Toronto FC will undoubtedly be glad to be back home at BMO Field in a couple weeks after a difficult and winless stretch of games since MLS resumed after the 2026 FIFA World Cup break. Before that though, is a date at Yankee Stadium with New York City FC this Friday.
TFC were hard done by in their 2-1 loss last Saturday vs. D.C. United at Audi Field. Questionable officiating decisions left Toronto head coach Robin Fraser and his squad frustrated by the outcome. Alas, TFC must put that result behind them and prepare themselves to face an NYCFC side that are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference.
Pascal Jansen’s NYCFC
The boys in blue have put together a respectable first half of a season and sit at seven wins, six losses and four draws — totalling 25 points which is tied with Charlotte FC who sit in sixth.
New York’s last three results consist of back-to-back 2-1 defeats at the hands of Nashville SC and Columbus Crew followed by a 3-1 victory over Chicago Fire last weekend.
The clear star of the squad this year has been Argentinian attacker Nicolás Fernández. The former San Lorenzo youth product leads the team with 12 goals. It’s no question that the offence runs through Fernández. Although Fernández plays in a more advanced midfield role, you would think he is a striker with those stats.
Other dangerous players include winger Agustín Ojeda – he has recorded five goals and five assists in 17 starts and Sierra Leonean winger Malachi Jones. Toronto fans may remember Jones because he scored his first professional career goal at BMO Field in a 3-2 victory for NYCFC. That match itself was entertaining, but it was the scuffle between teams afterwards that caught the eye of everyone that follows MLS. Jones suffered a broken leg in June 2024 that kept him out of action for almost two years. He returned to play this April and scored his first goal of the season last week vs. Chicago.
In late June, New York signed 23 year-old Ivorian striker Bénie Traoré from Swiss club FC Basel. Traoré is on their roster as a Designated Player and his contract runs through the 2029-30 season. Traoré gives head coach Pascal Jansen more structure in the squad now that he has a natural striker to play in the absence of injured forward Alonso Martínez who continues to recover from a ruptured ACL.
NYCFC will be missing a lot of personnel for the game due to injury, something TFC fans know a lot about.
In addition to Martínez, Jansen is without defenders Drew Baiera, Raul Gustavo, Kevin O’Toole and Kai Trewin, midfielders Maxi Moralez, Aiden O’Neill and Keaton Parks.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese was named as a 2026 MLS All-Star but is expected to be back with the squad for this fixture. On that same note, TFC Canadian international defender Richie Laryea will also be making his first MLS All-Star appearance and Fraser expects Laryea to play this Friday.
“It’s two good teams. They play a version of a 4-4-2, we play a version of a 4-4-2, and I think you’ll see a lot of interesting movements in the midfield,” Robin Fraser told reporters, including Waking The Red, on Tuesday.
“I think they’re very fluid in how they attack, and for us, it’s going to be about making sure that defensively we communicate well and we deny certain things. Then on the attacking end, it’s how do we find moments to find space on that small field? I think it’ll be a good matchup. I think it’ll be a good game.”
Dorsch finally announced as a Red
On Tuesday, Toronto FC officially signed 28 year-old German defensive midfielder Niklas Dorsch. Dorsch fills a much needed position that TFC desperately had to cover. Now, it is assumed that Fraser may play a different formation when Dorsch starts matches, along with having his desired starting XI available.
Related Read: Toronto FC ‘lucky’ to add Niklas Dorsch, German midfielder available to play immediately: Fraser
Tune in to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Projected lineups
New York City FC: Freese; Cavallo, Martins, Sands, Gray; Perea, Fernández, Shore, Jones; Traoré, Ojeda
Toronto FC: Gavran; Laryea, Zimmerman, Monlouis, Gilman; Coello, Osorio; Sallói, Mihailovic, Corbeanu; Sargent