Lionel Messi is making his first-ever MLS appearance at Yankee Stadium and NYCFC are looking to turn things around in matchup
New York City FC will host Lionel Messi's Inter Miami in a highly anticipated Eastern Conference matchup at a likely sold-out Yankee Stadium this Saturday afternoon. However, manager Nick Cushing and leading midfielder James Sands have no intention of being welcoming hosts.
"The team is very excited for the game, obviously, knowing that there's going to be a capacity crowd is something that is really unique," Cushing told GOAL. "It's a one-off occasion, in the sense of knowing that the atmosphere is going to be amazing. Playing against the team that is leading the league is going to be a difficult game, but the team is really motivated for the challenge."
As it stands, Miami stands alone atop the Eastern Conference and in the race for the regular season title, but Cushing believes his squad has what it takes to secure a victory in front of their home fans, shrugging aside Miami's starpower as look to race for a home playoff spot.
Sands is ready for the challenge, too, as he believes he can help lead his squad to victory in front of their home fans – whom he believes deserve that type of showing. This matchup could be critical towards securing the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference.
"The fourth and final playoff spot is still a goal for this group," Sands told GOAL. "The results recently have not gone our way, and you know, have made that goal a little bit more difficult, but we're still definitely aiming for that."
Ahead of Saturday, Sands and Cushing spoke with GOAL about NYCFC's playoff ambitions, stopping Messi and what the club's mentality will be this weekend as they look to lock-in for the remainder of the regular season.
Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGettyPreparing for the Herons
In their second meeting of the regular season, NYCFC are ready to embrace the challenge of taking on MLS' best team at the moment.
"We're well aware that they're a really strong team," Cushing said. "They've got some incredible players. We played them earlier this year, where we played very well, we got a point away from home."
Cushing is referring to NYCFC's 1-1 draw against Inter Miami at Chase Stadium on March 30. Messi didn't play that match due to a hamstring injury and Sergio Busquets also missed the contest, but Luis Suarez played and scored and it was still a pretty competitive match from both sides. Knowing they have experience against most of Miami's roster gives the club some confidence.
With Inter Miami at full strength, Cushing recognizes the threat that they bring, but the Pigeons are planning on going into the match like any other game: with the mentality of focusing on what they can control, and how they can control it.
"I think, for the players and for the staff and for the team as a whole, to put ourselves against the best team in the league, against players of this caliber, and it's a huge opportunity to show the progression we've made as a team,” Cushing said.
With just five matches left in the regular season, every single point is crucial, Saturday presents an opportunity for Cushing's side to get back to winning ways after not securing three points since July 3 against CF Montreal.
AdvertisementIMGANPlayoff ambitions
As things stand, sit fifth in the East, narrowly trailing arch-rivals New York Red Bulls in fourth. For NYCFC, the goal and ambition is to claim that spot and make it theirs, and the first step towards attaining that is three points on Saturday.
"We know that we're three points off four, but we also know that the teams below us are chasing us. We haven’t managed to win lately, but also, the teams around us only pick up so many points. So for us, it's about being really optimistic and understanding what the goal is," Cushing said.
While Inter's stars are well-known, the manager believes NYCFC have to be on the front foot to secure a potential upset.
"Attacking the opposition is something that we saw as a goal at the start of the season, and fourth place is still available, it’s three points away," he explained. "This game is a home game, so for us, the opportunity to finish in a strong lead position is still there. It's still a huge ambition of ours, and it's something that drives us."
Sands, meanwhile, also recognizes the opportunity, and hopes that they can seize the moment and make it their own. The 24-year-old is ready to reward the NYCFC supporters with a memorable performance, one he believes they deserve after their support throughout the campaign so far.
"I think the fans have been incredible all year. So, you know, as players and as a team, we want to reward them with a home playoff game."
ImagnFormula for success?
In order for NYCFC to win, they will need to rely on an area where they feel they have an advantage: physicality.
“I think, for us, imposing our strength, and this one is around having the ball, creating role chances," Cushing explained. "We know that when we play with intensity and when we dominate the ball, when we get the ball into the opposing half…when we're offensive and when we attack space and when we attack the opposition of numbers in the box, we can create many chances, big chances."
He added, "For us, it's about being ourselves attacking Miami, but understanding that they are going to put us under pressure, and we have to be able to absorb that pressure. We have to be able to defend the game well…we have to call out those mistakes [by Miami].”
Sands, meanwhile, is restless. He's ready for what's to come, and wants to take on from the opening whistle, while steering his side back to winning ways.
"Results have not really been what we've wanted recently, but we know we have a lot of quality. In each of the games where we dropped points recently, we felt good about a lot of parts of our game, but obviously, that unfortunately doesn't get you three points always." the midfielder shared. "So I think for us, it's about putting in a complete performance. I think everybody's feeling good [and] feeling up for it."
IMGANTackling the moment
Miami's last regular season loss was July 6, a match they played without Alba, Suarez and Messi – while Busquets was forced into central defense due to availability and injuries. They've been in stunning form since, unbeaten in their last six; five of which have been victories.
"I think we all know that it's going to be a very difficult game on Saturday," Sands revealed, sharing his thoughts ahead of the fixture. "Anytime you face a team with players like Messi or Suarez or Busquets, you know you're going to have your work cut out for you"
"That’s the part of the game that we all enjoy, and you know, as a leader of the team, it's my job to make sure we're locked in, we're ready to go and hope that the moment, it's not too big for us, because we know we have a lot of quality as well."
NYCFC might have strong individual talents like Sands, Alonso Martinez and Santiago Rodríguez, but they haven't able to put it together in a cohesive way. The team has had a roller coaster season and are mired in another regular slump, coming off of a 5-1 defeat at home against the Philadelphia Union.
Cushing shared how "disappointed and hurt" they felt after the result, but instead of looking at previous setbacks, they've turned it to fuel ahead of Saturday, using it as motivation to prove themselves against an elite opposition.
"For us, it's about not catastrophizing the situation," Cushing said. "We have to take our chances. So as a team, you know, there's a huge desire, a huge hunger and determination to make sure that we put the result right for our fans on Saturday."
Now, the biggest match of the season so far awaits, there is no longer room for error. need to put forth their best performance of the season, and by doing so, they'll put themselves in a good spot in terms of the playoff standings, but also show the rest of MLS that they are no pushover.
"We're really excited for the chance to test ourselves, and the chance to get three points at home, in front of our home fans," Sands said.