Pascal Jansen is fully confident that New York City’s strength in depth will allow them to keep building on their strong home form against Atlanta United on Thursday.
NYCFC sit 10th in the Eastern Conference with 25 points, going winless in their last two games (D1 L1), but can move into the playoff places if they secure a win against Atlanta.
They lost their last home match 3-0 against the Houston Dynamo, but had won their previous two outings at Citi Field, beating rivals New York Red Bulls and Chicago Fire, scoring five goals in the process.
Despite missing some players due to international duty, Jansen has no doubt that they can pose a threat.
“We have a roster where we believe we can replace these guys [missing through international duty],” he said.
“All the focus, once we finished Nashville [SC], went into preparing the group that will play—building chemistry and cohesion with the players who will now have to start or come on as substitutes.
“Goalkeeper is obviously a big piece, with Tomas [Romero] in instead of Matt [Freese, who received a first United States cap], and a few others [absent too].”
All eyes on Atlanta pic.twitter.com/6cEGAi1KUg
— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) June 10, 2025
Atlanta are three places further down the East than NYCFC, with just 17 points, and have won only four of their 17 MLS games this season.
They had won back-to-back games against FC Cincinnati and Orlando City but saw that streak snapped by the Red Bulls in a 2-0 defeat at the weekend.
Atlanta have already beaten NYCFC this term, and head coach Ronny Deila is focused on improving their defense to get a repeat result.
“We have worked a lot with the defense,” Deila said. “We used the break really well. The boys have been very professional and switched on.
“You have to manage smaller spaces. You have to be quicker on the ball. It’s going to be a more intense game.
“We will get chances, and it’s about eliminating as [many chances] as possible for them.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New York City FC – Keaton Parks
Keaton Parks came off the bench to assist both goals in New York City FC’s 2-2 draw at Nashville SC on Saturday.
Parks is the third NYCFC player to record multiple assists off the bench in a regular-season match, joining Frank Lampard and Khiry Shelton, who each did so in 2016.
Atlanta United – Miguel Almiron
Miguel Almiron has scored four career goals against New York City FC (incl. playoffs), his most against any MLS opponent.
Almiron has scored in each of his last two meetings with NYCFC, including in Atlanta’s 4-3 win when the sides met on March 29.
Second half of the season starts
