Even with so many things lining up nicely for New York City FC, there’s still work to be done.
The goal is to make sure they lock down third place in the Eastern Conference with Sunday afternoon’s regular-season finale against host Atlanta United.
“Everyone is healthy. Everyone is hungry,” NYCFC interim coach Nick Cushing said. “Everybody is really motivated to play these big games and no more than this game around the corner. It’s a really important game for us.”
NYCFC (15-11-7, 52 points) hold a three-game winning streak and would nail down third place in the East with a victory.
Atlanta (10-13-10, 40 points) was eliminated from postseason contention last weekend.
There’s still an eye on what’s to come for NYCFC with a spot in the playoffs already assured.
“We have a fully healthy squad,” Cushing said. “We can give some players who haven’t had much football some minutes and rest players who have played a lot of football.”
Midfielder Alfredo Morales will be back in the lineup for the first time since mid-August after missing time with a lower-body injury, with Cushing figuring he’d like to see if he can log about 70 minutes. Midfielder Keaton Parks might be available for the entire match depending on the workload.
Parks has been building toward full playing time since surgery in late June to remove a blood clot in his right leg.
Atlanta United are more concerned about creating a proper sendoff to the season than disrupting any of NYCFC’s objectives.
“Coming into this last week, I think it’s an opportunity for all the guys to finish out the season on a strong note, a positive note and go into the offseason in a good mood and look forward to next year,” Atlanta midfielder Amar Sejdic said.
There have been good elements of the past month for Atlanta, which is 2-1-1 in its past four games. In home games, Atlanta is unbeaten in its past three (2-0-1).
“I think what needs to be on everybody’s mind is we fell short of our objectives this year, but next year we’re going to come back stronger and better,” Atlanta coach Gonzalo Pineda said. “At times, the results don’t come, but I think that’s the right foundation for what is coming. I think it’s going in the right direction.”
Cushing is planning for a fired-up Atlanta team.
“In front of their home crowd, they will want to finish strongly,” he said. “I think that the whole of Atlanta’s team and crowd will be hugely motivated to finish on a positive result.”
–Field Level Media
