NYCFC Aims to End Winless Streak Against Philadelphia Union

QUEENS, NY — New York City FC will seek to snap a three-match winless streak when they host Philadelphia Union on Saturday at Citi Field. The match is crucial for NYCFC, who recently fell to 11th in the Eastern Conference after a narrow 2-1 defeat to Minnesota United last weekend.

Currently, NYCFC sits five points below the Union, who occupy third place following a scoreless draw against Orlando City. After a rocky start to the season, head coach Pascal Jansen is challenged to ensure his team performs for a full 90 minutes, having seen them struggle to maintain consistency in previous matches.

“We’ve shown over the seven games that we have phases where we have the right mindset and the right body language on the pitch,” Jansen remarked regarding his team’s performance. “However, if you take the last 30 minutes in Atlanta, we’re not bulletproof enough to deal with that kind of situation.”

NYCFC’s recent defeats have been by a single goal, and they aim to avoid equaling their longest losing streak from last year. Jansen emphasized the importance of mental resilience, particularly after his team faded fast against Minnesota, conceding early goals.

Philadelphia Union, under head coach Jim Curtin, experienced a dip in form as well, with only one win in their last four league matches. They boast a record of 13 points from seven outings this season, slightly ahead of last year’s performance at the same stage. However, they continue to struggle for goal-scoring stability, having recently failed to find the net against Orlando City.

“We need to be more clinical moving forward,” Curtin said after his team’s recent draw. Despite their goal-scoring woes, the Union have secured two clean sheets in their last three matches.

Injuries for NYCFC include key players sidelined due to hip and leg issues. Meanwhile, the Union must cope with the potential departure of their record goalscorer, Daniel Gazdag, who may be headed to Columbus Crew. Philadelphia’s forwards have not been as impactful as expected, leaving them in search of new solutions.

The anticipated starting lineups for both teams include NYCFC’s Maxime Chanot in defense and Maxi Moralez in midfield, while Philadelphia will rely on goalkeeper Andre Blake and forward Julián Carranza. History favors the Union, who have won six of the last seven meetings against NYCFC, managing a 10-2 aggregate score in the prior three encounters at Citi Field.

As both teams prepare for this crucial match, NYCFC aims not only to reclaim points but also to assert their home ground dominance, while the Union look to regain their scoring touch. The match kicks off at 12:30 a.m. UK time on Sunday, April 13, 2025.