New York City FC take the short road trip to the City of Brotherly Love this weekend.
Here’s NYCFC.com Managing Editor Mark Booth with the Major Keys to the Match, presented by Tri-State Ford…
Road Blues
City recorded a dramatic late victory over Toronto in their last assignment north of the border on Sunday night and it’s back on the road we go on Saturday.
Philadelphia Union provides the opposition for a head-to-head which has enjoyed a colorful history in recent renditions.
Who can forget David Villa’s miracle goal on NYCFC’s last visit to the Talen Energy Park, or Alexander Callens’ epic celebrations following a crucial late goal at Yankee Stadium?
What’s instore for us this time? We can’t wait to find out.
Race for the Shield
It couldn’t be much tighter at the top of the East, or the Supporters Shield standings for that matter.
As it stands, Atlanta United, Red Bulls and NYCFC are all within a point of each other going into the weekend’s MLS program, with Tata Martino’s side holding the slender lead.
While the leaders will be favorites to pick up all three in their home clash with Columbus on Sunday, our neighbors over the river have a tough assignment at Vancouver, who ended NYCFC’s home win streak two weeks ago.
It could be a decisive few days, either way as the Regular Season finish line comes into view…
Finding Form
Speaking of recent meetings with Philadelphia, this has been a fixture which has been good to us lately.
NYCFC have emerged victorious from four of their last five encounters with Jim Curtin’s side, scoring multiple goals in each of those wins.
To further inflame confidence for another ride home with all three points tucked under the team coach on the way back to NYC, City have won five of their last seven games, only falling to Seattle at CenturyLink in that span.
Derby Auditions
On top of the three points up for grabs, Domènec Torrent won’t have to remind his charges that spots in his XI for the final (Regular Season) Hudson River Derby of the campaign are on the line here.
Anyone who fails to perform in Pensylvania would surely be sweating their chances of appearing on Wednesday night in the BX as NYCFC go for a second consecutive series win.
It’s on a knife-edge and you can bet everyone in blue will want to be involved.
