New York City FC returns to preseason action on Saturday afternoon following a two-day break.
The squad will return to Florida to train, to take on RSL in a scrimmage game, before rounding off preparations for the Club's fourth MLS season by competing at the Suncoast Invitational in St Petersburg vs. Montreal Impact.
Results have been hard to come by for the Boys in Blue in games against LA Galaxy and Atletico San Luis but Head Coach Patrick Vieira has been around the block before and knows that it's unwise to read too much into matches at this preparatory stage.
Following the 3-0 defeat in Mexico, Vieira said that he wanted his team to play with greater intensity when out of possession of the ball.
The Frenchman felt as though his charges gave San Luis too much space in all areas of the field and wants to see more desire in the final stage of preseason in Florida.
READ: Five Takeaways from San Luis Friendly
Vieira told NYCFC.com: "When we go back to Orlando, it's important for us to go back to basics. We can find any excuses we want but I was really disappointed with the way we competed. We were too far from them, we didn't close them down quick enough and the tempo wasn't good enough.
"Before thinking about the way we want to play, we need to compete first."
On a bruising night for City, San Luis were devastatingly clinical, but with more than two weeks to go until the season-opener at Sporting Kansas City, there's plenty of time to get things right.
Vieira has experimented with his lineups up to now, but he says that every 90 minutes on the field is helping to shape the XI which will take to the field at Children's Mercy Park.
"Every game helps me to try to get the best starting XI for the first game of the season. There's still two games left," he reflected.
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One positive note from the friendly at the Estadio Alfonso Lastras was the continued development of Justin Haak and Joe Scally, who both came on as substitutes and slotted in well once again.
For those two, as well as NYCFC's first Homegrown Player James Sands, these experiences are vital.
Vieira added: "It's really good when you have Joe, Justin and James to play these games, they're really important for them to find out way they are. Hopefully they've learned a lot in these last couple of weeks.
"They are the future of our football club and we have to give them opportunities to improve."
