Can NYCFC stop Carlos Vela?

LAFC’s Carlos Vela put on a show for the home fans last week in a 4-1 thrashing of the Portland Timbers. His goal and two assists led the way for LAFC in their second victory of the season. In total, he has produced 11 shots in his first two appearances and is the very early leader for MLS MVP.

NYCFC will need to silence Vela in this match if they hope to hold LAFC to at least a point. Once he gets going, Vela is a hard player to stop. If allowed time and space, the Mexican has all of the skill and vision to cause New York serious trouble, especially with all of the other weapons around him.

What makes Vela so dangerous is the presence of players like Diego Rossi, Adama Diomande and Christian Ramirez. They are excellent attackers in their own right, deserving of attention. That drags defenders away from Vela. And the rest is just his magic.

Is NYCFC want even a chance of victory on Sunday, they must somehow slow Vela down. That, sadly, is much easier said than done.