NYCFC vs Toronto FC preview: Facing a difficult reality in MLS

Unless New York City FC fans have been ignoring the team over the last month, August has not been great for the Pigeons. Their lone win came in the first match of the Leagues Cup, and since then, the team has lost four and then recently secured a draw in the New England Revolution match. So, can they sneak a win in Canada when they face Toronto FC?

While NYCFC is on a five-game winless streak in all competitions, they are also on a four-game winless streak in Major League Soccer. Funny enough, this started when the Boys in Blue last faced the Reds. That meeting ended in a 1-1 draw. So, the Bronx side is desperate for three points, but Toronto has been on fire as of late. They are unbeaten in their last four fixtures, including a recent win over Inter Miami CF.

So, how can NYCFC beat a team that is on fire? The answer is simple, but the execution is complex. The Pigeons must treat this like a playoff game. More importantly, Pascal Jansen must put out the right lineup. It should not matter which player is a normal starter, but rather who is hot.

And perhaps the head coach has to think about benching Bénie Traoré. The newer Designated Player has left very little on the pitch, which can make him a liability. In the meantime, here is a preview of the game between NYCFC and Toronto.

NYCFC vs Toronto FC preview

Date

NYCFC and Toronto FC will play on Saturday, August 29.

Time

The fixture will begin at 7:30 PM.

Location

The match will take place at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

How to watch

Supporters can watch the game on Apple TV.

Weather

It will be an okay evening for a game. It will be around 74 degrees and mostly cloudy. 12 mph winds will be accompanied by 20 mph wind gusts. There is no chance of rain.

Injury report

Drew Baiera (leg), Arnau Farnós (leg), Talles Magno (leg), Alonso Martínez (leg), Maxi Moralez (leg), Aiden O’Neill (leg), Kai Trewin (leg), and Hannes Wolf (leg) are out against Toronto.

Players to watch

NYCFC fans should watch Agustín Ojeda. The winger is having his best season in a sky blue shirt, scoring six goals in all competitions. But the way he plays in the final third is miles ahead of how he has played in the past. His crosses and awareness make him more of a threat, and he easily could score a few more goals before the end of the season.

On Toronto, Josh Sargent is the player to watch. The USMNT player is finally starting to turn into the player that Toronto needs him to be. He scored a great goal against Miami, and that might spark him to score more regularly. Hopefully, it will not be against the Bats.

Prediction

Since the Boys in Blue have not had the results that they need, and since Toronto has been on fire, the game will end in a 2-1 loss for NYCFC. This will extend their winless run in MLS and will likely highlight a major problem for the team. They have already gone through a winless run in the league this year, so going through another one is not good.

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