NYCFC Advances to MLS Eastern Conference Finals
Perhaps Maxi Morales should consider adopting a new nickname: Union Buster.
The 38-year-old midfielder for New York City FC netted his sixth career goal in a tense match against Philadelphia on Sunday night. His solitary score allowed the club to move on to the MLS Eastern Conference finals, achieving a surprising 1-0 victory over the Union in Chester, Pennsylvania.
This win comes in the wake of a string of injuries affecting NYCFC, including the loss of their leading scorer, Alonso Martinez.
While NYCFC appeared to be in decent shape, they only managed three shots on target throughout the game and had a narrow 51-49 advantage in possession. Morales’ goal marked his team-leading sixth in this postseason.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese had a stellar performance, stopping all five shots thrown his way.
This victory sets up a showdown between NYCFC and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, who triumphed over FC Cincinnati 4-0 that same evening, paving the way for NYCFC’s second chance at an MLS Cup. Remarkably, they’ve reached the Eastern Conference Finals in three of the last five seasons.
Morales found the net 27 minutes into the match. After NYCFC got into a rhythm, Agustín Ojeda moved the ball to Nicolás Fernández Mercau, who quickly passed it to Morales. The midfielder made a daring run toward the net and slipped the ball past Union keeper Andre Blake.
NYCFC nearly scored again in the 38th minute, but Ojeda’s close shot was saved by Blake, who was having a busy night.
Despite being the top team during the regular season and swiftly defeating the Chicago Fire in the playoffs’ first round, the Union wasn’t ready to concede easily.
Ty Baribeau received a well-placed pass from Danly Jean-Jacques and had an opportunity to score, but thankfully for NYCFC, his shot went just wide.
Freese saved another critical shot just before halftime and made another impressive save in the 75th minute, denying Frankie Westfield’s attempt at the near post.
“We expected this,” NYCFC head coach Pascal Jansen remarked during the Apple TV broadcast. “Philadelphia tends to play a very physical game, so we aimed to control the ball.”
Despite being short two key players, NYCFC made a strong statement about their fight and spirit in Philadelphia. During a pre-match photo session, Martinez proudly held the jerseys of both himself and Andres Perea, who is sidelined due to a lower leg injury.
Martinez shared several supportive social media posts, including one that read, “Thank you brothers,” accompanied by a photo of the team holding up its shirt.
The last time NYCFC managed to beat the Union in the playoffs was back in 2021, during their pursuit of their first MLS Cup.
