Louis Munteanu Leads D.C. United to 2-0 Victory Over New York City FC
Louis Munteanu scored his second and third career MLS goals as a short-handed D.C. United earned a 2-0 victory at New York City FC on Sunday afternoon.
Munteanu’s brace marked his third consecutive multi-goal performance after the Black and Red (4-4-3, 15 points) had struggled to find the net in four league matches.
This success came despite the absence of Tai Baribo, D.C.’s leading scorer with six goals, due to a thigh injury, and Gabriel Pirani, who was omitted from the lineup as a coach’s decision.
Sean Johnson recorded four saves, achieving his fourth clean sheet of the season against his former club. This performance helped D.C. secure its first consecutive league victories of the season.
New York City FC (3-5-3, 12 points) dominated possession with 65%, but could not convert that into meaningful chances, extending their winless streak in the league to seven matches.
D.C. outshot NYCFC 19-8 overall, with a 7-4 advantage in shots on target.
Munteanu joined D.C. this offseason from CFR Cluj in Romania for a reported $7 million transfer fee. Initially, he had been primarily used as a substitute while adapting to a new league and culture. Baribo’s absence opened the door for Munteanu to start in last weekend’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Orlando City, where he scored an 84th-minute equalizer, earning him another starting nod from manager Rene Weiler on Sunday.
His first goal came in the 29th minute, an instinctive finish following a long throw-in from Jared Stroud. The throw landed near teammate Kye Rowles and deflected off an NYCFC defender. Munteanu reacted swiftly inside the 6-yard box, finishing with a first-touch shot past goalkeeper Matt Freese, who made five saves.
Munteanu’s second goal arrived from the penalty spot in the 75th minute. Referee Ismail Elfath ruled that Keaton Parks had fouled Lucas Bartlett, signaling that Parks had grabbed Bartlett’s neck area. Despite protests from NYCFC players, replays did not provide clear evidence to overturn the decision. Munteanu confidently converted the penalty, placing the ball into the bottom right corner past Freese.