Overview

• New York City FC (7-6-4, 25 points) hosts Atlanta United (4-8-5, 17 points) on Thursday at Yankee Stadium.
• Tomás Romero will make his first MLS start in goal after Matthew Freese joined the USMNT squad for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
• Top scorer Alonso Martínez is unavailable due to international duty with Costa Rica, forcing further lineup adjustments for head coach Pascal Jansen.
• Emmanuel Latte Lath, Atlanta’s leading scorer with five goals this season, will aim to propel the Five Stripes up the Eastern Conference table.
• Despite a 6-3-0 home record, NYCFC has conceded five goals in its last two league matches and seeks greater defensive stability.