New York City FC Match Preview and Prediction: New England Revolution

With only two matches left in the regular season and Atlanta United nipping at their heels, New York City FC will look to solidify their grip on the second seed in the Eastern Conference against the New England Revolution Sunday night.

Where: Gillette Stadium – Foxborough, Massachusetts

When: Sunday, 10/15 at 5:00 pm ET

How to Watch: MLS Live, YES Network

ORLANDO, FL – MARCH 05: The starting lineup for New York City FC is seen during a MLS soccer match between New York City FC and Orlando City SC at the Orlando City Stadium on March 5, 2017 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images) /

Match Overview:

New York City FC has had a firm grip on the second seed in the Eastern Conference for months now, but a late charge by upstart Atlanta United has put their odds of clinching a first-round bye in jeopardy. NYCFC has little margin for error this weekend, but the team has been in excellent form since the end of July and they’re getting healthy at the right time.

Midfield stalwarts Alexander Ring and Yangel Herrera are slated to return to the starting XI Sunday evening and are bound to bring the much-needed defensive presence in the midfield NYCFC has been lacking over the past month or so.

The New England Revolution, on the other hand, are in a completely opposite position than their opponents. With all six postseason spots officially locked, the playoff-hopeful Revs now have nothing to play for but pride at this point. However, that doesn’t mean they’ll go down without a fight.

Sunday marks the last home match of the season for the Revolution and the club has a very good chance to send their fans off with a victory. New England owns one of the best home records in MLS, posting an 11-2-3 record while outscoring opponents 36 to 14 at Gillette Stadium this season.

Three Keys to the Match:

Keep Tabs on Kei Kamara: It may be in the middle of a down year by his standards, but Kei Kamara is still one of the league’s most formidable strikers and currently leads New England with 12 goals on the season. A strong physical striker with good pace on the ball, Kamara is capable of scoring in bunches and must be accounted at all times. Alexander Callens or Frederic Brillant are most likely to shadow Kamara throughout the match and if they do their job, the Boys in Blue will leave Foxborough with all three points.
Limit Lee Nguyen’s Touches: Lee Nguyen is by far the most dangerous player the Revs will have in their starting XI this weekend and it’s not even close. Nguyen is having an excellent season in the midfield, tallying 11 goals and an impressive 15 assists on the season. His ability to score from distance is concerning, but Nguyen’s vision on the ball and pinpoint passes are what should worry NYCFC the most. If the Boys in Blue can take Nguyen out of the match, the Revs attack will most certainly struggle to break through NYCFC defense.
Make Smart Passes in the Midfield: The Revolution typically utilize a 4-4-2 formation which will give them a numbers advantage in the midfield. NYCFC’s three midfielders will need to be smart when on the ball and make safe, accurate passes while in transition. Any major mistakes in the midfield will give New England a distinct numbers advantage on counterattacks which could lead to an insurmountable advantage for the home side if NYCFC isn’t careful.

ORLANDO, FL – MARCH 05: David Villa (Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images) /

Player to Watch: David Villa

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It’s the third match in a row with David Villa being my player to watch, but the Spanish International is still worth keeping an eye on this weekend. Villa is currently in the thick of the race for the Golden Boot, sitting level with the Portland Timbers’ Diego Valeri and only one goal behind league leader Nemanja Nikolić of the Chicago Fire.

Club success will always come first for Villa, but the possibility of becoming the first player in MLS history to win consecutive Golden Boot Awards has to be lingering in the back of his mind. If El Capitán puts at least one in the back of the net this weekend, he will add even more excitement to the league’s home stretch.

Official Overview: Nima Saghafi

Nima Saghafi has spent most of this season as a fourth official and has only been a referee at the MLS level for the past two seasons, but his track record in the 12 games he’s officiated this season suggest that Sunday’s match will have a free flow to it.

Saghafi has averaged 26 fouls a match this season and he isn’t overly harsh when it comes to showing players cards. The young official is in the middle of the pack when it comes to yellow card average and has only given out two red cards so far this season.

NEW YORK, NY – JULY 12: David Villa (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) /

Prediction: New England Revolution 1 – New York City FC 2

Next: Three things we learned against the Portland Timbers

New England may have a significant advantage at home, but NYCFC has more on the line this weekend and will definitely play like it. The defense has a penchant to give up goals on the road and Kei Kamara or Lee Nguyen are bound to put New England in a position to score at least one.

However, Boys in Blue are strong on the attack and with David Villa finally back in form, NYCFC is bound to do enough damage in front of goal to come away with a vital road victory that keeps them firmly planted in the second seed.

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