Published by Scott Churchson of Stream Punk Entertainment – NYCFC Adds Late Goal After Nail-Biter, Head Back To Cincinnati at 1-1 (Plus Five Stats)
FLUSHING, NY — 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 three 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.
Alonso Martinez scored his first-ever MLS Playoffs goal in Saturday’s match at Citi Field vs. FC Cincinnati – Image Credit: Diego Abarca/Latino Sports
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, which 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 its needed breathing room and the win as the series heads back to Cincinnati for one more go round this Saturday at 4:00PM ET.
5 STATS:
1) Last year in the first year of the three game format (three game-three matches), the home team won all of them.
2) The team’s record is now 8W-2L-2D when Alonso Martinez scores.
3) NYCFC is 2W-3L-1D on the road against Cincy historically, however they’re winless in their last four.
NYCFC vs. FC Cincinnati with everything on the line in Game 3 this coming Saturday – Diego Abarca/Latino Sports
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 College Football game at Yankee Stadium. With Circus Vasquez at Citi Field all week, the only option left for NYCFC (again, as the home team) would be at Red Bull Stadium.
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