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Starting the season with two tough road games might be good for NYCFC

  • NYCFC played their first MLS game on the road against Inter Miami
  • The next match will be away to LAFC
  • It might be a good thing that the Pigeons have a tough start
ByCaitlyn Chale|
NYCFC
NYCFC | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

New York City FC definitely has a tough start to the 2025 Major League Soccer Season. They began the year in Florida against Inter Miami CF. In some ways, the 2-2 result is acceptable since the Pigeons struggle on the road and they were playing against a strong Miami side.

In addition, the Herons were down a man and still outplayed the Pigeons. However, the draw does sting since NYCFC almost won. They were up 2-1 with a couple of minutes left in stoppage time when the home side secured the tying goal. A missed chance earlier in stoppage time and the 11 minutes allotted ultimately gave the home team a chance to win.

NYCFC's tough start to the season might work in their favor

Still, NYCFC earned a point on the road, which is not the worst thing. Next, the tough start continues when the Pigeons head to California. Their next opponent is Los Angeles FC, who finished in first place in the Western Conference last season. LAFC is usually a challenging side to play against and has talented players like Denis Bouanga, Hugo Lloris, and Eddie Segura.

Therefore, some NYCFC fans might look at this start and think this was bad luck with the scheduling. While the team is not in a bad place to start the year, they are still adjusting to Pascal Jansen and his new coaching. Plus, a few starters like Santiago Rodríguez and James Sands are not with the club after a transfer and loan deal, respectively.

But, the Pigeons might be lucky that they have two tough road matches to start the 2025 season. How they play and the results will give Jansen something to work with as the season progresses. This also gives him a picture of how the Boys in Blue are on the road, and maybe he can figure out the issues of playing away from home.

Moreover, regardless of the results, NYCFC can utilize these difficult games to build character. If they struggle against LAFC, then they can use that as a driving force to fix what went wrong in both fixtures. They can also be utilized as a confidence builder for when the Bronx side goes through tougher stretches.

In addition, the Pigeons can also say that they played two of the best MLS teams away from home and can put that behind them. Although, it would be nice to shock the LA side and maybe be successful there.

It is not a terrible thing to start the MLS season in a difficult manner. These two road games might have been perfect for NYCFC. If they do well in LA, then they can call it a success. If they struggle, then they can use the fixtures as a driving force to give fans the best match possible when they play the home opener.

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