On Saturday March 28th NYCFC will suit up for their second home game of the season, taking on Sporting Kansas City.

Form

Sporting KC are quite the anomaly as of late. Footie fans will recognize star players such as Graham Zusi, Matt Besler, Dom Dwyer (just to name a few) and wonder how this team has yet to win a game this season.

It’s not for a lack of trying, though. Sporting KC actually lead the MLS in most shots taken with 45. Kansas City will be hoping to hand NYCFC their first loss of the season, and with the amount of shots and chances being created you figure eventually their finishing will improve.

New York City are top of the Eastern Conference with a win and two draws, but they are flattering to deceive. In two of their three games their opponents have been shown red cards. They have faced 47 shots in total and have come out of these games very lucky to have Josh Saunders playing outrageously well and only one goal allowed.

There were some bright spots, though. If David Villa can shake off his inability to play footie away from Yankee Stadium, the NYC faithful could be in for another man of the match performance (or the cute/annoying Americanism: “Player of the game”).

Jason Kreis has said before this season that he believes this team has the most depth that he’s worked with. That’s quite a claim, considering the meat of this team consists of MLS’s sloppy seconds, a second tier Bundesliga player, and fresh-outta-college rookies. At his most recent press conference Kreis spoke of this game as an “opportunity” for some fringe players who haven’t gotten a chance. Let’s see how they do.

Lineups

Sporting KC (4-2-3-1): Marin (GK), Sinovic (LB), Besler (CB), Opara (CB), Dia (RB), Feilhaber (CM), Nagamura (CM), Nemeth (LM), Anor (CAM), Zusi (RM), Dwyer (ST)

-Kansas City will consider themselves very lucky to have retained the services of Besler and Zusi, as both were omitted from the USMNT squad.

-Espinoza, however, will be absent (Honduras). This will be difficult for Sporting, who have come to rely on his ability to control games in these first few weeks.

-Dom Dwyer has been surprisingly wasteful in front of goal this season, missing easy opportunities. He may have a point to prove and will come out as determined as ever.

NYC (4-2-2): Saunders (GK), Brandt (LB), Wingert (CB), Hernandez (CB), Brovsky (RB), Grabavoy (LM), Diskerud (CM), Jacobson (CM), Calle/Ballouchy/McNamara (RM), Villa (ST), Taylor/Mullins (ST)

-The back line is hard to predict, as both available right backs (Facey suspended, Williams injured) are out. It’s likely Kreis would want to keep his center back pairing the same and switch up the full backs. Yet, it’s possible Wingert goes out to full back (the position he played all of last year) and Watson-Siriboe partners Hernandez.

-With Velasquez injured and Shelton on international duty, right midfield is up for grabs. Ballouchy started the first game of the season there but was largely ineffective. Kreis could bring in Thomas McNamara or keep it Colombian with Calle and his rocket of a left foot.

-Kreis mentioned this week that he wants whichever striker he plays to bring the strength and hold up play that Nemec (gone for Slovakia qualifying) usually provides. Only problem is that no one can do that. Tony Taylor’s biggest asset is his pace and Mullins is more akin to Villa than Nemec. It will be interesting to see what Kreis conjures up.

Final Thoughts

MLS is one of a few handful of leagues in the world that will play competitive footie this weekend. With injuries and key players (Nemec, Shelton, Velasquez, Williams) absent, this will be a test for Kreis and his much heralded “depth.”

Sporting KC will look to jump-start their season and will want to be the first team to beat NYC at the historic Yankee Stadium.

Will the fringe players impress? Will Kreis change his tactics without Adam “I win every single header” Nemec? Will Sporting tick without Espinoza? Can Dom Dwyer score a goal?

We’ll have to wait and see. Either way, this game is one to watch.

How to Watch

Talking about watching, if you live in the Tri-State area you can catch this game on YES (assuming you don’t have DISH).

You can also watch it online, on your tablet, or whatever small screen you have by using the FOX Sports GO app or going to www.foxsports.com/foxsportsgo (if you’ve got Cablevision or TWC).

Kick off at 7pm ET. Let’s see what happens.