New York City FC vs. Toronto FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

New York City FC vs. Toronto FC
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 17
Yankee Stadium — Bronx
June 24 — 5 pm ET
WATCH: TSN 4/5, ESPN+

It’s a new era for New York City FC, who usher in Domenec Torrent as head coach after Patrick Vieira’s departure to OGC Nice. They face the defending MLS Cup champions for the first time this season, with fireworks usually on display in their contests at Yankee Stadium.

TFC won their last meeting with NYCFC – 4-0 in Toronto on July 30, 2017. NYCFC had won two of the first six games (2W-4D), scoring two or more goals five times.

New York City FC

Last time out, New York City (8-3-4) played arguably their best game of the season, a dominant effort that nonetheless forced them to settle for a 1-1 draw with Atlanta United at Yankee Stadium on June 9.

That was also Vieira’s last match in charge of the team, as he left for Nice, while Torrent was named as his replacement soon thereafter. Torrent spent the last 11 years as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

Torrent, though, has been stuck in Spain while awaiting his work visa, with holdover assistants Javier Perez and Rob Vartughian running training sessions with the assistance of academy director Rodrigo Marion.

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: M - Rodney Wallace
Injury Report: OUT: M - Yangel Herrera (ankle surgery), D - Cedric Hountondji (hamstring injury), D - Ronald Matarrita (hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Sean Johnson — Anton Tinnerholm, Sebastian Ibeagha, Alex Callens, Ben Sweat —Alex Ring, Ebenezer Ofori, Maxi Moralez — Ismael Tajouri-Shradi, David Villa, Jo Inge Berget

Notes: Sean Johnson has saved 87.5% of shots faced at Yankee Stadium in league play this season, tied for the highest of any keeper with multiple home starts. … NYCFC have gone unbeaten in their last nine home games dating back to season (6W-3D). They have conceded multiple goals just once during this span.

Toronto FC

Toronto (4-7-3) have historically played some wild games in the Bronx, so maybe a 4-4 draw against D.C. United at home on June 13 was good preparation for Sunday’s showdown. In that match, the Reds trailed 3-0 at halftime before roaring back to tie on goals by Jonathan Osorio, Victor Vazquez and Nick Hagglund.

Yamil Asad put D.C. back in front in the 90th minute, but Hagglund leveled again in the second minute of stoppage time.

“I don’t necessarily think the ideology of the group will shift a whole bunch because the new coach is also going to look to try to play," Greg Vanney said of NYCFC under Torrent. "That’s his mindset, he’s been around Pep for a long time and I’m sure has had his fair share of say in a lot of the vision of how those teams have played over his years.”

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: F - Jozy Altidore (foot surgery), D - Drew Moor (quadricep strain), D - Chris Mavinga (hamstring strain), GK - Caleb Patterson-Sewell (elbow injury); DOUBTFUL: D - Ashtone Morgan (hamstring strain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-1-4-1, right to left)
GK: Alex Bono — Auro, Eriq Zavaleta, Nick Hagglund, Greg van der Wiel — Michael Bradley — Nick Halser, Jonathan Osorio, Victor Vazquez, Ryan Telfer — Sebastian Giovinco

Notes: Osorio has scored five goals in 12 appearances for Toronto in 2018, as many as he had in 86 appearances between 2015 and 2017. … Toronto’s 2-0 win against Philadelphia in their last road game snapped a seven-game winless streak on the road (5L-2D). The Reds had conceded an average of 2.6 goals per game during that run.

All-Time Series

Overall: New York City FC 2 wins, 13 goals … Toronto FC 1 win, 13 goals … 4 draws
At New York City: NYCFC 1 win, 10 goals … Toronto FC 0 wins, 8 goals … 3 draws
Last meeting at New York City: New York City FC 2, Toronto FC 2 (July 19, 2017)