NEW YORK, N.Y. — New York City FC finished a disappointing 2026 Major League Soccer season on a winning note Saturday, Nov. 7, beating D.C. United 1-0 in Washington on Decision Day when Talles Magno scored in the 87th minute.
Neither club had anything at stake in the standings, since both had already been knocked out of playoff contention. A year after reaching the MLS semifinals, NYCFC ends the regular season at 10-12-12 with 42 points, though it went unbeaten over its last five matches with two wins and three draws.
The winner came on a quick break the other way after a D.C. attack. Defender Tayvon Gray blocked a shot, Bénie Traoré turned upfield and the visitors had three attackers against one defender. Traoré slipped the ball to Magno on the left, and the Brazilian cut in and rolled a low shot past Farr at the far post. It was his third goal of the year.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese made six saves for New York City, including an early stop on João Peglow, who was D.C.’s most dangerous player. On the other end, Jordan Farr also had six saves in his first appearance of the season for D.C., among them a fingertip stop over the bar on a Magno shot in the 26th minute.
D.C. United dropped its sixth game in a row and finished 7-15-12 with 33 points, its seventh straight season out of the playoffs. The hosts played without their starting goalkeeper and leading scorer, who both had surgery earlier in the week.
NYCFC head coach Pascal Jansen used several substitutes in the second half, and Traoré came on in the 69th minute before setting up the goal. The club turns its attention to the 2027 season.
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