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NYCFC vs Real Salt Lake preview: Battle of the winless teams

NYCFC and Real Salt Lake are both in the middle of winless streaks and are desperate for a win. Here is a preview of their upcoming battle.
ByCaitlyn Chale
James Sands of NYCFC
James Sands of NYCFC | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

New York City FC suffered heartbreak on Wednesday in Queens after the New England Revolution scored late to steal a win.  As such, the Boys in Blue are winless in their last seven Major League Soccer games.  This ties the winless streak from earlier in the season.  Then, they are on an eight-game winless streak in all competitions.  Hence, they will try to end this poor run when they face fellow winless side, Real Salt Lake.

The Utah side had a good run in the Leagues Cup, but in MLS, they are without a win in ten matches.  Fans can assume this will be a gritty battle since both teams are desperate for a win.  However, if things go the way the 2026 season has gone for the Pigeons, then it would not be shocking if Salt Lake gets the win.

There is a chance, though.  Again, the home side is in the same boat as NYCFC with their struggles in MLS.  All the Pigeons need is something to give.  They need a little luck, but at the same time, a strong game could just get them over the edge.

Can NYCFC get the win?  Here is a preview of the upcoming match against Real Salt Lake

NYCFC vs Real Salt Lake preview

Date

NYCFC and Real Salt Lake will play on Saturday, September 12.

Time

Kickoff will be around 9:30 PM ET, or 7:30 PM MT.

Location

The match will take place at America First Field in Sandy, Utah.

How to watch

Fans can watch the game on Apple TV.

Weather

It will be a warm night in Utah.  It will be around 88 degrees at the start, but it should drop to around 82 by the end of the game.  With a low dew point and low humidity, it will feel very dry, which has been rare for the Pigeons this summer.  It will also be partly cloudy with no chance of rain.

Injury report

The injury report remains the same as the midweek match.  Drew Baiera (leg), Arnau Farnós (leg), Talles Magno (leg), Maxi Moralez (leg), Keaton Parks (leg), and Kai Trewin (leg) are out.

Players to watch

Once again, NYCFC fans should watch James Sands.  But they should also watch Thiago Martins.  The Pigeons need their leaders to step up and lead the team to a win.  They are capable, so maybe the lack of players stepping up is the problem.  Whether that is true is unknown, but Sands and Martins could easily help the Bronx side earn three points on the road if they are superb in the defense.

Fans should also watch Diego Luna on Real Salt Lake.  The star just missed out on making the World Cup squad with the USMNT, but continues to prove his talent in MLS.  He has five goals and three assists in the regular season.  Notably, he has only scored once since the season resumed at the end of July.  However, his toughness and grit on the pitch make him a threat in front of the goal.

Prediction

At this point, until the Bronx side earns a win, it is important to be positive.  That is why it is predicted that NYCFC will win 2-0.  They will end their winless streak, and things will slowly get better again.

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