New York City FC Match Preview and Prediction: Toronto FC

New York City FC looks to take all three points from Toronto FC on the road this weekend and claim a share of first place in the Eastern Conference.

Where: BMO Field – Toronto, Ontario, Canada

When: Sunday, 7/30 at 2:00 pm ET

How to Watch: ESPN, ESPN Deportes

TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 30: Michael Bradley (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

Match Overview:

New York City FC has already faced Toronto FC once this season and the Canadian side escaped the Bronx with a controversial 2-2 draw.

That bitter result is undoubtedly on the Pigeons’ minds as they travel to Canada for their second game against the Reds in as many weeks, but getting all three points on the road will be quite the challenge for NYCFC.

Toronto FC has been absolutely dominant when playing at home this season. In their ten matches played at BMO Field, the Reds are an impressive 7-3-0 and have only conceded seven goals over that span.

Toronto will also field a full strength starting XI on Sunday with midfielder Michael Bradley and forward Jozy Altidore returning to the squad, fresh off a CONCACAF Gold Cup championship. The two U.S. internationals are key players for the Reds and will provide an immediate boost to the squad.

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NYCFC, on the other hand, hasn’t exactly had the best of luck on the road as of late. The Boys in Blue have dropped three of their last five away from Yankee Stadium, despite outscoring their opponents over all five matches combined.

However, City has the best chance of any team in the MLS of breaking through Toronto’s shut down defense and giving Toronto their first home loss of the season.

The Pigeons have the highest goal tally in the MLS this season and are averaging an Eastern Conference-best 1.6 goals per game on the road.

It’ll be tough, but NYCFC can clinch a share of first place in the Eastern Conference with a win.

Three Keys to the Game:

Win the Midfield Battle: Yangel Herrera will be unavailable this weekend due to a red card suspension, so whoever starts in his place must limit Michael Bradley’s playmaking ability. Whoever gets the start needs to clog passing lanes and create consistent pressure on Bradley when he’s on the ball in order to limit the Reds’ link-up play with their forwards.
Play the Wings: Toronto FC fields a 3-5-2 formation, which requires their wingers to track back on defense to make up for the lack of numbers along the back line. Look for NYCFC to get the ball to Jack Harrison and Tommy McNamara and utilize overlaps with their outside backs to create space on the outside and stretch Toronto’s centrebacks.
Limit the Damage: Maxime Chanot and Alexander Callens will have the daunting task of containing two of the best strikers in the MLS: Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco. The centreback duo must have a season-best performance on Sunday if NYCFC is to leave Toronto with all three points, or any points for that matter.

NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 13: Andrea Pirlo (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

Players to Watch: Andrea Pirlo and Mikey Lopez

As mentioned, Yangel Herrera will miss the match due to a red card suspension, which leaves Patrick Vieira with two options to man the open center midfield spot: Andrea Pirlo and Mikey Lopez.

Pirlo was a consistent fixture in the team’s starting XI at the beginning of the season but ultimately lost his job to Herrera after a knee injury kept him out for a month.

He may have fallen out of favor, but the Italian can still play at a high level. Il Maestro is an excellent passer, thanks to his world-class vision, and is a set piece specialist.

Lopez, on the other hand, might be the better choice of the two and is most likely the man who gets the start.

The Texas native has the pace and tenacity for the middle and better fits the style of football Vieira wants to play, thanks to his ability to track back and play defense when called upon to do so.

Pirlo could see playing time as a substitute if Lopez gets the start, especially if NYCFC is down late in the match.

Official Overview: Chris Penso

Chris Penso is an experienced official that has refereed 114 matches over the past seven years, but he hasn’t had the best track record in 2017.

Penso has been the league’s most stringent official this season, averaging 16 fouls and four yellow cards per match in the 16 matches he’s refereed.

It’s possible that there may not be much of a flow to the game based on his performance this year, so expect plenty of stoppages in play.

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Prediction: Toronto FC 2 – NYCFC 2

Toronto has been lights out at home and that trend should continue now that they’ll have a full strength squad on the field, but you can’t discount NYCFC’s ability to score in bunches on the road.

NYCFC will put two in the back of the net but Chanot and Callens will only contain Altidore and Giovinco for so long before they finally break through.

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