NYCFC vs Club Necaxa preview: Last game of Phase One in the Leagues Cup | OneFootball

It was not shocking that New York City FC lost to Cruz Azul S.A. de C.V. in the second match of the Leagues Cup over the weekend.  As such, it is highly likely that they are out of the tournament; the other teams just have to play to confirm this.  With so many teams ahead of the Pigeons in the standings, it already makes the fixture against Club Necaxa meaningless. Some matches might have gone the team's way, but it is still a far-out chance that they can move on with a win.

Alas, NYCFC still must play their third game of the Leagues Cup, and they could possibly win this matchup.  The Mexican side has lost all of their matches already, while the home side has won and lost one.  But it all depends on who starts and whether Pascal Jansen wants to risk his starters.

The head coach has to keep in mind that they will play on Sunday, next Wednesday, and the following Sunday.  With all of that congestion in Major League Soccer and with all of the injuries to the squad, that should be the route the team should go.  Nevertheless, fans will have to wait to see what Jansen decides to do.

Not everyone will agree with this opinion, but nothing is on the line. There is a game to play, though.  Here is the preview of NYCFC’s match with Club Necaxa.

NYCFC vs Club Necaxa preview

Date

NYCFC and Necaxa will play one another on Thursday, August 13.

Time

The game will start at 7:30 PM.

Location

The fixture will be in Harrison, NJ at Sports Illustrated Stadium.

How to watch

Supporters can watch the game on Apple TV.

Weather

It should be a nice night for any fans attending the match.  It will be around 83 degrees at kickoff and partly cloudy.  There will be a breeze with winds blowing around 6 to 10 mph.  Humidity will be about 50%, and there is no chance of rain.

Injury report

No injury report has been released from the Leagues Cup.  As such, it is expected that Drew Baiera (leg), Arnau Farnós (leg), Raul Gustavo (leg), Mac Learned (leg), Alonso Martínez (leg), Thiago Martins (leg), Maxi Moralez (leg), Aiden O’Neill (leg), and Kai Trewin (leg) will remain unavailable.

Players to watch

NYCFC fans should watch Jansen.  Again, it is unknown which direction he will go when it comes to the starting lineup and who he plays.  At the very least, it is expected that there will be some rotation.  Maybe players like Matt Freese and Nicolás Fernández Mercau could rest and not play at all.

Fans should watch Julián Carranza on Club Necaxa.  If his name sounds familiar, then that is because the forward played for Inter Miami CF and the Philadelphia Union.  While he has not scored double-digit goals outside of two of his seasons with the Union, he has had a solid start to the Liga MX Apertura this year.  He has scored three goals in three games, making him more threatening than usual.

Prediction

While the game means nothing, it is not a bad idea to be positive.  That is why the prediction is that NYCFC will beat Necaxa 2-0.  Both goals will come in the first half, with the Mexican side playing slightly better in the final half hour.