The first objective for New York City FC has been met by clinching a berth in the Audi 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs.
But NYCFC aren't resting on their laurels.
“We worked really hard to get where we are, but this is just a small step from what we want to achieve as a football club,” coach Patrick Vieira said. “We are satisfied, of course, but that’s not enough for us. There’s more desire from our side to do better.”
The next objective for NYCFC is to finish in the top two in the Eastern Conference and earn a bye into the Eastern Conference semifinals.
“I told the team that it's very difficult to get this,” forward David Villa said of making the playoffs. “It’s good for the team, but its not done.”
With three games remaining, NYCFC are level on points with the second-place New York Red Bulls, one point behind Toronto FC. One of the three will have to play in an elimination game and Vieira is hoping it’s not his team.
“We qualified for the playoffs and this is really good, but this isn’t our aim. This is just one of our targets,” Vieira said. “Our next target is to finish in the top two and to finish in the top two we have to win all our games because Toronto, the Red Bulls and Philadelphia will be fighting for those two spots as well.”
Now NYCFC return to the road, where they are winless in their last five, to take on a surging Houston Dynamo squad that has just one loss in their last seven games and back-to-back wins over Real Salt Lake and the Portland Timbers.
NYCFC visit BBVA Compass Stadium on Friday (8 pm ET; UniMás in US, MLS LIVE in Canada) without some key players, though. Frank Lampard has just started rehabilitation work in the pool, but the timetable for his return from a calf injury hasn’t changed.
Maxime Chanot (back) is expected to be out for at least another two weeks and the same is true of Steven Mendoza, who suffered a calf injury in a 4-1 win over the Chicago Fire last Friday.
“Our approach to the game is not going to change. We prepare this week to face a good team who are playing better than they used to play at the beginning of the season,” Vieira said. “They have players who are capable of making the difference by themselves. If we are not prepared mentally we’re not going to have any chance to win that game.”
While other teams will rest up during the international break next week, NYCFC will visit Mexican club Necaxa in a friendly at Estadio Victoria next Friday.
“With the experience as a player, I know that when you have a rest its always difficult to get back,” Vieira said. “We are in a good period, we are in a good momentum at the moment and we don’t want to break that.”
