D.C. United vs. New York City FC Pick & Prediction MAR 18th 2023

Stadium: Yankee Stadium New York
Logo D.C. United
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Logo New York City FC
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2.5o -137
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New York City Football Club looks to build on its first win of the season when it hosts D.C. United on Saturday night at Yankee Stadium.

NYCFC (1-1-1, 4 points) is coming off a 1-0 victory in its home opener over Inter Miami CF last weekend, while D.C. United (1-1-1, 4 points) got a late goal to secure a 1-1 draw against visiting Orlando City SC.

NYCFC got all it would need in the 36th minute. Keaton Parks was fouled by Miami's Gregore. Santiago Rodriguez's kick from about 30 yards on the right side hooked into a scramble in front of the net, where Miami defender Christopher McVey accidentally volleyed it past goalkeeper Drake Callender.

"We wanted to start with energy, and start aggressive, and I thought we did that -- probably more so in the second half than in the first, but in the first half, we did that," NYCFC coach Nick Cushing said. "The game was swinging, but the goal gives us a foothold in the game, a platform to push on."

NYCFC goalkeeper Luis Barraza made three saves to record the fourth shutout of his career.

"We're only going to get better as a team. I'm certain of that, and we're only going to get stronger as a squad as we add more," Cushing said. "We've put our first foot forward. It's going to be a difficult game against D.C. but if we work hard this week, we can put another performance in."

D.C. United salvaged a draw against Orlando by scoring late -- something the team is already showing a knack for early in the season.

After Orlando City took a 1-0 lead in the 53rd minute, Chris Durkin pulled D.C. United even in the 80th minute.

"I wanted to see a reaction (to Orlando's goal), which I did, so 90 percent of the game I thought was good. The other 10 percent it wasn't," D.C. United coach Wayne Rooney said. "We need to make sure when we go into (low) periods, we're harder to beat or harder to score against.

"There's a lot of positives we can take from it -- just frustrating we didn't take three points."

Pedro Santos found Durkin at the edge of the penalty box. Durkin made a quick move around a defender before unleashing a left-footed shot that settled inside the far right post past diving goalie Pedro Gallese.

"I can't say I've hit that (with the left foot) in training before," said the right-footed Durkin.

It was the third time this season D.C. United has scored at the 80-minute mark or later. In the season opener against Toronto, D.C. United scored in the 90th minute to draw level and then won it, 3-2, in the eighth minute of stoppage time.

D.C. United won in the most recent meeting (2-1 last August), but NYCFC has won three of the past four in the series.

--Field Level Media

D.C. United vs. New York City FC Recap MAR 18TH 2023

Santiago Rodriguez collected a goal and an assist to lead New York City Football Club to a 3-2 win over visiting D.C. United on Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

Talles Magno and Thiago Andrade also scored and Gabriel Pereira and Braian Cufre each had an assist for NYCFC, which won its second straight game.

Christian Benteke and Steven Birnbaum scored and Mateusz Klich had two assists for D.C. United, which has dropped two of its past three games.

Trailing 2-0 at halftime, D.C. United cut the lead in half in the opening minute of the second half.

Klich delivered a perfect crossing pass to Benteke, who headed the ball off the post and into the back of the net past Luis Barraza.

NYCFC put the game away in the 88th minute when Rodriguez fed a pass to Andrade, who slipped a shot past goalie Tyler Miller.

D.C. United pulled to within 3-2 when Birnbaum headed Klich's corner kick inside the post in the 90th minute.

NYCFC outshot D.C. United 10-9, but just six of its shots were on target, two more than D.C. The hosts completed 79.1 percent of their 387 passes, while D.C. United completed 73.9 percent of their 418 passes.

Miller finished with three saves, while Barraza made two for NYCFC.

NYCFC broke through first in the 17th minute.

After taking a pass along the left side of the penalty box from Keaton Parks, Cufre centered a pass in front of the goalmouth to a cutting Magno, who one-timed it with his left foot past Miller.

The goal was initially ruled offside, but the call on the field was overturned by VAR.

NYCFC struck again 20 minutes later.

Pereira corralled a loose ball and delivered a pass to spring Rodriguez on a breakaway, which Santiago finished by sliding a low shot past Miller for a 2-0 lead.

--Field Level Media
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