The game in 100 words (or less more): New York City FC entered the weekend having dropped just 12 points (two losses, three draws) at home all season. That, of course, is their record within the friendly confines of Yankee Stadium, the third-year MLS club’s temporary home for the foreseeable future. In truth, it was a minor miracle NYCFC hadn’t been forced from their home in the Bronx before Saturday’s clash with the Houston Dynamo, which ended a 1-1 draw at Rentschler Field in Hartford, Conn. Attendance suffered, rightfully so. With the Yankees scheduled to play a make-up game Monday night, NYCFC were made to work out alternative stadium arrangements due to the amount of time required to convert Yankee Stadium into a baseball field once again. Anyway, Maxi Moralez and Mauro Manotas scored the goals, each inside the game’s opening 16 minutes. The point does very little for NYCFC (52 points), who remain 10 points off the pace of Eastern Conference- and Supporters’ Shield-leading Toronto FC, and just four points clear of third-place Chicago Fire; Houston (39) are buoyed a bit more, as they move ahead of Real Salt Lake for the Western Conference’s sixth and final playoff place (for the time being).
[ MORE: MLS weekend preview — ATL host MTL; RSL desperate vs. SEA ]
Three moments that mattered
6' — Moralez rises up, heads NYCFC ahead — Chances are, when the shortest player on the field scores from a header, somebody missed their marking assignment.
When the shortest man on the field scores a header...
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 23, 2017
Go on, @mmoralezoficial! #NYCvHOU https://t.co/rtG7Su3kno
16' — Manotas beats Johnson off the quick FK — Chances are, when the opponent scores from a quick free kick, somebody fell asleep and wasn’t paying attention.
Don't sleep on the quick free kick. 1-1. #NYCvHOU https://t.co/Urcd2MjChI
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 23, 2017
89' — Deric protects the upper-90 to preserve a point — Jack Harrison probably thought he’d beaten Tyler Deric into the upper-90, but the Dynamo goalkeeper kept his side level with a stunning Save of the Week nominee.
Safe hands, @tyderic. #NYCvHOU https://t.co/ZdowQsJZnS
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 23, 2017
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Man of the match: Tyler Deric
Goalscorers: Moralez (6'), Manotas (16')