returning for another 45-minute brawl. 

Squared up at 1-1, Torrent made his first substitution of the night calling upon Taty Castellanos to take the place of Eric Miller in an attempt to put his power into the attack. 

It would be a fateful change, but first NYCFC gave themselves a mountain to climb.

Mauro Manotas put Houston ahead for the first time in the night in the 77th minute, giving the visitors an unlikely lead with a long range effort on a rare counter-attack.

Luckily, Torrent’s decision to put Taty on paid off when his team needed it the most. In the 83rd minute, the Argentine found himself in the middle of the box with his back turned to the goal. He received a pass from Keaton Parks and headed the ball behind him for his sixth goal of the year, and City’s first headed goal of the season. 

NYCFC was back in the hunt for the lead as both teams were tied up 2-2, but Taty wasn’t done yet. 

On a cross from Matarrita, Taty headed the ball towards goal again but this time Deric made the save. However, the Argentine would not be denied, forcing the ball over the line on the rebound to send the stadium into raptures.