Nick Cushing believes it’s a must to “take the punches” in an effort to make progress as his New York Metropolis aspect put together for a visit to Toronto FC in MLS on Saturday.
NYCFC have been on a five-game unbeaten run in MLS, profitable three matches in a row, earlier than they misplaced 2-0 to the Colorado Rapids final weekend.
They at the moment sit seventh with 14 factors, however issues are tight within the Japanese Convention and one other defeat might see NYCFC slip additional down the desk.
“While you win a three-game homestand, you’re feeling such as you’re on prime of the world,” Cushing mentioned.
“And you then lose one, and you’re feeling such as you fell off the sting of a cliff.
“This group is on a journey, and it’s making progress. I mentioned three, 4 weeks in the past that progress is disheartening, proper?
“Progress is demotivating, progress is disappointing. You need to take the punches and return and work out the way you proceed to progress and enhance a younger group, a brand new group, to proceed to win soccer video games.”
Toronto are flying excessive within the East, sitting third with 19 factors after placing collectively a three-match profitable run, and are simply 5 factors behind leaders Inter Miami.
Federico Bernardeschi scored twice as they beat FC Dallas 3-1 final outing in MLS, leaving head coach John Herdman to sing the Italian’s praises.
“I actually get pleasure from working with Fede; there are such a lot of completely different layers to him,” Herdman mentioned.
“I requested him to remain centered on his management. As I hold telling him, in case you hold specializing in shaping your management, good issues occur to good management, and the universe turns, and that’s what occurred.”
Takeaways from Sunday’s setback.
— New York Metropolis FC (@newyorkcityfc) Might 6, 2024
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Toronto – Federico Bernardeschi
Bernardeschi (two targets, one help) was concerned in all three of Toronto’s targets towards Dallas final Saturday, making him the primary Reds participant to report three aim contributions in a match since Jacob Shaffelburg in September 2021.
NYCFC – Mounsef Bakrar
NYCFC lead all MLS groups for touches within the opponent’s penalty space per match this yr, averaging 30.2.
Amongst gamers, Bakrar is second within the league behind solely Denis Bouanga (9.5), with 8.1 touches within the opponent’s field per 90 minutes this season (minimal 400 minutes performed).
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
NYCFC have received three straight conferences with Toronto, together with a 2-1 house win on March 16. It’s the first time both group have received three straight conferences within the historical past of the perimeters’ head-to-head collection (26 matches in all competitions).
Nonetheless, NYCFC have received simply certainly one of their 23 away matches in all competitions (9 attracts, 13 losses), relationship again to the beginning of final season, although that win got here in Canada – a 1-0 victory at CF Montreal final July.
In the meantime, Toronto have received 4 straight matches in all competitions after profitable 4 of their earlier 29 in all competitions relationship again to Might 2023. With a win on Saturday, Toronto can equal their factors whole from the complete 2023 season (22). Nonetheless, Cushing’s guests are prone to be aggressive.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Toronto – 32%
Draw – 29.5%
NYCFC – 38.5%
