The top seed in the east is a great home team and a good road team. Like you’d expect from a team built by one of Pep Guardiola’s former assistants, they are excellent at controlling space and creating a suffocatingly compact pitch after turnovers. This is easier on a smaller field like Yankee Stadium, but it becomes more difficult on a normal-sized field like the one at Talen Energy Stadium.
And it becomes far more difficult with a passer like Haris Medunjanin at the base of the opposition midfield. The Union will look to attack New York City with intensity after turnovers on Sunday as they see to send a message to the Eastern Conference champs ahead of the playoffs. Medunjanin over the top with smart runs off the wings to get behind the fullbacks will unlock a stingy defense, so expect to see Philly show a greater willingness to give away possession in order to send NYC’s back line into retreat.
Going the other way, Dome Torrent’s team still only inconsistently unlocks the vast potential of their hugely talented attack. Against teams in the lower half of the table, NYC becomes a flat-track bully. But faced with an opponent that has the confidence to attack them, the Pigeons can be opened up and, as a result, are less aggressive going forward. During their nine match unbeaten streak that was ended last weekend by New England, it’s worth noting that New York City’s only road matches were against Dallas, Cincinnati, and Vancouver. They bulldozed the latter two teams but played out a 1-1 draw against the well-organized Texas side.
To control Alexandru Mitrita, Heber, and Valentin Castellanos, Philly needs to be extremely disciplined near the top of their own box. That means holding a consistent line and retreating as a unit — both the back four and the midfield in front of them.
A win on Sunday puts the Union in a good position to participate in Concacaf Champions League next season. Philly can finish as high as second place in the Eastern Conference — the club’s highest-ever regular season finish was third place in 2011 — and secure home field advantage through the Eastern Conference semifinals.
But keep in mind: The Union do not control their own fate. Atlanta United has one more win than Philly, so if the Five Stripes win, there won’t be any movement in the top third of the east.
Philly and NYCFC face off on Sunday, October 6 in 4:00 p.m. ET, live on PHL17.
