D.C. United continue their 2019 campaign against NYCFC

D.C. United (4-2-1) return to the nation’s capital to take on winless NYCFC (0-5-1) at Audi Field Sunday afternoon. After a busy Week 7 for the Black-and-Red, including a 0-0 home draw against the Montreal Impact and an action-packed 2-3 win at the Colorado Rapids, DCU look to stay atop the Eastern Conference in search of another three points.

United’s last match in Denver heavily showcased the club’s Homegrown signings in Donovan Pines, who made his MLS debut, as well as Jalen Robinson and Chris Durkin, who both earned their first starts of the 2019 season. Pines recorded an assist to Luciano Acosta’s equalizer in the 35th minute, and Durkin bagged his first-ever MLS goal three minutes later, giving D.C. the lead. Robinson helped Bill Hamid to defend the backline, successfully holding off the Rapids in the second half.      

NYC’s first win remained just out of grasp in their most recent match, a 3-3 draw against Minnesota United at the opening of the new Allianz Stadium in St. Paul. New York’s goalkeeper Sean Johnson scored an own goal that gave the Loons a 3-2 lead in the first half. The equalizer came from Ismael Tajouri-Shradi, who currently leads the club in goals, with two on the season. Overall, the Boys-in-Blue have only scored seven goals over six games, with three of them coming from the match against Minnesota.     

This is DCU’s second meeting against NYCFC this season. On March 10, the Bronx Blues hosted United at Yankee Stadium in a scoreless matchup that featured a tough-fought battle between the goalkeepers, with Hamid logging six saves outdueling Johnson's three. 

Out of ten overall matchups, since NYCFC joined MLS in 2015, the Black-and-Red and Boys-in-Blue are tied 4-4-2 in their all-time head-to-head series, with four combined goals from LuchoRoo. Last season, the two clubs met twice, first earning a 1-1 draw at Yankee Stadium in September. The second meeting was their first matchup at Audi Field, with D.C. winning 3-1 and clinching a berth in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs.