NYCFC vs New England Revolution preview: Desperate for goals

New York City FC was supposed to come home and win games.  Instead, they have lost two in a row at home, and currently have lost six of their last seven matches in all competitions.  The actual playing has not been terrible, but rather the mistakes and goals given up are why they are in this conundrum. 

Truthfully, if NYCFC was playing poorly in every game, then these losses would not hurt as much.  And now, the pressure is higher than ever, for the Pigeons are hosting the New England Revolution in an afternoon matchup this Saturday.   

Now, the two teams have already met this year, and the fixture ended in a 1-1 draw.  The Bronx boys already illuminated that they can compete with one of the top sides in the Eastern Conference.  However, the difference between then and now is that the confidence is shot, and losses have become an unwelcome familiarity.

Can NYCFC figure out a way, and break this losing streak?  It is questionable, but let’s look at this weekend’s preview.

When is the match between New York City FC and the New England Revolution?

The match will take place on Saturday, June 3, at 3:30 PM.

Where is the NYCFC game?

The game will take place in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium.

Where can fans watch the NYCFC game?

Fans can catch NYCFC on Apple TV via the MLS Season Pass.  This game will be available for free.  

What can New York City FC expect from New England?

New York City FC can expect a New England side that is somewhat struggling to win.  The team has not won since May 6, and have a 0-2-2 record in their last four Major League Soccer games. 

At the same time, the Revolution continues to sit towards the top of the table, for they are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.  They have also scored three goals each in the last two games, earning 3-3 draws against Chicago Fire FC and Atlanta United FC.  Goals have become few and far between for NYCFC, so the fact the upcoming opposition is scoring should be concerning, especially with small mistakes leading to goals. 

Meanwhile, Carles Gil and Bobby Wood both lead with five goals each.  The Pigeons must find a way to stop them in order to reduce the goal threat.  Gil is especially a threat, for he has five assists so far in MLS play, and is one of the best midfielders in the league.  Fans should expect the star to wreak havoc on the defense, and sometimes might have to hold their breath when he has the ball near goal.

Which NYCFC player should supporters watch?

For this match, NYCFC supporters should continue to watch Gabriel Pereira.  The performance against FC Cincinnati was overall a better one from the team, but Pereira was still the star of the show.  He worked well with Stephen Turnbull on the right side of the pitch, and the two of them created chances for their teammates. 

Moreover, Pereira almost had his fifth goal of the season, and should have had that goal.  A controversial foul call on Gabriel Segal called the goal back, and this eliminated the chance for NYCFC to go in front of Cincinnati.  If the goal would have stood, then it would have been another beautiful goal by the Brazilian.

As such, supporters should expect the winger to fight for every shooting chance. 

What is the prediction for New York City FC?

This is getting old, but times are not fun for New York City FC.  They still have not found the rainbow that leads to the pot of gold that contains three points.  Scoring is still a struggle, and mistakes are continuously made. 

Of course, the game against Cincinnati can be deemed as a decent performance from the Bronx side.  Although, the same cannot be said about the refereeing. Some are convinced that a win could have occurred in the case of a competent referee team.

Still, great teams find a way to win despite the obstacles in the way.  Hence, the pressure is even higher to win against New England, but the Revolution are another top team.  Yes, the Pigeons earned a point in their last meeting, but they were not in the middle of this terrible stretch.  It is hard to be positive, but since the away side is winless in the last five overall matches, the prediction is that NYCFC will win, 2-1.   

Hopefully, New York City FC will find the wins, and play well enough to earn a playoff spot at the end of the season.  But if they lose again, then the outlook will be bleak, and more fans will turn on the front office, coaching staff, and possibly the players.  This is New York after all…  But more importantly, goals must arrive if there is a chance of all three points.