NYCFC plays the second of three straight home matches as they face Orlando City at Yankee Stadium.
The Boys In Blue are coming off of a 1-0 victory over Montreal that sees them in seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings while the Lions are in third following a 2-1 win over Philadelphia last Thursday.
Team news
The Boys In Blue will be without Heber as he remains absent following a knee injury while Talles Magno also has a knee issue. Sean Johnson and James Sands are still away with the United States for the Gold Cup.
Orlando City is still without Darryl Dike, away with the US Gold Cup squad and the Lions will be without Mauricio Pererya, who is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card midweek. Antonio Carlos, Alexandre Pato and Ruan are all doubts with their injuries.
Predicted lineups
NYCFC: Barraza; Tinnerholm, Callens, Chanot, Thorarinsson; Acevedo, Parks; Tajouri-Shradi, Moralez, Medina; Castellanos
Orlando City: Gallese; Moutinho, Schlegel, Jansson, Smith; Perea, Rosell; Mueller, Nani, Michel; Akindele
Ones to watch
Valentin Castellanos needs to produce as he did earlier in the season when he scored in NYCFC's first four matches. Scoreless in eight, a return to form would go a long way to solidfying the Boys In Blue in the wide-open Eastern Conference playoff race.
With Dike away, Nani is the Lions biggest danger man. He gave Orlando City the lead in the last matchup between the two teams and he operated as their lone striker against Philadelphia.
The Portugese operates in more of a free role and his willingness to roam across the forward line means the hosts' backline will need to keep track of him at all times.
Previous meeting
The last matchup between the two teams was on May 8th at Exploria Stadium with each side earning a point in a 1-1 draw.
Pereyra received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and found Nani, who made a run to the edge of that same penalty area and beat Johnson from there to make it 1-0.
Maxime Chanot deflected a close-range shot by Tesho Akindele away for a corner kick and eventually Taty Castellanos converted from the penalty spot in the 77th minute after Joao Moutinho had fouled Ismael Tajouri-Shradi.
How to watch
The match will be streamed nationally on ESPN+. The YES Network will have all of the action in New York while Fox 35 Plus will carry full coverage in Orlando. Kick-off is set for 6pm Eastern time.