Wayne Rooney may not get to say goodbye to the Audi Field faithful after D.C. United drew nine-man FC Cincinnati 0-0 on Sunday, a result that will see D.C. finish fifth in the conference and head to Toronto FC for the first round of the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs.
United are unbeaten in their last five, but have also been held to consecutive scoreless draws to close the season as they enter the postseason. They played Sunday's home finale without Rooney as he served a yellow card accumulation suspension.
After FCC's Joe Gyau and Roland Lamah were both sent off late in the first half, the Black-and-Red pelted the visitors with 32 shots, but somehow, only two of those found the target. Przemyslaw Tyton stopped both D.C. efforts on frame to help last-place Cincinnati close the season on a modest run of three draws.
D.C. entered the day fourth but fell behind Toronto on the second tiebreak of goal difference after TFC's 1-0 home win against Columbus Crew SC.
The only seemingly realistic possibility of an Audi Field return for D.C. would be in a potential conference final, and even then, D.C. would have to reach the game and hope to be joined by either the sixth-seeded New York Red Bulls or seventh-place New England Revolution.
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Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: D.C. are unbeaten in their last five matches heading into the playoffs, and yet still don't appear to have found a top gear offensively and are scoreless in their last 216 minutes. In their three wins to begin the streak, they were out-shot by a combined 64-26. And in three games of the five-game run, they've completed less than 70 percent of their passes.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: For the opening 40 minutes, Cinicnnati acquitted themselves admirably in a hostile environment with little to play for. That all changed in a hurry, when Gyau was sent off his studs-up foul on Ulises Segura in the 41st minute and, before play could resume, Lamah was also dismissed for shoving Felipe in the aftermath following a Video Review.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Przemyslaw Tyton. It's a wonder the Cincinnati goalkeeper didn't face more shots on frame with D.C.'s numerical advantage, but Tyton made two difficult stops after halftime to keep the match scoreless, diving left to push away Paul Arriola's effort and reacting superbly to deny Luciano Acosta's header.
Up Next
- D.C. United: Oct. 19 at Toronto FC, 12 pm ET (Univision, TUDN) | Round One, Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs
- Cincinnati: End of season.
