The City Boys summer rolls on with Portland Timbers entering the The Bronx fortress that is Yankee Stadium. New York City’s Football Club is looking to make it nine points from nine days after convincing wins on 161st Street this week already vs. Philadelphia Union and Seattle Sounders.
Here’s what it’s going to take to keep it rolling:
Keep Chopping
Portland Timbers are on a decent run of form after jump-starting their 2019 campaign in the U.S. Open Cup, where wins over the Sounders and LA Galaxy in the Fourth Round and Round of 16 could see the PDX side on a crash course with NYCFC for the hardware.
It was a busy end to June for the Timbers, who played four matches in twelve days, finishing their MLS slate with a Rose City Texas two-step of victories over Houston and Dallas either side of a road loss at Montreal.
Gio Savarese’s side will come in with confidence and a need for points in the League as they sit in 10th place in the Western Conference.
Head-To-Head
Sunday’s match marks only the fifth time ever that New York City FC will play the Portland Timbers. NYC’s lone victory came on May 15, 2016 thanks to goals from David Villa and this cracking winner from Tommy McNamara:
The head-to-head tally really works to drive home just how young this football club is, and with the Boys in Blue currently on a club record unbeaten run across all competitions, now seems like a great time to turn the tide and add to the win column.
Whole Squad Effort
One of the most pleasing aspects of NYCFC’s long 14-match unbeaten streak is the fact that the whole squad has contributed to the run.
Dome Torrent certainly could have been more fortunate in terms of the quantity of players he’s had available since that last defeat to Toronto in March, but the depth of the squad has been evident throughout.
Almost every single outfield player on the roster has contributed in the last three months, showing that NYC’s form has been more down to the mentality and the system than individual players.
Once again, Torrent will have to pull upon his squad depth vs. Portland today, with two players still away on international duty, four listed as “out” on the injury report and three more “questionable”.
It’ll be another big test vs. an always-strong Portland but this team never goes out for anything less than three points, no matter the venue, the opposition, or the starting XI.
Let The Good Times Roll
This is NYCFC’s third home match this week and the Boys in Blue are aiming to make it nine points out of nine.
The schedule doesn’t let up after today, with an Open Cup quarterfinal in Orlando on Wednesday and the first Hudson River Derby of the season coming up next Sunday in New Jersey.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire, but this group wouldn’t have it any other way as they compete for silverware and to climb up the Eastern Conference standings.
Let’s keep the good times rolling… #ForTheCity
