New York City FC vs. Philadelphia Union | 2016 MLS Match Preview

A vital match in the Eastern Conference is ahead when New York City FC play host to Philadelphia Union on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. NYCFC are winless in their last four games overall – their last three in The Bronx – returning to league play in fourth place in the Eastern Conference following a 3-2 loss to Real Salt Lake in their last MLS game. Union are sitting atop the East, riding a club-record eight-game undefeated streak in league play, their last MLS game a 3-2 win against Columbus Crew at Talen Energy Stadium.

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• NYCFC concludes a four-game home stand at Yankee Stadium with the Union game – and they are winless in their first three, their overall streak without a victory now at four games (0-2-2) after the 3-2 home loss to Real Salt Lake on June 2. David Villa scored a goal and added an assist; he is now atop the MLS Golden Boot standings with 10 goals.
• The Union extended their undefeated streak to a club-record tying eight games in their last match, a 3-2 win against Columbus Crew SC on June 1 at Talen Energy Stadium. Chris Pontius scored a goal, his fifth of the season, and added an assist, his fourth of the campaign.
• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Chris Pontius and C.J. Sapong scored first-half goals to lead Union to a 2-0 victory April 23 at Talen Energy Stadium.
• The teams evenly split their season series in NYCFC’s first season in MLS. The teams reached a 1-1 draw in the only meeting at Yankee Stadium, on April 16. The teams split the two encounters in Chester, Union taking a 2-1 win on April 11, and NYCFC returning the favor in a 2-1 win June 6.

REFEREE: Silviu Petrescu. AR1 (bench): Gianni Facchini; AR2 (opposite): Andrew Bigelow; 4th: Jose Carlos Rivero

MLS Career: 112 games; FC/gm: 27.6; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 15; pens: 23

SUSPENDED: none

SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: NYC: Federico Bravo

SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: NYC: Josh Saunders, David Villa

DISABLED LIST: none

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD

ALL-TIME (4 meetings): NYCFC 1 win, 4 goals … Union 2 wins, 6 goals … Ties 1

AT YANKEE STADIUM (2 meetings): NYCFC 0 wins, 1 goal … Union 0 wins, 1 goal … Ties 1

• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Chris Pontius and C.J. Sapong scored first-half goals to lead Union to a 2-0 victory April 23 at Talen Energy Stadium.
• The teams evenly split their season series in NYCFC’s first season in MLS. The teams reached a 1-1 draw in the only meeting at Yankee Stadium, on April 16. The teams split the two encounters in Chester, Union taking a 2-1 win on April 11, and NYCFC returning the favor in a 2-1 win June 6.
• Coaches record: Patrick Vieira vs. PHI: P1 W0 L1 T0 … Jim Curtin vs. NYC: P4 W2 L1 T1

LAST MEETING (MLS)

4/23: PHI 2, NYC 0 (Pontius 26; Sapong 41)

• Union took the lead on 26 minutes. Tranquillo Barnetta took a touch over a sliding NYCFC defender and cut the ball back to Chris Pontius, who tapped it in from the edge of the goal area.
• The Union lead was doubled four minutes from halftime. C.J. Sapong first flicked on a long ball over the top to Sebastien Le Toux, then continued into the area where he deflected a Le Toux attempt into the net.
• PHILADELPHIA UNION (4-2-3-1): Andre Blake - Keegan Rosenberry, Joshua Yaro, Richard Marquez, Fabinho (Raymon Gaddis 46) - Brian Carroll, Vincent Nogueira - Sebastien Le Toux, Tranquillo Barnetta (Ilsinho 65), Chris Pontius (Warren Creavalle 81) - C.J. Sapong.
• NEW YORK CITY FC (4-1-2-3): Josh Saunders - Andoni Iraola, Frederic Brillant, Jason Hernandez, Ronald Matarrita (R.J. Allen 70) - Federico Bravo - Mikey Lopez (Mix Diskerud 78), Kwadwo Poku (Thomas McNamara 59) - Khiry Shelton, David Villa, Steven Mendoza.

MLS Injury Report
MLS Disciplinary Summary