United defender Donovan Pines (23) tackle NYCFC midfielder Gary Mackay-Steven (17) in the second half at Audi Field. (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – New York City FC dominated D.C. United Sunday night, but had nothing to show for its efforts.
City enjoyed a 70-30 percent possession advantage.
The visitors outshot United, 19-0.
They enjoyed a 9-0 corner kick advantage.
But they were forced to share the points.
For the second time in five days, D.C. United managed to shut down and shut out a New York MLS side.
On Wednesday night, D.C. blanked the Red Bulls in a 1-0 win as it scored eight minutes into stoppage time at Red Bull Arena.
Reserve goalkeeper Chris Seitz, subbing for Bill Hamid for the second successive match, recorded another clean sheet.
Sean Johnson did the honors for the visiting side.
NYCFC head coach Ronny Deila blamed his team, not necessarily United’s tactics.
“We didn’t take our chances in the first half,” he said. “We had two, three very good chances and we should have a goal from that. We didn’t do that and it’s always dangerous to get one counter attack [against you]. You get a little bit impatient or you lose discipline and concentration for awhile and they get their chance and score, but they didn’t do that.
“We need to create more, but it’s not easy away when the other team has 10 players inside the box…We get a point, but we feel that we’ve lost two. Again, they had no chance to get three [points] so that’s a positive thing.”
Sunday’s affair was not without its controversy as NYCFC claimed it should have been awarded a penalty kick in the 44th minute when Heber’s low cross hit the hand of former City defender Frederic Brillant. But after a Video Assistant Review, referee Ted Unkel’s original ruling stood.
D.C. United did not take any shots – on or at goal, becoming the second MLS team that was held shotless. The New England Revolution was the first in a 7-0 shellacking by Atlanta United Sept. 13, 2017.
Defender James Sands felt NYCFC probably will face more teams with tactics like that.
“It’s a little bit of a sign of respect that we’ve been doing well the past couple games,” he said. “It’s also a bit of a learning experience for us. If we keep winning games we’re going to play more and more teams like that. I think it was good to play that type of game now, especially as we have Cincinnati coming up which I know plays a similar sort of style. On one hand we were really good defensively and that’s a big positive, and on the other we, all have to work a little harder to create some more chances.”
