The home game stretch continued in Queens for New York City FC against D.C. United. The matchup had significant marks aside from the implications for Playoff spots. New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams kickstarted the team’s new stadium project. The fixture also marked Santiago Rodriguez’s 100th appearance with the club. The midfielder is in top form and displayed his quality against D.C United.
Consecutive wins in New York
The momentum arrived with New York after last week’s win against New England. A win secured the team’s climb into playoff spots for the first time this season. However, all eyes were on Bakrar as the striker was going through a tough stretch in front of goal. The starting X1 remained untouched, and the striker had another opportunity to end his bad streak. However, the game plan involved the connections that both Hannes Wolf and Rodriguez managed to make with the attacking third. New York City also had to secure another top performance by their backline because Christian Benteke was leading D.C.’s attack. The striker was in top form with 6 goals in 7 games, so it was something to consider before the match.
New York didn’t waste time and got on the attack from the start. Bakrar, Ojeda, Wolf, and Rodriguez all had chances to score, but the finishing touch was not their best. Although, it’s important to highlight the speed of their counterattacks. Hannes Wolf is starting to become that invincible but key component in the midfield. He is always the final connection before the ball gets to the striker. An example of this is Santiago’s opening goal, Wolf was responsible for running the ball before finding Rodriguez. The Uruguayan had enough space to find the back of the net to put New York in front by the 2oth minute. The visitors could have changed the outcome of the game by the 42nth minute if the header by Benteke was on target.
00 appearances for Santiago Rodriguez | Credit | Melinda Morales
Credit: 100 appearances for Santiago Rodriguez | Credit | Melinda MoralesThe team held the rhythm for the second half. They kept creating chances, but Bakrar’s struggles continued. The manager is confident that he is one goal away from a scoring streak, but the chances he misses are starting to affect his confidence. Don’t get me wrong; his work ethic helps the team get results. He started the play that led to the opening goal, so it’s not all about his unlucky streak when it comes to finishing chances. As I said in previous articles, he has the qualities to be a good striker, but hopefully, this is only a temporary slump.
The team made changes to seal the match towards the final minutes. Julian Fernandez and Mijatovic came from the bench to refresh the attacking line. The visitors managed to get most of the possession back in the game’s late stages, but the defensive line successfully prevented them from creating situations near the box. The winning goal came during additional time, thanks to a run down the wing by Santiago Rodriguez. Luckily he was able to open up the defense and his cross found an unmarked Julian Fernandez. The Argentinian sealed the win for New York City FC for a second consecutive game.
The win kept the unbeaten run going, allowing the team to jump into playoff spots. Head coach Nick Cushing praised Santiago’s performance as a “masterclass.” The midfielder had a goal and assist and was named MVP of the match, all in his 100th club appearance. “If he continues playing at his level, I would be surprised if he plays another 100 games for us”.The team now looks ahead to the match against Charlotte in Yankee Stadium.