New York City FC will look to quickly bounce back from a loss to the New York Cosmos in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup when they host the Philadelphia Union Saturday at 1 p.m. at Yankee Stadium.
It is NYCFC’s first Major League Soccer match since a 3-2 loss to Real Salt Lake on June 2.
“It’s good to have the game on Saturday at 1 p.m. because I will expect a massive response from the players,” NYCFC coach Patrick Vieira said.
NYCFC return to league play in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 18 points, one behind the New York Red Bulls and Montreal Impact and five away from first-place Philadelphia.
This is the second meeting between the rivals with the Union pulling out a 2-0 win at Talen Energy Stadium on April 23.
“They are in a really good position, they are playing well, they’re a really strong team. They don’t concede so many goals and we will have to be at our best if we want to take something from the game,” Vieira said. “We’re going to go to the game with the same mentality, to try and control the game and to be positive in our mind, create chances and score goals. What we lack is taking our chances.”
The Union are coming off a 3-2 win over City Islanders FC in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup Wednesday night. Roland Alberg struck for a brace, including the stoppage-time winner
Philadelphia is riding an eight-match unbeaten streak in MLS play, including a 3-2 win over Columbus on June 1.
“They’re one of the top teams in the east,” Patrick Mullins said. “It’s a game we want to get a result in and have a good performance in.”
This is the fifth meeting between Philadelphia and NYCFC. David Villa scored City’s lone goal in a 2-1 loss at Talen Energy Stadium on April 11, 2015 and Mehdi Ballouchy scored on a curling shot from 17 yards out in a 1-1 draw at Yankee Stadium five days later.
Mullins and Thomas McNamara scored in a 2-1 win in Chester, PA on June 6, 2015.
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