A month after settling for a road draw against New York City FC in the Bronx, it is Toronto FC's turn to host the Boys in Blue at the lakeside for a rematch. The match features two teams moving in different directions in terms of recent form, with play-off implications on the line.
Toronto FC's form
Toronto have closed the gap between themselves and the play-offs. Currently riding a season-high three-game unbeaten run, they will try once again to secure back-to-back wins. The game against New York City, the first in a three-game homestand, will be crucial to TFC's play-off hopes.
Should TFC win on Saturday night, they would draw level with NYCFC in points, with tie-breakers still favouring the Pigeons. Depending on the results of Red Bull New York and Orlando City — the two teams between NYCFC and TFC — the Reds could find themselves in a play-in spot with a positive result this weekend.
Toronto's recent push for a play-off berth has coincided with key attacking players being fit and available, Mihailović's one-game red card suspension excepted. While chemistry is still in its early days among the front four of Josh Sargent, Dániel Sallói, Mihailović, and Theo Corbeanu, the attack has been trending in the right direction for the Reds. Sargent is fresh off a midweek selection to the MLS Team of the Matchweek following his key goal against Inter Miami.
.@MLS Team of the Matchday nod for our #9 👏
— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) August 24, 2026
📰: https://t.co/f6ibAuiw24 pic.twitter.com/CFeDUpYafV
Defensively, Toronto have been makeshift but steady and reliable over the past six weeks, and with injuries slowly abating, Robin Fraser will now be afforded the luxury of rolling out his top defensive unit regularly. This is especially so at centre-back, where the pairing of Walker Zimmerman and Benjamín Kuscevic has been convincing if unspectacular.
Central midfield has been a position of concern for Toronto, and moves to bolster it with summer window signings Niklas Dorsch and Nelson Palacio have produced mixed results to date. Palacio has yet to make it onto a TFC match sheet, while Dorsch was off to a fantastic start with the Reds but is currently sidelined after facial surgery to address an injury incurred against Charlotte ten days ago.
With club captain Jonathan Osorio also absent with a knee injury, the heavy lifting in the centre of the park will once again fall to veteran Alonso Coello and promising young Canadian Markus Cimermancic. The latter has been a revelation for the Reds, and had it not been for his own spate of injuries earlier in the year, he might have staked his claim for more playing time sooner.
Robin Fraser is well aware that success on Saturday will require a whole-team effort rather than relying on just his attack or defence to carry the day. After the victory against Inter Miami, Fraser noted: "We do have good attacking players, and we do well in the attacking end of the field, but the key, I think, is going to be our ability to stop teams. New York City is also a very talented team with some very good players, and we have to continue to work defensively and continue to work to be hard to break down."
New York City FC's form
New York City FC currently occupy seventh place in MLS's Eastern Conference with a record of seven wins, five draws, and eight losses, and a healthy goal difference of five based on 35 goals scored against 30 conceded.
However, since their last MLS win over Chicago — 3-1 on 25 July — NYCFC have recorded two draws and two losses. Within this stretch, NYCFC also played three Leagues Cup matches (two losses and one win) for a total of six matches between 6 and 23 August. This heavy schedule with very little rest between matches has been taking its toll, as the team's results have shown.
One of those matches in this gruelling run was a 1-1 draw in New York against Toronto, where Nicolás Fernández Mercau and Đorđe Mihailović traded goals.
New York City goalkeeper Matt Freese has been solid in goal but has been let down somewhat by the team in front of him in August. However, Freese was spectacular for the Pigeons in their last outing, as his penalty save was instrumental in securing their draw with the New England Revolution.
Ice cold in net 🥶❌ @Matty_Ice49 pic.twitter.com/5a65uuxugs
— New York City FC (@newyorkcityfc) August 24, 2026
NYCFC's most influential player, attacking midfielder Nicolás Fernández Mercau, has 13 goals and four assists in 20 matches to lead the New York attack. However, since his penalty goal against Toronto, he has failed to score in three MLS and three Leagues Cup matches.
The Boys in Blue have recently been hit by a wave of injuries not dissimilar to Toronto's experience before the World Cup break. Combined with the aforementioned heavy schedule, New York have been looking a bit weary of late. Summer acquisitions, such as striker Luighi Hanri Sousa Santos on loan from Brazilian side SE Palmeiras, are still being integrated into the squad.
Despite their recent struggles, New York City FC manager Pascal Jansen is not currently under fire or facing any calls for his job, unlike the situation at TFC's previous opponents Inter Miami, who just announced that interim coach Guillermo Hoyos is being replaced by Cristian "Kily" González.
Player availability
New York City FC have a lengthy list of eight players out for the game against TFC. Drew Baiera, Arnau Farnós, Talles Magno, Alonso Martínez, Maxi Moralez, Aiden O'Neill, Kai Trewin, and Hannes Wolf will all miss out due to lower-body injuries.
Toronto FC's injury list is not quite as lengthy numerically, with just four players out. The Reds will have to do without Niklas Dorsch (facial injury), Deandre Kerr (lower body), Jonathan Osorio (knee), and Nelson Palacio, whose absence since his arrival has been listed as reconditioning.
On a positive note, Walker Zimmerman is once again available after sitting out the previous match due to a red card suspension.
Projected XIs
New York City FC (4-4-2): Matt Freese; Nico Cavallo, James Sands, Max Murray, Tayvon Gray; Bénie Traoré, Andrés Perea, Jonathan Shore, Agustín Ojeda; Nicolás Fernández, Luighi Hanri
Toronto FC (4-2-3-1): Luka Gavran; Jackson Gilman, Benjamín Kuscevic, Walker Zimmerman, Richie Laryea; Markus Cimermancic, Alonso Coello; Dániel Sallói, Đorđe Mihailović, Theo Corbeanu; Josh Sargent
Game information and how to watch
⏰ 7:30 pm ET / 10:30 pm PT
📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026
📺 Apple TV
👨⚖️ Malik Badawi
🏟 BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario
