• Matchday 27: New York City FC vs DC United
• Date and Time: Saturday, August 30, 7:30 pm ET
• Venue: Yankee Soccer Stadium, Bronx, NY
• Forecast: Clear, warm but not hot, a perfect summer night 74F/23C
• Watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
• Apple Broadcast Team: Michael Wottreng and Jamie Watson (English), Jose Bauz and Ivan Kasanzew (Spanish)
• New York City FC Radio: Glenn Crooks and Matty Lawrence (English), Roberto Abramowitz and Ariel Judas (Spanish)
• Officiating Crew: Alexis Da Silva (referee), Corey Parker and Jeffrey Swartzel (assistant referees), Chris Penso (fourth official), Jorge Gonzalez (VAR), Jeff Muschik (assistant VAR)
• Kits: New York City will wear the black and neon 24/7 Kit; DC United will wear the white Archive Kit
It's Matchday 27, and New York City FC are back in The Bronx to host Luis Barraza and 10 other DC United players at Yankee Stadium. The former NYCFC goalkeeper had the game of his life when these two teams faced each other at Audi Field in May — Barraza made five saves, keeping a clean sheet against a New York City that ended the game with an xG of 2.20.
The two sides have followed different trajectories since then. New York City are coming off their most convincing win of the season, a 1-0 tactical masterclass from head coach Pascal Jansen that saw them shut out conference-leading FC Cincinnati and close down MVP candidate Evander. NYCFC's four wins and one draw in the last five games played give them the second-best form in Major League Soccer.
Hudson River Blue Staff
On the other side, DC United's two draws and three losses make them the second-worst team in the league in the last five played. DCU became the first team to be eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs last weekend. The team earned that distinction despite a surprising 1-1 home draw with an Inter Miami CF that was missing Lionel Messi – this is the sixth consecutive year that DC United failed to make it to the postseason.
DC have scored the fewest goals (24) in the league, while allowing the most (53) in the Eastern Conference, but they could still pose a challenge for a New York City that struggles against poor teams. NYCFC's near-perfect record against the Top 5 in the East might make them the conference's giant-killers, but their mediocre showing against Bottom 5 teams – CF Montréal, Atlanta United FC, New England Revolution, and yes, DC United – has been a cause for concern.
New York City vs Bottom 5 Teams
| GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 17 | 1 |
Which New York City will show up tonight? Will it be the one that outplayed Nashville SC and Cincinnati to make a case to be the pundit's newest dark horse contender for MLS Cup? (See below.) Or the one that lost to CF Montréal twice this season, and was shut out at home 3-0 by 12th-place Houston Dynamo?
NYCFC are in the driver's seat. It's up to them to dictate how tonight's match will unfold.
