New York City FC welcome D.C. United to the Big Apple for the first time as the Club looks to continue their push toward a berth in the 2015 Major League Soccer playoffs.
Kickoff is 7 p.m. ET Thursday from Yankee Stadium (YES Network, 970 AM, WQBU).
“Training has been good,” forward Patrick Mullins said. “It’s a fresh start after the unfortunate result over the weekend. I think we’re excited to get back out on the field as soon as possible.”
“Our guys looked sharp and a lot of them wanted to do more,” assistant coach C.J. Brown said. “I think after the tough loss over the weekend the guys are ready to get after it.”
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New York City FC (6-11-6; 24 points) are coming off a 2-0 loss to the Red Bulls on Sunday night at Red Bull Arena. The Club has little time to dwell on the result because Eastern Conference-leading D.C. United (13-7-5; 44 points) are coming to town.
“You have to get over the defeat and pick yourself back up as soon as possible,” defender Shay Facey said. “We have to focus on the next game. D.C. is a strong team. It’s a must-win game for us.”
D.C. United are in the midst of a second-consecutive successful campaign following a 10th place finish in 2013 where the club only obtained 16 points from 34 matches (3-24-7). D.C. United earned the top seed in the 2014 playoffs with 59 points (17-9-8), but lost 3-2 on aggregate in the two-leg Eastern Conference Semifinals to the Red Bulls.
The team enters Thursday’s match and their first trip to New York City on a three-match win streak following victories over Philadelphia (3-2 on July 26), Real Salt Lake (6-4 on Aug. 1) and Montreal (1-0 on Aug. 8) at Stade Saputo.
D.C. United became the first team in MLS history to win a match despite taking just one shot with their most recent victory over the Impact.
Chris Rolfe, who scored in the 13th minute of that match, leads the club with nine goals. Jairo Arrieta has five, while Fabian Espindola -- who is sidelined with a knee injury -- has three goals and five assists for the Supporters' Shield leaders.
New York City FC, who fielded all three Designated Players (David Villa, Andrea Pirlo and Frank Lampard) in their Starting XI for the first time in Club history on Sunday, are looking to buck their recent form. After going 2-1-1 in July and 5-2-1 since Memorial Day Weekend, the Club have suffered consecutive defeats in August; a month that features six matches, including five against Eastern Conference foes ahead of them in the standings.
“It’s going to take a lot of fight and continuing to try to play the way we’ve been asking the guys to play,” Brown said. “That means keeping the ball moving, looking to play in through the middle and up through David. We have to be active getting forward and most important is how well we transition defensively and try to keep the ball out of our net. I think it’s going to take a lot of grit and fight.”
Mullins, who is tied for second on the Club with four goals in his sophomore season in MLS, echoed his coach’s sentiments.
“A big key is to match D.C.’s intensity,” he said. “They’re a very hard-working, blue-collar team that brings that kind of work rate every weekend from the defense to the midfield to the forwards up front. To give ourselves a chance against a really good team we have to make sure to top that energy because I think we have enough quality that it will speak for itself at the end of the day.”
