Now that our pathway through the 2017 MLS season is known, we’ve picked out some of the key talking points.
Here are five things we learned from the release of the schedule…
Derby Days…
Looking for the first rivalry match of the season is a reflex soccer fans all over the world are familiar with on schedule release day.
There’s a little bit of a wait for our first meeting with Red Bulls this year.
In fact, the first clash between us arrives exactly halfway through the season in our 17th match of the campaign on Saturday June 24 at Red Bull Arena.
That’s the first of three games between us inside six weeks as we face off once again on home turf on Saturday August 6, just two weeks before we do it all again at Red Bull Arena on Friday August 25.
Meeting the Champions…
The new MLS Cup champions were crowned in December, with Seattle Sounders walking away with the title following a shootout win over Toronto.
Our clash against Seattle in 2016 at CenturyLink Field provided one of the highlights of the year as Ronald Matarrita and Frank Lampard scored in a 2-0 win.
This time we meet the reigning champions in New York on Saturday June 17 for a game which will be televised on ESPN.
There should be fireworks…
Revenge Mission…
That painful 7-0 aggregate defeat in the Eastern Conference semifinals should provide plenty of motivation for NYCFC when they lock horns with beaten MLS Cup finalists, Toronto FC.
The two games occur within the space of ten days, with the first taking place on Wednesday July 19 before the game in Toronto on Sunday July 30.
Our regular season games against Toronto have always been fascinating, so here’s hoping for another intriguing mini-series in July!
The New Boys…
Another mouthwatering discovery on the new schedule was the discovery of when and where we would meet the league’s latest Expansion Teams.
NYCFC are new boys no more… Atlanta United and Minnesota United have taken on that mantel as they enter their freshman years of MLS play.
Atlanta will hope that they have acclimatized to MLS life by the time they arrive in the Bronx for their first game against NYCFC on Sunday May 7 and the teams are at it again at the end of the same month, playing in Georgia on Sunday May 28.
Minnesota’s first trip to Yankee Stadium is set to take place on Thursday June 29.
Final Day Omen…?
Just as the last Regular Season culminated with the visit of Columbus Crew, so too does this.
Let’s hope 2016’s emphatic win which qualified us for the Eastern Conference semifinals will be repeated when we finish off the campaign on Sunday October 22.
VIEW:NYCFC’s Full 2017 Schedule
DOWNLOAD:NYCFC 2017 Schedule Wallpaper
READ:NYCFC’s 2017 Schedule Released
**
Join the Club and become a City Member today to secure your seats for the 2017 season and beyond by calling 855-77-NYCFC.
