New York City FC (NYCFC) withstood a second-half comeback by FC Cincinnati to keep their MLS Cup hopes alive Saturday with a nervy 3-1 win at Citi Field.
Alonso Martinez opened the scoring for the hosts midway through a dominant first half, sweeping home after a free-flowing move before captain Thiago Martins doubled the advantage five minutes before the interval with a header from close range.
However, a stunning strike from Luca Orellano with 25 minutes remaining offered Cincinnati a route back into a game they had scarcely been involved in, with NYCFC forced to ride their luck on several occasions before a Santiago Rodriguez penalty eventually sealed victory deep into injury time.
NYCFC came into Game 2 of their best-of-three series knowing that anything but a win would see them bow out of the MLS Cup after a narrow 1-0 defeat in Cincinnati last week. Following a dominant first-half display, NYCFC looked to have wrapped up victory.
They were ultimately lucky to escape with victory, with Matt Freese producing a spectacular save to deny Teenage Hadebe from close range with 10 minutes remaining as Cincinnati pushed for an equalizer.
NYCFC head coach Nick Cushing said he expected a second-half fightback from Cincinnati because they had nothing to lose with one win already secured in the series.
“They’ve got a game in the pocket, so at two zero down, they can put seven players on our back line and just play direct and play for second balls,” Cushing said. “I think we can control the game better with the ball… but I’ve said before in playoff football, you’ve got to absorb pressure, you’ve got to be able to bend but not break, and you’ve got to be able to take the knocks.”
Martinez’s goal was virtually the first chance of a closely fought and physical opening quarter, coming after a slick passing move that saw the Costa Rican striker sweep home after getting on the end of a Mitja Ilenic cutback.
NYCFC was well on top without really creating genuine goalscoring opportunities but deservedly extended their lead on 40 minutes when Miles Robinson miscued a headed clearance from a floated Santiago Rodriguez freekick, leaving Martins with the simple task of heading into the empty net.
The home side struggled to find the same form in the second period but looked in little danger of surrendering their two-goal lead until Orellano took center stage.
The Argentine striker collected a clever flick from substitute Sérgio Santos on the edge of the area before nutmegging Kevin O’Toole and curling a superb shot beyond Freese into the top corner.
That goal sparked Cincinnati into life. They almost completed the turnaround when a Lucas Acosta volley caused a pinball in the penalty area before breaking to an unmarked Hadebe eight yards from goal. The Zimbabwean center-half seemed destined to find the back of the night but was denied by a sprawling Freese save.
NYCFC surrendered a two-goal lead at a Leagues Cup encounter in Cincinnati earlier in the year and looked in danger of repeating that collapse on Saturday night as the visitors continued to push for an equalizer.
Substitute Alvas Powell passed up two glorious chances to level the score with three minutes of normal time remaining, finding himself in acres of space in the NYCFC penalty area on two occasions in the space of 30 seconds but firing his first effort straight at Freese and pushing his second opportunity narrowly wide of the post.
With their backs against the wall, NYCFC was offered an opportunity to seal victory six minutes into injury time when Chidozie Awaziem pulled down Rodriguez in the area. The Uruguayan playmaker dusted himself down and coolly chipped a Panenka passed Roman Celentano to take the series to a deciding game in Cincinnati next Saturday.
NYCFC has lost each of its last four encounters in Cincinnati, including all three games this year, and has not won there since 2021.
Cushing, however, believes his side can take encouragement ahead of Saturday’s decider. He states that there is plenty of room for improvement from their 1-0 defeat in Cincinnati last Monday.
“I think for us, the encouraging part, the bit that we can really hang onto, is that I don’t think we played our best football in that game last Monday,” Cushing said. “We feel that if we have more threat in the game (next Saturday) – if we take those transition moments better – we can potentially create chances and give them more problems with the ball.”
