How Didychrislito won eMLS Cup 2021 – The big moments

A new eMLS Cup champion was crowned on March 21 and the winner of that $20,000 final was Didychrislito – a player in the form of his life. The eMLS grand slam victory didn’t come without its challenges, though. 

The New York City FC man capped off a monumental achievement after scooping the big gold trophy in a 6-4 Grand Final match against the defending champion George Adamou, of New York Red Bulls. You couldn’t write a more fitting script this time – completing a domestic treble in a Derby game, after dominating eMLS League Series One and Two previously.

There were flashes during the earlier rounds that Didy was destined for greatness once again. Annihilating the Last Chance Qualifier winner AlanAvi, of FC Dallas, was just the start. A statement victory for the now-established trophy collector.

Now that it’s all said and done, let’s run through some of his most impressive moments from eMLS Cup 2021.

Didychrislito dominates eMLS Cup

Quarter-Finals

Three major ties stood in the way of an eMLS treble. In those games, the eventual winner slammed home a remarkable tally of 21 goals. A large percentage of those came against AlanAvi, who actually suggested he may have the “edge” over his opponent in a pre-match interview.

The only edge viewers saw in this game was that of Didychrislito, who put him to the sword in an 11-3 pummelling that was – towards the end at least – a bit difficult to watch. A total annihilation unlike anything else over the two days of competitive play.

• Read More: eMLS Cup 2021 results and highlights

If people didn’t already have NYCFC down as favorites, they started taking note after this one.

One of the more remarkable statistics behind the triumph was his defensive solidity.

After netting 21 in his hunt for silverware, he only conceded eight in that time – leaving him with a goal difference of +13. As casual FIFA players will know already, defending has never been more technical and skilled as it is this year.

Semi-Finals

In the Semi-Finals, it wasn’t quite a tale of domination. This time he was taking on XbLeU, who was touted as a One to Watch by eMLS pundit Mike LaBelle before the Finals.

XbLeU put up a good fight, tying the game 1-1 in the first match, thanks to an accomplished finish from Cristiano Ronaldo.

The second leg was all about Didychrislito, though, as he turned on the style to score a brace in a matter of seconds.

After rattling in the first, Marcus Rashford pulled a rabbit out of the hat again for NYCFC, punching their ticket into the Grand Final in a 4-1 display.

eMLS 2021 Grand Final: Recap

A feature of Chris’ play was the ability to change his playstyle depending on the opponent. In the Grand Final, undoubtedly his biggest challenge in the entire tournament, the contest was very different from anything else we had seen from George Adamou in previous rounds.

• Read More: Check out Mike LaBelle’s eMLS Cup column here

The reigning champion was very pragmatic in the earlier stages of the competition, winning by just a one or two goal margin. That said, the final was anything but cagey and pragmatic as these two juggernauts fought punch for punch in a high-paced environment.

After losing the first leg 3-2 in the last kick of the game, where Cristiano Ronaldo launched one into the top corner for New York Red Bulls, NYCFC had to mount a comeback.

It took just four minutes to get himself back into it, as Didychrislito responded with Kylian Mbappe.

With the game camera swinging from side to side with each counter-attack, this one was very much in the balance for a few minutes as the pair refused to slow things down.

After taking advantage of a fortunate bounce to slam it home for 5-4, Kylian Mbappe sealed the eMLS Cup title for Didy – tucking it away at the near post.

What next for Didychrislito?

After conquering the North America scene in a way that could never have been predicted, Didychrislito will have his eyes on the EA SPORTS FIFA 21 eWorld Cup this August.

Along with the $20,000 prize money for winning eMLS Cup, the victor also earned himself a direct seat at the North America Global Series Playoffs. If he wants to build on his treble and take on the world, there’s no better place to do it. After recent performances, you wouldn’t exactly bet against him, either.