New York City FC is back in action after a much needed and well-deserved week of rest and recovery. The Boys in Blue are hitting the road and heading to Frisco, Texas to take on FC Dallas for the first time this season.
Here’s Keys to the Match, presented by Tri-State Ford…
Eyes on the Prize
City has been on a roll.
They’ve remained unbeaten through seven matches and they will look to make it eight on the road.
NYCFC has picked up 19 points since August 18th only settling for one draw against Toronto FC.
As the final sprint to the end of the regular season is underway, the Road Blues will need to continue to pick up points where they can to seal their spot at the top of the Eastern Conference table.
Although The Boys in Blue are five points ahead of the team in second, there’s no time to lose focus.
With the new playoff structure, they will need to keep the streak alive to ensure that the MLS Cup road will go through the Big Apple.
Flying South for Week 30
New York’s team heads to Texas for the first time this season to take on Dallas on their turf.
Luckily for City, they’ve been successful as the visiting side thus far in Season 5 and boast a conference best road record of 6-4-4.
Even while possessing a positive record on the road, City has a tough task at hand since Luchi Gonzalez’s side has only lost one match at home this season.
Dome has never turned away from a challenge, and will continue to task the boys with playing bravely away from home.
Maxi’s Back
He was suspended for yellow card accumulation against Toronto FC and he didn’t see the pitch against San Jose, but he has been removed from the injury report and could see a full return to action this weekend.
Our resident Spidey is ready to go for FC Dallas. According to Dome Torrent, the midfielder is ready to play for around 60 minutes, which is great news for City’s chances on Sunday.
Moralez’s presence on the field gives the team confidence in possession, thus creating more chances, which the number 10 has played to the tune of a league-leading 18 assists so far this season.
Let’s see if Maxi is the key to unlock another full three on the road.
Parks’ Homecoming
Another player who brings confidence to the team is Keaton Parks, who will be returning home to Frisco, TX as a professional soccer player for the first time in his burgeoning career.
Parks didn’t grow up far from Toyota Stadium, which means there will be a lot of friendly faces in the crowd for the NYCFC midfielder.
“I’m super excited. My immediate family’s going to be there of course and then I have a lot of cousins, aunts, and uncles that live in the Dallas area that will be out at the game,” he said. “I have all my high school friends and my old coach and his teams, just everybody, everybody’s coming out to see me so it’s going to be awesome.”
Along with Keaton’s support system, another benefit for the young midfielder is his familiarity with the stadium and the pitch.
“I mean I went to a lot of games and then even for high school soccer we played some of our games in that stadium. I know the stadium really well and I know the area so it’s going to be cool to play professionally back there,” Parks said.
Although he’ll be back in his hometown, it’s business as usual for Keaton Parks.
“I’m not going to switch it up or play any different just because I’m back home,” he said.
All Tied Up
NYCFC and FC Dallas have met four times in City’s short history.
Both teams have won a single game, settled for two draws, and conceded a loss against the other, retaining a 1-2-1 record.
Now that everything is tied up, it’s time to breakthrough and see who ends up on top.
Sunday’s matchup is a big one for both sides.
As FC Dallas sits in 7th place of the Western Conference table, they will look to pick up all three points at home to help their playoff push as time is running out on the 2019 MLS Regular Season.
NYCFC is looking to put the East to bed as Philadelphia Union and Atlanta United continue to nip at the heels.
Both teams remain on City’s slate as we head down the stretch, so a win on Sunday could be the boost the Boys in Blue need to secure the seed.
They will need your support, whether you’re in the stands at Toyota Stadium or here at home, get ready to cheer on New York City’s Football Club and let’s get it #ForTheCity!
