In just two games, it appears losing Thiago Martins has hurt New York City FC more than the team had expected. They gave up three goals in the FC Dallas win and three goals in the Club Puebla loss. The difference between the two was that the Boys in Blue found the back of the net in the first game and not the second. That is why they will be playing a questionable match when the Pigeons take on Club León in the second fixture of the Leagues Cup.
The reason this will be questionable lies with two reasons. The first is based on NYCFC’s lack of consistency. Which team will show up? Will it be one that plays well or one that fails to give fans any reason to watch them play? The other reason is Pascal Jansen. The head coach arguably put the Boys in Blue in a tough spot based on his Starting XI and some of his substitution choices against Puebla. Not putting his team in a position to win ultimately led to the loss.
As a result, NYCFC has unofficially confirmed their exit from the Leagues Cup once Phase One ends. With only four teams from each league moving on, the team needed to win all three matches. Nevertheless, they must fight to try and win, especially in front of the fans. The Pigeons must play strongly against Club León and defend better.
But Club León will not be a walk in the park. The team might be in 16th place in Liga MX, but that is after three games. The Mexican side also finished the recent Clausura in sixth place with a 9-5-3 record. If there is some positivity that NYCFC has a chance, then that is because León lost their first match of the Leagues Cup in a penalty kick shootout against CF Montréal. Therefore, both sides enter this battle after unexpected results.
How to watch and more of NYCFC’s game against Club León
Date
Time
6:00 PM ET, with an expected start time at 6:10 PM ET
How to watch on TV and streaming
The MLS Season Pass via Apple TV
How to watch in person
Supporters can watch the match at Sports Illustrated Stadium
How to listen
newyorkcityfc.com/radio or via the NYCFC app
How to follow
If NYCFC fans cannot watch or listen to the game, then they can follow along via MLS Soccer’s timeline and NYCFC’s X account. Additionally, the club will post updates here and there on Facebook.
Final Notes
Jansen cannot start some of his less experienced players again if he wants to win. Nico Cavallo and Seymour Reid did not play well by any means against Club Puebla. NYCFC must start the best players on the roster.