New York City Football Club are back on home soil on Saturday afternoon as they welcome Columbus Crew.
The Boys in Blue return to action in a 3:30pm ET kick-off at Yankee Stadium.
Here are the Keys to the Match, presented by Ford…
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NYCFC have tallied all of their MLS wins this season at home.
The special atmosphere created at Yankee Stadium has been a tremendous motivation to the group as the family comes together.
That will be needed on Saturday when they welcome Columbus Crew. If the Boys in Blue can reproduce the kind of performance they managed at home earlier in the season it could be a transformative moment for the Club’s season.
Shutout Streak
It is often said that a strong defence wins championships.
Developing an ability to keep clean sheets can often provide the foundation to success. NYCFC have managed back-to-back clean sheets for the first time this season. The fact those results were acquired against a strong New England Revolution side, and on the road at Real Salt Lake should provide further encouragement.
In simple terms, if NYCFC can continue their streak this weekend they’ll claim more precious points in their pursuit of a higher position up the league.
Final Third Threat
NYCFC are blessed with several fantastic attacking midfielders in their ranks, but they will need to be mindful of the Crew's attacking threat.
Although Lucas Zelarayan misses the game through international duty with Armenia, Wilfried Nancy has striking duo Cucho Hernandez and Christian Ramirez to rely on. The pair offer a combination of pace, trickery, and poaching in the final third. Both men have shown their ability to score goals in MLS, and will be keen to boost their tallies come Saturday.
The Boys in Blue will need to be mindful of the duo if they want to increase their chances of taking all three points on Saturday.
Tickets for NYCFC's game against Columbus Crew this Saturday are available. Don't miss your chance to secure your seat at Yankee Stadium.
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