The New York City Football Club’s season is not yet over as the team scored two in the first half and one late penalty kick to hold onto a 3-1 win over FC Cincinnati to force a game 3 in the best of 3 MLS Playoffs. On a night in November that’s finally beginning to show the signs of fall weather, the team jumped out to a much needed early start as Alonso Martinez picked up his first ever goal in an MLS Playoff game on a right footed shot that found the back of the next at the 22 minute mark for an early 1-0 lead. Captain Thiago Martins scored HIS first ever MLS Playoff goal just under 20 minutes later after a header from the right side of the box gave the club the 2-0 lead going into halftime.
As has often been the case this season, the team had challenges in the second half when leading. 20 minutes into the second half the head was cut to 2-1 as Luca Orellano scored on an assist from league assist leader Lucha Acosta with a left footed hot to the outside of the box.A late PK goal by Santi Rodriguez gave NYCFC it’s needed breathing room and the win as the series heads back to Cincinnati for one more go round this Saturday at 4pm.
5 STATS:
1) Last year in the first year of the 3 game format, in the 3 game three matches, the home team won all of them.
2) NYCFC is 2W-3L-1D on the road against Cincy historically, however they’re winless in their last 4.
3) The team’s record is now 8W-2L-2D when Alonso Martinez scores.
4) This game marked the first playoff win for Matt Freese. Previous to this series he had one match, the 2-1 loss to NYCFC then with the Philadelphia Union in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021.
5) A win by NYCFC on Saturday would have them be the home team in a single elimination matchup against their Derby rivals the New York Red Bulls the weekend of November 23. Yankee Stadium will be out due to a Notre Dame/Army football game at Yankee Stadium. Despite Circus Vasquez being set up at Citi Field all week NYCFC would have it’s home match at Citi Field.
About the author – Scott Churchson is the head honcho and occasional toilet cleaner for Stream Punk Entertainment. He’s also been an actor in every way for the past 14 years, from BG to stand in to stunts and principal, a sports writer for the past 4 and is one of the people that created Stream Punk Entertainment. He’s married to a veterinarian, has a cat with three working legs and is just a simple man trying to make his way in the universe.
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