FT: NYCFC collect a gritty 2-1 win over D.C. United to advance to the USOC Quartefinals.

The first half was definitely the more exciting one. DCU took the lead on a great strike from Wayne Rooney. But the Boys in Blue would not be denied as goals from Alexandru Mitrita and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi sent the team into the half with a 2-1 lead.

After that, the game got less technical and more physical. Héber’s injury minutes into the second half could have definitely played a factor into that. But, a win is a win, is a win...

87’: Mitrita comes off for Juan Pablo Torres

78’: Taty almost banged one from distance there! But it hits the crossbar.

71’: Stuver denies Rodriguez. Still 2-1 NYCFC.

64’: Whoa. That looked like a penalty. Keaton might have just gotten robbed.

54’: Brad Stuver denies Rooney of the tying goal. That was close.

48’: Ominous start to this one. Héber is coming off for Taty Castellanos with an apparent hamstring injury. That just isn’t what you want to see.

The second half is underway as the sun sets on Audi Field. Can NYCFC add on to their lead and see this through?

HT: NYCFC leads DCU 2-1 following a late flurry of goals from Alexandru Mitrita and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi.

DCU drew first blood with Rooney’s goal. But City was knocking for quite some time and seemed destined to eventually collect that first tally. Little did we know that the floodgates would open just enough for a second to follow soon after.

Few can find too much wrong with NYCFC’s performance that half. The defense could be a bit tighter, but it hasn’t been too bad.

41’: GOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!! Isi puts City up!

Once again, Parks springs the counter with a brilliant tackle. Tajouri-Shradi finds the ball at the right wing and, with the most delicate of cuts, laces it far post to give NYCFC a 2-1 lead. What a sequence of events!

An exquisite finish from @isitj29 to turn it around... #NYCFC pic.twitter.com/gL8YjI4n28 — New York City FC (@NYCFC) June 19, 2019

38’ GOOOOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLLL!!!! Alexandru Mitrita knots it up!

Keaton Parks launched a gorgeous ball into space. Mitri found himself 1-v-1 with Seitz, and he’s not missing that one. We’re all tied up at 1-1.

| @keaton_parks with the ball up the middle to Mitri who did the rest... #ForTheCity pic.twitter.com/q6ot31DXgm — New York City FC (@NYCFC) June 19, 2019

32’: Third time’s a charm for Rooney as he puts one past Stuver to give DCU a 1-0 lead here in the first half.

26’: A beautiful sequence that should’ve ended in a goal. City’s buildup was absolutely sublime there.

This game is wide open right now. Neither team is meeting much resistance; both have created their share of chances. Right now, it’s just a matter of who will grab the first goal.

7’: GOOOOOOOOOO— oh, nevermind. Héber is called for a handball.

1’: That was a scary start. Lucho Acosta and Wayne Rooney almost combined to deadly effect. Fortunately, Rooney’s shot bounces off the post.

We’re off in the nation’s capital! Can City stay hot and continue making inroads towards a great cup run?

Rosters are out! NYCFC has returned to the three-back formation and in full force. This lineup is much more potent than the one we saw last week against North Carolina and more so resembles the lineup we’re more used to seeing on MLS gamedays. It’s obvious that City takes this competition seriously and we hope this is enough to get the job done.

Rosters

New York City Starting XI:

Suspended : None

: None Suspended after next caution : None

: None International Duty : None

: None Injury Report: N/A

DCU Starting XI:

Suspended : None

: None Suspended after next caution : None

: None International duty : None

: None Injury Report: N/A

Referees: N/A

How To Watch

Match date & time: June 19, 2019, 7:00 pm.

Venue: Audi Field, Washington D.C.

Online streaming: ESPN+

TV: N/A

Local radio: N/A

All-time series: In regular season play, New York City FC and D.C. United have met 11 times to date with the Blues getting the better of the Black-and-Reds by way of a 5-4-2 record (W-L-D). Tonight, however, marks the first time the two clubs have met in U.S. Open Cup play, with a spot in the USOC Quarterfinals up for grabs.

In USOC play, these two clubs are as different as they come. DCU has won the US’s longest-running cup competition three times while NYCFC is fresh off their first-ever win in a USOC competition.

This post will update with highlights and information as we receive it.