Now that they’re out of Concacaf Champions League, can Ronny Deila and New York City get their season off the ground? It’s no secret that MLS sides playing in continental competition usually struggle to begin the season, and NYCFC have been no different as they sit tenth in the Eastern Conference following a tough start to the campaign. But they’ve shown signs of waking from their slumber as they broke out to score six goals versus Real Salt Lake with Valentin Castellanos scoring four of them to become the first player in club history to score four goals in a single game.
Prior to that display, the reigning Golden Boot winner had been held off of the scoresheet during the season, but Deila will hope that he can keep it rolling against Toronto FC as Bob Bradley has the squad figuring things out. The two teams have already met once this season with Toronto winning that matchup, 2-1.
Toronto enters this contest on a high, going four matches unbeaten after knocking off the previously undefeated Philadelphia Union. Jayden Nelson did get a retroactive suspension for a tackle in that match but Jesus Jimenez and Jonathan Osorio have paced the attack so far this season. Bradley will want his defense to tighten things up but he has gotten surprises from unlikely areas like Luca Petrasso racking up three assists while deputizing at left back.
Bradley is no stranger to rebuilds and this is another one that is moving in the right direction. He’d like nothing more than to keep things rolling by knocking off the defending MLS Cup champions for the second time this season.
Here’s our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Sunday, Apr. 24 | Time: 5 p.m. ET
- Location: Citi Field — New York, New York
- Live stream: ESPN+
- Odds: New York -250; Draw +380; Toronto +675 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Featured Game | New York City FC vs. Toronto FC
Storylines
NYCFC: Maxi Moralez is back from a rib injury which boosts New York’s attack in a big way. While he was out with his injury, the team struggled to create chances prior to the Real Salt Lake match. As NYCFC get healthy and are able to get things going, we’ll soon be able to see if last year’s cup run was a fluke or not.
Toronto FC: Bradley will be without Jayden Nelson due to suspension while Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty is out indefinitely after needing surgery. The hope is that the talented youngster will be back sooner than later as he hasn’t played since March 12. Nobel Okello and Raph Priso are also unavailable.
Prediction
Home cooking in a different baseball stadium, as the match will take place at Citi Field, will see the return of Moralez for NYCFC and a narrow victory in the end. Pick: NYCFC 2, Toronto 1
