New York City FC finished off the MLS regular season with a 3-1 home victory over the Philadelphia Union on Sunday. On Wednesday, NYCFC and the Union will square off again in the same venue for the right to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Yankee Stadium has been a fortress for NYCFC. The Pigeons only suffered a single loss at home during the regular season.
“The best news for us is that we get to play again in Yankee Stadium,” NYCFC head coach Domènec Torrent said. “We are stronger here. We play with more confidence, and we have to review our game because I didn’t like 20 minutes in the second half when we decided to defend deep because we defend much better when we defend high.”
But this is a single-round knockout, and anything can happen.
LISTEN: 'Soccer In The City' Podcast: NYCFC Knockout Round Preview
“I believe every year is different,” striker David Villa said. “If you ask me about the experiences the last years, the guys that played in the knockout arrived to the semifinal with more confidence, with more power. I hope this year it happens the same because we’re in the knockout, but again, every game and every year is totally different.”
NYCFC enters the MLS Cup playoffs with a big storyline dominating the headlines. Villa, the club’s captain and goal-scorer extraordinaire is out of contract at year’s end. While the 36-year-old striker has been quiet about his future, the NYCFC supporters haven’t. “One more year” is the refrain from the terraces.
Halloween night could mark Villa’s final appearance for the club. Should these playoffs serve as his farewell, Villa will be determined to finish his spell with NYCFC on a high.
The Spaniard has scored 77 regular-season goals over four seasons with the club. He appeared in 23 league games this season and scored 14 times. Ismael Tajouri-Shradi supplied 11 goals.
Fafa Picault and Cory Burke reached double digits for the Union, each scoring 10. Torrent is aware of the trickiness of playing a knockout match.
“You don’t have time if you make a mistake,” he said. “That is the reason why the mentality is important and to keep calm. The ‘keep calm’ is not about playing slowly. No, you have to play in the same was as (Sunday).”
There isn’t much difference separating these two teams between the sticks. NYCFC keeper Sean Johnson and Philadelphia’s Andre Blake each recorded 10 shutouts. Johnson finished the season with a 70.9 save percentage, while Blake ended the campaign with a 69.4 save percentage.
This match could be decided by which playmaker finds the most space to operate and dictate.
Philadelphia’s Borek Dockal led MLS with 18 assists. NYCFC’s Maximiliano Moralez finished tied for third overall with 16 assists.
It’s a tough match to call. This is the first playoff meeting between the sides. The Union struggled in the opening 45 minutes Sunday, and head coach Jim Curtin admitted that his team was “outcompeted.”
I see NYCFC edging this match and advancing to the Eastern Conference semis because of the Union’s struggles to put together a complete 90-minute game.