New York City FC takes on Toronto FC at BMO Field on Saturday afternoon.
Here are the Keys to the Match, Presented by Ford.
Slingshot
New York City FC takes the trip up to Toronto knowing a win could give them a shift in the table.
At present, five points separate Philadelphia in fifth and City in tenth. A win against TFC could see City jump as high as sixth, provided results elsewhere go in their favor. It is important they make the most of these opportunities while the league table is still settling.
May promises to be a busy month for New York City FC, and if they can enter that period with a win behind them, it could see a further ascent up the table toward the top.
Momentum
Toronto FC enjoyed a big win last time out against Real Salt Lake.
Prior to that, it had been a challenging period for TFC with no league wins to show from their previous eight games in MLS.
Toronto will be keen to extend that run when they return to BMO Field this weekend, and it’s vital that City arrive ready to flip the script.
Robin Fraser’s side have recorded goalless draws in two of their last four outings. City should take confidence from that and look to build their own momentum with a positive result on the road.
Goals Galore
There have been 92 goals scored between the two teams in all competitions.
A perfectly even 46–46 goal split has the history books delicately balanced. That goal-getting habit plays out in the form guide too, with only one of the last five meetings between the two teams containing fewer than three goals.
City did the double over TFC last season—winning 2-1 at home thanks to a Kevin O’Toole header, and 3-2 on the road. As previously discussed, Toronto have had some tight goalless games of late, and it will be interesting to see if that trend carries over into their meeting with New York City FC this weekend.
