COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (July 20, 2019) – It was a wild night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. A lightning delay and a Sebastian Anderson red card made for an exciting game. New York City FC got back on track with a close victory.p
Alexandru Mitrita Scores Winner After Sebastian Anderson Red Card
The match began at 7:40 PM Mountain Time after a delay for lightning. It was the third Rapids home game to be delayed for lightning this season.
Despite little possession to start the match, the Rapids scored in the 6th minute. Off a turnover, Jonathan Lewis went at goal from the center circle. He crossed the ball to the front of goal and it was deflected in. Homegrown Sebastian Anderson was initially credited with the goal but it appeared on replay that Ronald Matarrita got the last touch to it.
Anderson’s good performance turned on its head in the 33rd minute, when he was given a straight red card for a studs up boot on Matarrita, shin high.
Heber leveled the match four minutes before half time. He chested the ball down right in front of goal and volleyed it bottom far corner past Tim Howard. The Rapids captain was subbed out before half for an apparent lower right leg injury.
The Cityzens again had most of the ball in the second half with Colorado parking the bus and looking to counter. Andre Shinyashiki got a few sniffs. Heber had a chance at a second goal in the 73rd minute. A rebound off Clint Irwin came straight to him but he shot the ball wide of the near post.
Substitute Alexandru Mitrita found the winner in the 83rd minute. The ball fell to him off a Lalas Abubakar header clearance. He took a touch then bounced the ball past Irwin to make it 2-1.
The match ended with that scoreline, despite a late push from the home side. Sam Nicholson and Sebastien Ibeagha had a challenge in the box in the final minutes but nothing was called.
H9 at it again… ?? #ForTheCity #NYCFC pic.twitter.com/qxpYtE5OZ4
— New York City FC (@NYCFC) July 21, 2019
Three Takeaways:
Sebastian Anderson best of plays, worst of plays: Anderson had possibly the best thirty minutes of his young professional soccer career. He helped create (if not score himself) the first goal of the game was effective on both sides of the ball. A hard tackle ended his night early.
Heber best of plays, worst of plays: Heber had one his best goals since coming to MLS to get NYCFC on the board. He had a few other chances but missed a great opportunity that would have made things less nervy in the final minutes.
City back on track: NYCFC were on a great run until a few weeks ago. They had an exhausting loss in PKs to Orlando City SC in the U.S. Open Cup then lost on the weekend in the Hudson River Derby. This result gets them back on track without Domenec Torrent’s preferred Starting XI.
