NEW YORK CITY FC vs. TORONTO FC
YANKEE STADIUM, Bronx, New York
March 13, 2016 (WEEK 2, MLS GAME #19)
5 pm ET (ESPN2 in the US, SportsNet 1 in Canada)
It's an early-season matchup of leaders in the Eastern Conference when New York City FC play host to Toronto FC in the first game of the season at Yankee Stadium on Sunday afternoon before an ESPN2 audience. The teams had a wild season series a year ago, splitting 12 goals in three games, two won by NYCFC. The home side started off its second season with a 4-3 victory at the Chicago Fire in Patrick Vieira's first game in charge, while Toronto FC started off their long season-opening road swing with a 2-0 win across the river at the New York Red Bulls.
- Khiry Shelton and Tommy McNamara each had a goal and an assist as New York City FC started off Patrick Vieira’s managerial career in style, cruising to a 4-3 win at the Chicago Fire in their second season opener.
- Sebastian Giovinco got his second MLS season off to a rousing start, setting up one goal and netting the second as Toronto FC took a 2-0 victory at the New York Red Bulls to open the new campaign. Giovinco scored 22 goals and added 16 assists in winning Landon Donovan MLS MVP honors a year ago.
- The teams met three times in NYCFC’s inaugural MLS season, and TFC did not win a game. NYC won 2-0 on June 20 at BMO Field – the only meeting in Toronto – and also took a 2-0 win Sept. 16 at Yankee Stadium.
- The teams also played to a wild 4-4 draw July 12 at Yankee Stadium, with TFC’s Sebastian Giovinco scoring a hat trick in a nine-minute span, and NYCFC’s David Villa scoring a pair of goals, giving him four goals vs. Toronto FC last year.
REFEREE: Alan Kelly. AR1 (bench): Brian Dunn; AR2 (opposite): Eric Weisbrod; 4th: Mark Kadlecik
MLS Career: 37 games; FC/gm: 26.3; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 11; pens: 13
SUSPENDED: none
DISABLED LIST: NYC: Jack Harrison
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (3 meetings): NYCFC 2 wins, 8 goals … Toronto FC 0 wins, 4 goals … Ties 1
AT NYCFC (2 meetings): NYCFC 1 win, 6 goals … Toronto FC 0 wins, 4 goals … Ties 1
RETURN MATCHES: 5/18: Toronto FC vs. New York City FC, tbd
LAST YEAR (MLS):
6/20: TOR 0, NYC 2 (Villa 8, 58)
7/12: NYC 4, TOR 4 (Villa 17, 65; own goal 29; Mullins 84 - Giovinco 34, 40, 43; Delgado 82)
9/16: NYC 2, TOR 0 (Lampard 20; Mullins 77)
- Coaches record: Patrick Vieira vs. TOR: first game … Greg Vanney vs. NYC: P3 W0 L2 T1
