NYCFC vs D.C. United preview: Can the Pigeons win two in a row?

After eight games, New York City FC sits in twelfth place in the Eastern Conference with eight points.  Many blame this poor start of the season on Nick Cushing, which is not surprising since the head coach’s record since he took over is not impressive.  At the same time, the Pigeons have had issues capitalizing on offensive opportunities, scoring one or none in six games.

Thankfully, NYCFC was able to score in last week’s win, beating the New England Revolution 2-0.  It was mostly a well-rounded performance and the team from the Bronx scored more than once.  The question that everyone is asking is whether they can do it again and win the second game in a row.

In order to earn all three points, NYCFC will have to beat D.C. United.  The tenth-place side can be dangerous, especially with striker Christian Benteke in the lineup.  Hence, Thiago Martins must not only lead the Pigeons to a win, but he must lead the defense as well. 

Let’s not waste any more time.  Here is a preview of the fixture between NYCFC and D.C. United.

Date

NYCFC and D.C. United will play each other on Saturday, April 20.

Time

The game is at 7:30 PM ET.                  

Location

The fixture will be at Citi Field in Queens, NY.

How to watch

Fans can watch the game on Apple TV via the MLS Season Pass.

Weather

The weather will be interesting the night of the match.  It will be mostly sunny and around 61 degrees right around kickoff.  When the supporters leave the stadium, there could be a temperature drop of as much as ten degrees.

Injury report

Maxi Moralez (right knee) and Talles Magno (left knee) continue to be out with their injuries.  Magno is inching closer to a return though.  In addition, Rio Hope-Gund (right leg) is unavailable.

Players to watch

NYCFC fans should watch Mounsef Bakrar.  The striker has not scored yet this season but continues to be an offensive threat.  All it takes is one goal for him to get going, so will this be the week he puts the ball into the back of the net?  One can expect he will start based on Cushing’s belief in him.  This will definitely be something to pay attention to on Saturday.

On D.C., the player to watch is of course Benteke.  The striker scored in the NYCFC home match last season, which thankfully ended in a win.  He has scored six goals already this year, making him the biggest threat on his team.

Prediction

After last week’s win, there is some hope that things are starting to click for NYCFC.  Therefore, it is predicted that they win 2-1.  Plus, this will be the week Bakrar scores.  It has to be.