New York City FC showed yet again that they are one of the best teams in taking penalty kicks, making all seven of their shots to take the win over the New England Revolution on Friday. Though the team could have played better, they held off the fierce attack of New England to advance into the Round of 16 in the Leagues Cup, their farthest ever in the tournament. They will now play host to Club de Fútbol Tigres de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, or Tigres UANL, of Liga MX, their hardest opponent thus far.
Unfortunately, NYCFC will have to play their match at Red Bulls Arena, Therefore, expect a smaller crowd than usual with a later kickoff time in Harrison, NJ. Tigres have also been a top-five team in Liga MX, finishing third and fifth in the Apertura and Clausura last season. This alone is a challenge. However, the team has been resilient throughout the tournament and is ready for whatever obstacle comes their way. The winner of this match will face the winner of Inter Miami CF vs Columbus Crew, some of the top teams in MLS.
The good news is that outside of Malachi Jones and Andrés Perea, NYCFC has a healthy and rested squad. Nick Cushing is set to put out his best Starting XI, which will likely include Hannes Wolf, Santiago Rodríguez, Thiago Martins, Keaton Parks, and James Sands. Even without Talles Magno, the Pigeons have great depth in the attack that can be used in the Starting XI and off the bench.
With the Round of 16 approaching, here is the preview of NYCFC’s clash with Tigres UANL.
Date
The match between NYCFC and Tigres UNAL will take place on Tuesday, August 13th.
Time
The game is at 8:00 PM ET.
Location
The fixture is at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ.
How to watch
Fans can watch the game free on Apple TV, or on Apple TV via MLS Season Pass.
Weather
Expect the weather to drop at night, with a temperature of 77 degrees by the time the game starts. There is a minimum chance of rain, as it is expected to be partly cloudy with wind coming from the northwest between 5-10 MPH.
Injury Report
Perea (right leg) is still expected to be out, along with long term injury to Jones (right leg).
Note that there are no full injury reports for the Leagues Cup matches. As such, the status of injuries is subject to change.
Players to watch
Christian McFarlane has been exceptional at left-back and is expected to remain in the lineup. He should be a player to watch after playing the entire match against New England, winning all three tackles attempted while making 24 accurate passes and winning four duels. The 17-year-old has been linked to a move to Manchester City FC and rightfully so as the Homegrown player has impressed since making his debut this season.
For Tigres, both André-Pierre Gignac and Sebastián Córdova are players to match for the opposition. Gignac has been one of the longest-reigning players on the team and even though he is 38, he continues to be consistent while causing damage in the attack. Cordova has also been performing well at the Leagues Cup, for he has one goal. He also has two assists in four games played in Liga MX while maintaining an 85.2 percent pass accuracy.
Prediction
The last time the two faced back was during the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2020, where Tigres dominated both matches with a 5-0 scoreline over two games. Tigres will enter as the slight favorite, with a chance that it could end 1-0 or 2-0 for the Liga MX side unless NYCFC can improve their attack.