New York City Football Club are on home soil again on Saturday, welcoming FC Dallas to Citi Field.
The Boys in Blue entertain The Hoops in a 7:30pm ET kick-off in Queens, looking for a second straight win.
Here are the Keys to the Match, presented by Ford…
Field Goals
Last weekend’s return to Citi Field proved an enjoyable one for the Boys in Blue, who are unbeaten in Queens in our last six games – last tasting defeat in the World’s Borough in the 2019 MLS Playoffs.
With a strong desire to produce an impressive performance in front of the NYCFC faithful, the City Boys stormed into a 2-0 lead – the team inspired by the supporters, and the fans equally thrilled by the on-field action, making for a superb atmosphere.
Defending the lead late on, the City Family pulled together in battle, and Nick Cushing’s side fought valiantly to the end to claim victory.
Gabe Segal, who stepped out at Citi Field turf for the first time, says he loved the togetherness shown, and hopes another buoyant home showing this weekend will serve as a springboard for a strong run of momentum, as New York ready themselves for a challenging four-game road run.
“The key thing is that we got the three points,” he reflected. “That's what we came out here to do, and that's our aspiration in every game.
“It feels good to get a win for the home supporters, and they showed out great. It was a great atmosphere, a great team win, and definitely something that we’re looking to build off and continue that momentum.”
Cut The Ties
NYCFC and Dallas have only met on seven occasions in total.
The pair have locked horns just once per season, and have been evenly-matched with four draws recorded, including one six-goal thriller.
City have narrowly edged the series, triumphing in two clashes to Dallas’ one, but it’s safe to say this one is a tough one to predict.
Cushing’s side were victorious in the last encounter, thanks to Héber’s solitary strike at Toyota Stadium, but The Hoops head into the clash in marginally better form, sitting fourth in the Western Conference (with four wins, two draws and two defeats), and on the back of straight successes over Inter Miami CF and Real Salt Lake.
With New York unbeaten on home soil in 2023, and the Texan outfit having lost just once on the road, this one may well prove to be another tightly-fought contest.
Team News
Head Coach Cushing will hope to have a near-fully fit squad at his disposal, with James Sands having shrugged off a foot injury to captain the side against Nashville SC.
The Boys in Blue will be watching the 22-year-old’s progress closely this week, with the midfielder having earned a call-up to the USMNT for their friendly clash with Mexico.
Meanwhile, Matías Pellegrini will be back in contention after serving a yellow card accumulation ban, though Kevin O’Toole has been absent for the last two games with a lower body issue.
NYCFC will most certainly be wary of the threat of Dallas dangerman Jesús Ferreira. The forward has already netted five goals in eight games – the third-highest tally in the league. Unsurprisingly, he leads his side’s goalscoring attempts with 18, with seven of those on target.
Cushing will share his thoughts on the game, and the latest team news, with a press conference on Thursday afternoon. Stay tuned to NYCFC.com for updates.
NYCFC are back on home soil this weekend for the last match of our three-game home stand.
The Boys in Blue welcome FC Dallas to Citi Field on Saturday, April 22 in a 7:30pm ET kick-off.
Tickets for the game are now available. Don't miss your chance to cheer on the City Boys!
Sign-up for MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app - and never miss a moment of the 2023 season. Stream every regular-season, playoff, and Leagues Cup match. Every Screen. No Blackouts.
