New York City FC have a short week in between matches. In fact, it isn’t a week, it’s just five days. The Club played at the New York Red Bulls on Sunday evening and host the Chicago Fire on Friday night.
Despite the brief respite, New York City FC has cranked up the intensity and energy.
“Obviously we’re working very hard this week to get a good result at home,” goalkeeper Josh Saunders said. “It would be nice to get out there and get a win in front of our home fans. Everything’s positive. We’re very positive moving forward and we’re working hard.”
“There’s lot of energy, a lot of fight,” midfielder Andrew Jacobson said. “We’re coming for three points and nothing else. It’s going to take camaraderie, a little more fight and to keep pushing forward. A lot of things have been good. We have to keep doing those things and pick up a little more on the other ends.
Kickoff between New York City FC (1-6-3; 6 points) and the Fire (3-5-0; 9 points) is 7 p.m. from historic Yankee Stadium. The match will be broadcast nationally on Univision Deportes Network and live streamed on their website and app (iOS and Android). Fans can also listen to it on 970 AM or WQBU 92.7 FM. Read how to watch the match in English using SAP.
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New York City FC comes into the match on a four-match losing stretch, most recently suffering a 2-1 defeat against the Red Bulls on May 10 at Red Bull Arena. Bradley Wright-Phillips’ brace gave the home side a two-goal advantage before substitute Patrick Mullins got New York City FC on the board in the 76th minute.
Chicago is currently on a two-game losing streak. The Fire lost 1-0 to Sporting Kansas City on May 3 and 2-1 to Real Salt Lake on May 9 since beating New York City FC 1-0 on April 24.
The Club isn’t putting too much stock in the sides’ first meeting, though. New York City FC were relegated to 10 men after Jacobson was shown a straight red card for his tackle on David Accam in the 23rd minute.
“It’s difficult because we got the early ejection and had to play down a man so long,” head coach Jason Kreis said. “We saw there were some gaps to be played in and some ways to get at them even when we were down a man.
“At home it needs to be a different affair. We need to be the team that’s the aggressor at the beginning of the match and we need to go after this.”
Chicago will be boosted by the return of Accam on Friday night. The Designated Player missed the Fire’s match against RSL on May 9 after receiving a red card in the club’s prior outing against Sporting KC.
Accam scored the match’s only goal in the 20th minute when New York City FC visited Toyota Park less than one month ago.
“They have some dangerous players coming down the outside through the flanks and getting to balls over the top but we have to have good spacing,” Saunders said.
The Fire have yet to win on the road this season, going 0-3-0 with a minus-4 goal differential. Chicago has found the back of the net just once away from the Windy City, losing 2-1 at San Jose on March 22.
New York City FC know they are playing well and it’s only a matter of time before it starts translating into victories.
“We’re very, very close,” Kreis said. “We continue to be very close. For me it’s about hard work and continuing to believe in ourselves and at some point something goes our way. When something goes our way, I think we’re going to get a few things to go our way.”
