2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 16
New York City FC vs. D.C. United
Yankee Stadium – Bronx
October 7 – 8:15 PM ET
STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US
LOCAL TV: WJLA 24/7 News, YES
MATCH WILL NOW BEGIN AT 8:15 PM ET.
It's taken eight months, but New York City FC will finally play their first game of the 2020 season at Yankee Stadium when they host struggling D.C. United Wednesday night in the Bronx.
NYCFC (7W-6L-2D) are coming off consecutive wins after defeating Inter Miami CF 3-2 in Fort Lauderdale Saturday night, while D.C. United (2W-8L-5D) are solidly trenched in last place in the East after a 4-0 home loss to Atlanta United that extended a winless streak to six matches.
This is the second meeting this year with the sides sharing the points in a 0-0 draw at Audi Field on Sept. 6 in a match the Black-and-Red didn't record a shot over the 90 minutes.
The teams met two weeks ago at RBA, with NYCFC claiming a 2-1 victory on goals by Alex Ring and Anton Tinnerholm. Brandon Vazquez struck late to give the visitors late life.
New York City FC
Even without Maxi Moralez and Heber, NYCFC are heating up as the weather cools. They've won back-to-back games and have lost just once in their last nine. Alexandru Mitrita has ably filled in for Moralez in the No. 10 role with braces in each of their last two matches and Anton Tinnerholm continues to stake his claim as the league's best right back with goals in consecutive wins.
However, Mitrita has been called up to the Romanian national team, which NYCFC allowed because of "personal reasons" for the Designated Player. But then rumors emerged he'll be loaned to a club in Saudia Arabia for the remainder of the season, with an option to buy.
"There’s been some talks, but nothing finalized," NYCFC coach Ronny Deila told reporters Tuesday. "Right now, he’s with us. If it’s going to happen, he’s been a fantastic player for us. In that way it would be a big, big loss."
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Maxi Moralez (M) - knee injury
- OUT: Gedion Zelalem (M) - knee injury
- OUT: Tayvon Gray (D) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Heber (F) - ACL injury
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: Maxime Chanot (D)
- International duty: Alexandru Mitrita (M)
D.C. United
While NYCFC are surging, D.C. United are slumping in a big way. A 4-0 home loss to Atlanta Saturday was their third in a row. It was a match D.C. were found to use an illegal substitute when it was discovered Russell Canouse wasn't on the official team sheet. It's been that type of year for United.
“We're fragile, we're a fragile group emotionally right now and we are, from a soccer standpoint, not very good either,” embattled head coach Ben Olsen said in his post-match press conference. “So it's a bad combination. What we can do right now is be a better defensive group and be tougher to play against tonight, and we can stay together. I've been down this road once or twice before in my 10 years. It's not an easy thing to get out of, but it's possible.”
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Paul Arriola (M) - ACL injury
- OUT: Edison Flores (M) - facial injury
- OUT: Ulises Segura (M) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Felipe (M) - ACL injury
- OUT: Mohammed Abu (M) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Kevin Paredes (M) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Steve Birnbaum (D) - undisclosed injury
- Suspended: Frederic Brillant (D)
- Suspended after next caution: Frederic Brillant (D), Russell Canouse (D)
- International duty: None
Series Matchup at NYCFC
- NYCFC: 3 wins, 11 goals
- D.C. United: 0 wins, 4 goals
- 2 draws
Officials
- Referee: Drew Fischer
- Assistant Referees: Kathryn Nesbitt, Logan Brown
- 4th Official:Joshua Encarnacion
- VAR: Chris Penso
