Santiago Rodriguez leads NYCFC past D.C. United

Updated: Apr 21, 2024, 03:03 am

Santiago Rodriguez scored in the 20th minute and added a late assist as New York City FC earned a 2-0 victory over D.C. United on Saturday night in Queens, New York.

NYCFC (3-4-2, 11 points) extended its unbeaten streak to four games (2-0-2) and is 3-1-2 in its past six matches after losing its first three contests.

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NYCFC dominated most of the action, getting eight of its 22 shots on target for its second straight 2-0 win.

Rodriguez scored after Mounsef Bakrar gained possession and moved the ball to Hannes Wolf. Wolf moved the ball down the left side of the field and then sent a pass to a streaking Rodriguez under the legs of D.C. defender Matti Peltola.

Rodriguez then finished off the sequence by sending a right-footed shot from the center of the box past United goalkeeper Alex Bono.

After scoring his fourth goal of the season, Rodriguez notched his first assist by connecting with Julian Fernandez in the first minute of second-half stoppage time. It was Fernandez's second stoppage time goal in as many matches.

NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese made one save for his first shutout of the season and seventh of his career.

Bono made six saves, but D.C. (2-3-4, 10 points) lost its second straight match after a three-match unbeaten streak.

Before scoring, Rodriguez missed the net with a shot that sailed over the center of the box in the seventh.

Bono kept the game scoreless but stopping Mitja Ilenic and Wolf in rapid succession in the 10th minute, and D.C. nearly took the lead five minutes later, only to see Lucas Bartlett clang a shot off the crossbar.

After Rodriguez's goal, Bakrar's right-footed shot was stopped in the 29th minute, preventing NYCFC from taking a two-goal lead. D.C. nearly leveled the contest late in the first half, but Christian Benteke's header missed the net.

Illenic missed again with a right-footed shot in the 66th when his shot hooked to the right. Three minutes later, Bakrar missed the net with a shot that sailed to the left.