Castellanos, Heber score twice as NYCFC defeats FC Cincy

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:21 am

Valentin Castellanos and Heber each had two goals, and Maxi Moralez recorded two more assists, as visiting New York City FC beat FC Cincinnati 4-1 on Saturday night.

Castellanos, who raised his 2019 goal total to nine, also added an assist for NYCFC (11-5-8, 41 points), which overcame an early 1-0 deficit to win for the fourth time in six games. Four of Heber's team-leading 12 goals have come while City outscored expansion Cincinnati (5-18-3, 18 points) 9-3 to do the season double. Moralez, meanwhile, upped his assist total to 16 -- five coming against FCC.

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Allan Cruz scored his fifth of the season for FCC, which is 0-5-1 since winning consecutive matches on July 6 and 13.

The hosts came out with a spirited approach and missed a golden opportunity in the 24th minute when NYCFC keeper Sean Johnson read Emmanuel Ledesma's poorly struck penalty kick for a rather easy, diving save. However, FCC was rewarded at the half-hour mark. Andrew Gutman delivered a ground cross from the far touchline that made it straight through to Cruz, who one-timed the ball past Johnson.

Cincinnati's 1-0 lead was short-lived, though, as NYCFC struck two minutes later. Set up by Moralez, Castellanos curled one past FCC keeper Przemyslaw Tyton to level the match with his eighth of 2019.

Heber
Heber
Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

Tyton would come up big in the 36th minute by making a diving save on Moralez's penalty attempt. Moralez, though, teamed up with Castellanos on a pin-point touch that came to Heber, who drilled the ball home in first-half stoppage time to go up 2-1.

Cincinnati offered a handful of quality chances early in the second half, highlighted by Derrick Etienne's laser that Johnson punched over the bar on 58 minutes. Mathieu Deplagne also failed to put home a perfect delivery from Victor Ulloa in the 65th.

However, FCC couldn't convert and Castellanos delivered the dagger with a header off a deflection in the 71st minute. Heber added some insurance in the 89th minute to complete his brace.

NYCFC homegrown centre-back James Sands was injured in the fifth minute and replaced by Ben Sweat nine minutes into the match.