New York City FC vs Charlotte FC Odds, Spread, and Totals
New York City FC will face Charlotte FC at 7:30 p.m. EST on Saturday in a matchup that holds surprising early-season significance. The teams are tied exactly in almost every…
New York City FC will face Charlotte FC at 7:30 p.m. EST on Saturday in a matchup that holds surprising early-season significance. The teams are tied exactly in almost every category, but NYFC has a one-goal advantage in goal differential, allowing it to sit at fourth in the Eastern Conference while Charlotte trails by a single seed. The result of this game could very well be a part of an important tiebreaker down the road.
Head coach Pascal Jensen has his team playing well to begin the season. A 5-0 shellacking of Orlando City FC put New York's offensive prowess on display behind a couple of goals from Keaton Parks in an early statement, but there has been some cause for concern. The club has beaten up on bad teams, but has struggled against higher levels of competition, notching losses to Vancouver FC and Inter Miami FC. With that context in mind, this game becomes an even more important litmus test to see how NYFC manages to handle a team as solid as Saturday's opponent.
Charlotte is obviously in a similar boat to NYFC, but there are a couple more reasons for optimism for the home team. Dean Smith's squad has hung tough in matchups against the top of the Eastern Conference while absolutely demolishing teams at the bottom, largely thanks to an offense that has displayed excellent passing ability through seven matches. New York is a decent defensive club, but a matchup with it still presents a great opportunity for Charlotte's forwards to convert some of the opportunities they left on the table in other contests in a pivotal matchup.
New York City FC vs Charlotte FC Betting Trends
- New York is 2-1-1 in its home games.
- Three or more goals have been scored in three of NYFC's last five games.
- Charlotte has lost both of its road games this season.
- More than three goals have been scored in Charlotte's last three games.
New York City FC vs Charlotte FC Injury Reports
New York City FC
- Drew Baiera, D - Out.
- Maximo Carrizo, M - Out.
- Alonso Martinez, F - Out.
- Max Murray, D - Out.
- Andres Perea, M - Out.
- Thiago Martins, D - Questionable.
Charlotte FC
- Jack Neeley, D - Out.
New York City FC vs Charlotte FC Prediction and Pick
It is a bit surprising to see New York enter this game at the price they are getting. The club is dealing with a laundry list of injuries and is 0-2-1 in its last three outings. The advantage of playing on its home turf is a big one, but it is not enough to make its money line worth picking. Instead, it is best to take a shot on the underdog. Charlotte has struggled on the road, but it has looked good against good competition and enters as the much healthier team. Take Charlotte to land its first road win of the season.
