A great weather day in NYC for a game as the home team with a win would take away the league lead, but only for hours should Sporting Kansas City win. Atlanta for their part come in hot, following a 3-0 win over the Battery in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play and a league win 3-1 over the Union, their opponents were down to 9 men.
NYCFC comes in following a 4-0 loss in a Hudson River Derby in the U.S. Open Cup with neither team at full strength. The last meet of these 2 was an action packed 2-2 tie in M/B Stadium with Alex Ring Netting a great goal.
NYCFC in facing Orlando last week tied their record for straight home wins and look to get lucky # 7 today as they have garnered 18 goals while allowing just 2 and only 1 time in the last 11 at home allowing more than one. Atlanta have done well away from home with 4 wins and 1 tie over their last 5 road matches.
Maxi Morales and David Villa have been a potent pairing since last season with 46 chances created for each other, leaving them a dozen ahead of the #2 tandem out of FC Dallas, in NYCFC Maxi is #1 with 118 chances created putting him 34 ahead of #2 VIlla. If the game is half as nice as the weather it will be a terrific one.
