A look at NYCFC’s MLS Is Back tournament matchups
NYCFC open the tournament on July 9 against the Philadelphia Union
A week into training and two weeks away from the resumption of the Major League Soccer season, New York City FC will return to play with a healthy lineup ready for action. The team will head to Orlando within the next week to compete in the MLS Is Back Tournament as part of Group A and will face the Philadelphia Union, Orlando City SC, and the Chicago Fire FC.
The league announced the schedules and broadcasting information for the tournament on June 24. The tournament will take place at Orlando’s ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from July 8 to August 11 with games nationally broadcast on the ESPN, FOX, and Univision networks. Games will be played at 9 a.m, 8 p.m, or 10:30 p.m.
MLS also made a few changes to the tournament’s format that NYCFC could use to its advantage. Originally, the teams advancing to the round of 16 were the top two teams from each group and the best four third-place teams. However, since Group A is the lone six-team group, the format was reworked so that the group’s top three teams would automatically advance to the knockout phase and only the remaining best three third-place teams would then qualify.
This would now give NYCFC just as much of a chance of advancing to the round of 16 as if they were drawn into any of the other Eastern Conference groups.
With the important details finally in place, I thought I’d take the opportunity to break down each of NYCFC’s matchups.
New York City FC vs. Philadelphia, July 9, 9 a.m. (ESPN/ESPN Deportes, TSN)
This is the matchup I am most looking forward to. The Philadelphia Union are arguably NYCFC’s second rivals (behind the New York Red Bulls), whose series history has featured some of the most memorable games between the two–with almost all favoring NYCFC. An 8–3–1 record against the Union includes the David Villa half field volley and NYCFC’s first ever playoff win in 2018.
The Union and NYCFC are similar in terms of their positional strengths. Aside from strong back lines and a well-versed defensive midfield, these teams also have two of the best strikers and goalkeepers in the league.
City’s Héber and the Union’s Kacper Przybyłko, very different types of strikers, tied for fifth in goal scoring last season with 15 goals. The two were goalless in the opening weeks of the 2020 season but it’s obvious Héber still has his goal scoring touch after a hat trick in NYCFC’s first Concacaf Champions League game against Costa Rican side A.D. San Carlos. The utilization of each team’s attacking threats will determine who comes out on top, where NYCFC’s constant use of getting its wide players more involved in the attack will look to best the Union’s strategy of playing up the middle.
However, each of the past meetings haven’t exactly been goalfests, thanks to the stellar efforts of City keeper Sean Johnson and Union keeper Andre Blake. Johnson edges Blake out in experience, now in his 11th season in the league, and has averaged eight shutouts in his past three seasons with NYCFC. As NYCFC’s offense was rather quiet in its first two games this season, totaling just three shots in each game and failing to score, Johnson will look to duplicate his eight-save performance in the team’s 1–0 loss at Toronto FC.
As NYCFC looks for its first goal and points in MLS play, a victory against the Union, the toughest of City’s Group A opponents, will give it the best chance at a top-three finish.
Prediction: 1–1 draw
Orlando City SC vs. New York City FC, July 14, 10:30 p.m. (TUDN, TSN)
A late night brawl against its fellow 2015 newcomers should always account for some good fun. Orlando City, which tied NYCFC in each of last season’s regular season meetings and knocked New York out of the U.S. Open Cup in penalties, is by no means a pushover.
The series history between the two teams is deadlocked at 5–5–4 (not counting the Open Cup). Although Orlando has never qualified for the playoffs, it has always managed to give NYCFC a tough time over the years as it has fielded teams with a strong set of players but have failed to finish higher than seventh since joining the league.
Orlando varied its formation drastically between their two regular season matches, going from a 4–2–3–1 on opening day against Real Salt Lake to a 3–4–1–2 against the Colorado Rapids. Both formations favor a wide style of play, similar to NYCFC, where the fullbacks will be used in the attacking phase of play.
As we’ve seen so far in both MLS and Champions League play, City’s new Head Coach, Ronny Deila, has not shied away from getting Ronald Matarrita and Anton Tinnerholm up the line to combine with their respective wingers. Even though this offensive strategy hasn’t yet produced many goals, it’ll be interesting to see whether Deila sticks to this plan against similarly offensive minded Oscar Pareja’s attack with Luis Nani returning from a two-game suspension.
The teams also have some of the league’s best youngsters in their starting 11’s, most notably NYCFC’s Keaton Parks and James Sands, and Orlando’s Chris Mueller and Andrés Perea.
This game will feature a lot of tension, quickness, and should remain very close throughout.
Prediction: 2–1 NYCFC win
New York City FC vs. Chicago Fire FC, July 19, 8 p.m (FS1, TUDN, TSN).
Chicago Fire FC underwent MLS’s version of a makeover during the offseason. Changing their name, colors, stadium, and most importantly their roster, the Fire are looking younger and more promising than they have in the last couple of seasons.
While NYCFC preserved the vast majority of last season’s roster, the Fire declined options on key players Nemanja Nikolić, Aleksandar Katai, and Nico Gaitán along with the retirement of German soccer legend Bastian Schweinsteiger. These players were soon replaced by Spanish midfielder Álvaro Medrán and Slovenian striker Robert Berić.
The Fire did keep its back line consistent from last season which includes the center back pairing of Francisco Calvo and Johan Kappelhof as well as left back and former U.S. National team player Jonathan Bornstein. As I highlight the Fire’s back four, I think this game will also bring out the best of NYCFC’s defense. But most importantly an opportunity for Sands to be tested by the quickness of Medrán and Djordje Mihailović. Sands, whose positioning and versatility allows him to shift from NYCFC’s lone defensive midfielder to a third center back, has been the team’s bright spot so far.
With a fairly new Fire lineup, players in new positions, and an inconsistent goalie, NYCFC will just need to stay on top of its game and to hopefully already have clinched the round of 16 by the opening whistle.
Prediction: 2–0 NYCFC win
