Toronto FC vs. NYCFC Prediction, Preview, and Odds - 8/7/21
Toronto FC vs New York City FC
Toronto FC has struggled all season and is next to last in the Eastern Conference after falling to the Philadelphia Union 3-0 on Wednesday. Toronto's attack generated only six shots with 1 on target while the back line and keeper faced 17 shots with 7 on target. Toronto will play without Ayo Akinola and Tsubasa Endoh, while Auro, Dom Dwyer and Alejandro Pozeulo are questionable.
New York is fifth in the Eastern Conference standings and battled to a 0-0 draw on the road in Chicago on Wednesday. New York played with only 10 players over the final 20 minutes but we were able to hold off all challenges from the Chicago Fire. The New York attack took 15 shots with 4 on target and the NYCFC back line and goalkeeper faced five shots with just one on target for Chicago. New York City FC will play without Heber and Talles Magno.
Toronto FC Needs More from Its Attack
Toronto FC is 13th in the conference standings at 3-5-9 with 14 points and a -15 goal difference. Toronto's biggest problem this season has been putting the ball in the net as the club has scored a total of just 21 goals through 17 matches for an average of 1.24 goals per match. The leading goal scorer this season for Toronto is Jonathan Osorio with three and Ayo Akinola also has three goals scored but is out injured with a torn ACL. Patrick Mullins has three assists for Toronto and three teammates have two assists each.
Toronto's back line and goalkeeper have allowed too much this season. Toronto has conceded 36 goals in 17 matches for an average of 2.12 goals per match. Number one keeper Alex Bono has appeared in 15 of Toronto's 17 matches allowing 29 goals. Toronto has won just one of its last five matches while battling to a draw in three of those same five matches.
New York City Frontline Carrying the club
New York City FC is fifth in the Eastern Conference standing with a record of 8-3-5, 27 points and a +14 goal difference. New York City FC has scored 30 goals in MLS play through 16 matches for an average of 1.86 goals per match. Although NYCFC was held to a scoreless draw in its last outing on Wednesday, the club scored four and five goals in each of its previous two matches while conceding a total of just one goal.
New York City FC has three wins, one loss and one draw over the last five matches. The club has allowed just three goals over that stretch while scoring 11. Jesus Medina is the leading goal scorer for NYCFC with 7, while Valentin Castellanos and Ishmael Tajouri-Shradi have both scored 6. Maxi Moralez has five assists to lead NYCFC. Sean Johnson played in goal on Wednesday for New York for the first time since June 27 and this season has allowed 11 goals in 10 appearances.
Pick: Draw
This will be the second meeting of the season between the two. On May 15 in the fifth match of the season, these two battled to a 1-1 draw in New York. The two have played very evenly over the last five matches head-to-head with both winning two and one ending in a draw. New York City FC is playing much better at this point in time but will be on the road in Toronto and that will even out the difference as Toronto is once again playing in Canada, which will result in a draw.
Total: Over
New York City FC battled to a nil-nil draw in its most recent outing but scored four goals and five goals in its two previous matches. The total has also finished over the 2.5 goals per match threshold in two of Toronto's last three matches. New York City FC is scoring an average of 1.87 goals per match and Toronto FC is allowing an average of 2.12 goals per match.
