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New York City FC Finish 5th in East, To Play Charlotte in MLS Cup Playoffs

BQE Admin on October 24, 2025

New York City FC fell at Citi Field to the Seattle Sounders on Decision Day, 2-1. (Photos: Noah Zimmerman)

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

The Boys in Blue will enter the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs as the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference following their loss to the Seattle Sounders and Miami’s win over Nashville SC on Decision Day last Saturday. They open the postseason on the road in Charlotte in a best-of-three first round series.

It was a difficult night in Queens for New York City FC, who welcomed Seattle to Citi Field for their final match in Flushing in 2025. NYC were unable to build decisive attacking chances, barely testing former MLS Cup MVP Stefan Frei in the Seattle goal.

Former MLS Cup Final MVP Stefan Frei wasn’t tested much in the Sounders net as he helped see out the 1-goal win.

The match was a physical one, but also tightly called by referee Chris Penso. While no goals were scored in the opening 45 minutes, three NYC players entered Penso’s book in stoppage time, as Kevin O’Toole, Justin Haak, and Matt Freese each received a yellow card.

In the second half, Seattle broke the deadlock from a set piece. Jordan Morris got his head on a ball from point blank range, tucking it into the net. The hosts immediately subbed on three players in Julian Fernandez, Agustin Ojeda, and Jonny Shore, now chasing an equalizer to salvage a point.

NYC captain Thiago Martins pleads his case to referee Chris Penso after a penalty was awarded to Seattle. The call was later overturned by VAR.

A more inspired NYC attack finally broke through with 8 minutes remaining. A shot by Nico Fernandez was nearly blocked, but the ball was redirected into the Sounders net, with nothing Frei could do to keep it out.

Even though they were locked into the West’s #5 seed, Seattle fought hard to regain the advantage. Once again they were able to take advantage of a controversial call (or rather this time a no-call) and scored another header in the 87th minute, this time from Jackson Ragen.

Suddenly, NYC’s playoff seeding was out of their hands, as the final whistle blew soon after the Sounders’ second goal. Luckily they were saved by Lionel Messi, who completed a second half hat trick to defeat Nashville SC and keep New York City in the East’s 5th seed. 

With the standings final, New York will visit 4th place Charlotte FC in the opening round. With Miami’s win over Nashville, the two sides will face off again as the 3rd and 6th seeds. FC Cincinnati will take on the Columbus Crew in a playoff edition of the “Hell is Real” Derby, while Supporters Shield winners Philadelphia await the winners of the Wild Card match between Chicago and Orlando.

The first round matchups will be a best-of-three series, with the top seed hosting the first match and the final game if necessary. NYC will head to Charlotte on Tuesday, October 28 for Game 1 at 6:45pm. Then the sides will meet at Yankee Stadium for Game 2 on Saturday, November 1 at 3:30pm. The final game would be held back in Charlotte on Friday, November 7.

Charlotte will be without star forward Wilfred Zaha for the opening game as he picked up a red card in their final match against Philadelphia. Still, Charlotte holds the joint-best home record in the East, and will be difficult to beat twice in a series where they’d host two games.

Messi Scores Two in Queens as Miami beats NYC

BQE Admin on October 4, 2025

Boys in Blue bounce back with Hudson River Derby win and double over Red Bulls

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

The World’s Borough showed out for Lionel Messi’s first ever match in Queens last week. A crowd of over 40,000 filled Citi Field as New York City FC hosted Inter Miami. It was a pivotal match for Eastern Conference seeding, as NYC mounted an impressive hike up the table, even bypassing Miami (despite them having two games in hand).

NYC entered the match in the East’s 3rd seed with Miami right behind in 4th but still within reach of the Supporters Shield and 1st overall seed due to their extra games left to play.

It’s been a budding rivalry in the conference, with the sides already engaging in some heated contests and fans pitted against each other. It’s no surprise that Messi has caught the attention of fans across the country, especially in an international soccer capital like New York City. It wasn’t surprising to see so many pink #10 shirts mixed into the sea of sky blue NYC gear.

On the field, it was a series of blown chances that cost New York a foothold against the Floridian side. In the first half there were two golden opportunities to score, but a point-blank Thiago Martins header was saved by Miami’s Oscar Ustari and a shot by Nico Fernandez glanced off the wrong side of the post. 

Miami made the hosts pay before the break. Despite being the better side in the first half, NYC went into the half trailing by one after an immaculate assist by Messi to set up Baltasar Rodriguez.

The visitors piled on in the second half, with Messi finding the net himself in the 74th minute. The Queens crowd erupted as fans watched the greatest of all time beat the back line and softly chip the ball over Matt Freese.

Dejected, NYC limped towards the finish line, but Messi and Miami weren’t done. Luis Suarez netted a penalty in the 83rd minute before Messi completed his brace with a beautiful back-post shot just a few minutes later. The four goals scored were the most allowed by NYC all year, dampening what was a brilliant defensive record. It was also the first defeat suffered at Citi Field this year.

Just a few days later, NYC marched across the Hudson River to take on the New York Red Bulls. This time they got out on the front foot early, with Fernandez scoring just 90 seconds in.

Despite the early goal NYC again had trouble converting key chances, allowing their rivals back into the match. Youngster Julian Hall struck back to equalize in the 23rd minute and despite a brilliant header by Andres Perea to reestablish the lead, blown chances kept NYC from decisively pulling away.

Once again New York were punished, as Red Bulls star Emil Forsberg scored in the first minutes of the second half to keep his club’s playoff hopes alive.

Almost 20 minutes later and for the third time in the match, New York City seized the lead. This time it was captain Thiago Martins punching home a loose ball on the goal line after an initial stop on a Perea attempt.

With NYC unable to extend their lead, they looked to see out a tense finish. After 10 minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle finally blew, giving the visitors the win and a league double over their rivals. New York City players lifted the Hudson River Derby trophy in front of a sizable crowd of travelling fans.

The loss marked the likely end for the Red Bulls’ 15-year playoff streak, a Major League Soccer record. They currently sit in 10th, 5 points behind Chicago for the final postseason spot with matches coming up against 2nd place Cincinnati and 8th place Columbus.

For New York City, the season will come to an end at Citi Field against the Seattle Sounders after a road match against the rival Philadelphia Union. Just a few more points will secure a top-4 seed, giving the Boys in Blue a guaranteed home match in the playoffs.

Raul Gustavo lands in New York as City Continue Unbeaten Run

BQE Admin on August 20, 2025

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

In another daring comeback, New York City FC were able to fend off Eastern Conference contenders Nashville SC over the weekend. In Sunday’s clash at Yankee Stadium the Boys in Blue overturned an early deficit to win 2-1, their third win in their last four MLS matches.

Canadian youngster Jacob Shaffelburg caused all sorts of problems in the opening half as visitors piled on shots early. He was finally able to beat NYC’s shotstopper Matt Freese in the 10th minute with a first-time shot, his second goal of the year.

Maxi Moralez had an opportunity to answer in the 16th minute, but his shot was smothered by Joe Willis. Later in the half, Andres Perea finally scored to draw the hosts level with a gorgeous curling shot from the top of the box.

New York’s remarkable defense once again stepped up in the second half. None of Nashville’s three shots made it on target, as Freese enjoyed a tame 45 minutes.

On the other end, New York City’s crafty attackers got to work. Alonso Martinez and Agustin Ojeda produced a number of late chances, with the final one resulting in a goal. Ojeda’s clever run delivered a pass inside the 6-yard box, and Martinez added to his team-best goal tally with his 13th in MLS play.

Alonso Martinez scored his team-best 13th goal of the MLS season to give New York a late win over Nashville (Photo: New York City FC)

The win gives NYC some breathing room near the bottom of the East’s playoff picture, now in 8th with 41 points after 25 games. They are two clear of both Chicago and the Red Bulls with one and two games in hand respectively.

If they’re able to keep the results coming, NYC is in reach of the top three. They sit just 6 points behind both Nashville and Orlando

In other NYC news, center back Raul Gustavo is signing with the club on a deal through 2027 with options for the next two seasons. 

The defender joins from Ferencvárosi TC in Hungary’s first division where he briefly played under current New York City manager Pascal Jansen. Before that he suited up for both Corinthians and Bahia in his home country of Brazil.

Brazilian defender Raul Gustavo is joining NYC on a deal through 2027 (Photo: New York City FC)

“Raul brings a unique background having already been part of City Football Group, during his loan with Bahia in 2023, and his previous work with Pascal at Ferencváros,” said Sporting Director David Lee. “We believe it will help Raul adapt once he joins us in New York City. We’re confident he will strengthen our backline as we enter the final stretch of the season.”

Already a focal point this season, NYC is currently tied for the league’s 4th best defensive record, conceding 30 goals. With nine matches left remaining, time will tell if NYC’s back line can power them to postseason play.

NYC’s First Soccer-Specific Stadium on Track for 2027 Kickoff

BQE Admin on August 20, 2025

By Sofia Montagna

The New York City Football Club’s long-awaited soccer stadium in Willets Point in Queens – the first soccer-specific stadium in the five boroughs – is set to open in 2027, marking a major milestone for both the club and the city. Construction began in December 2024 and is progressing steadily, with steel framework installation underway since June.

“It’s been 10 years in the making, and it’ll be 12 years when the stadium opens from the time the New York City Football Club launched, and so there’s a lot of excitement around it,” said New York City Football Club (NYCFC) Chief Operating Officer Jennifer O’Sullivan.

Councilmember Francisco Moya was one of a few speakers at last year’s groundbreaking event. He was joined by Mayor Eric Adams, Borough President Donovan Richards, and MLS Commissioner Don Garber.

The 23-acre Willets Point project – led by the Queens Development Group in partnership with the city’s Economic Development Corporation – is transforming what was once a long-neglected area with acres of empty space into a new neighborhood. While New York City FC is solely responsible for the stadium, the broader development will include 2,500 units of affordable housing, a 650-seat public school, and 115,000 square feet of public space.

When completed, the overall Willets Point development project is expected to generate $6.1 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years, creating more than 1,500 permanent jobs and thousands of construction jobs, O’Sullivan reports.

A render of Etihad Park, constructed just beyond Citi Field (Courtesy New York City FC)

New York City FC is on track for the stadium to open in 2027, and plans to host “soft openings” and test events ahead of the first major event in Spring 2027. “Construction will probably take us through 2026 and early 2027,” O’Sullivan said. “The hope is that [the stadium] will be open for our season, which generally starts in the Spring.”

The stadium will be more than a home field for soccer. The club plans to host a range of other sporting events – including lacrosse, American football, and rugby – as well as concerts and other large-scale events. “When you have a venue like this, the goal is to try to attract as many large-scale events as you can,” O’Sullivan explained. The club also hopes to one day field a women’s team at the venue and to bring in international teams.

The new stadium is set to open in 2027 ahead of the MLS season (Courtesy New York City FC)

The stadium will integrate New York City FC’s business headquarters and its nonprofit foundation, City in the Community, which delivers free soccer programming for kids. Sustainability is also a central focus: the facility will be the first all-electric stadium in New York, the first all-electric building in Major League Soccer, and only the third all-electric stadium in North America, with solar panels installed on the roof of the stadium.

The project has faced challenges in the past, such as finding the right site and navigating flood zone construction limitations. “We’re in the flood zone. A lot of stadiums will build into the ground, and we weren’t able to do that. So we’ve had to build up, and we’ve had a slight challenge there,” O’Sullivan noted. However, she reported that at the moment, progress on the NYCFC stadium project is smooth. “Everything has gone really well for us on the construction side,” O’Sullivan said. “We’ve been really pleased with how well things have gone so far for us.”

Matt Freese Returns to NYC After Gold Cup Final Start

BQE Admin on July 14, 2025

Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

Matt Freese is making his return to New York City FC as they look ahead to their playoff push. (Photo: Noah Zimmerman, @n.z.media)

New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese is finally returning to the club following an impressive showing at the 2025 Gold Cup. The American shotstopper dazzled despite a loss to Mexico in the final, playing a big role in their path to the cup-deciding match.

In the quarterfinals, the tournament hosts were unable to fend off Costa Rica in regulation, conceding a 71st minute equalizer. In the resulting penalty shootout, it was Freese making a statement to send the Americans through to the semis.

The only penalty he didn’t get a hand to against Costa Rica came from his NYC teammate Alonso Martinez. The top scorer for the Boys in Blue winked at his ally-turned-foe before sending his shot down the middle.

Freese made stops on the second and fifth shots, getting a hand to the third and fourth. Legendary goalkeeper Keylor Navas answered with a save of his own on John Tolkin to extend the match.

By this point, Freese was in the zone. The whole stadium knew what was coming and sure enough he made a definitive stop with Damion Downs converting the winning kick for the US.

Against Gold Cup semifinal debutants Guatemala, Freese was able to see out an early 2-goal cushion. He made four saves, only allowing a goal in the 80th minute against an enthused opponent.

Freese was busy between the posts in the Cup Final against Mexico. He was able to stop 6 of the 8 shots on target, but couldnít do much on the two goals from Raul Jimenez and Edson Alvarez.

NYC’s goalkeeper will return for a pivotal stretch of the season. With 14 matches and the Leagues Cup remaining, Freese will look to help the Boys in Blue clinch a postseason berth and earn more silverware.

Matt Freese Displays PK Heroics in Gold Cup

webadmin on July 3, 2025

By Noah Zimmerman | noah@queensledger.com

Penalty heroics by New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese sent the United States through to the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals over Costa Rica. After a dramatic 2-2 match, the American shotstopper came up with a series of stops in the shootout.

The first to step up was Freese’s teammate Alonso Martinez, the leading goalscorer back in New York. Martinez was calm and collected, winking before slotting his spot kick down the middle. It would end up being the only shot Freese didn’t get a hand to.

Freese saved the second shot, this time diving to his left. On the third he went left again, but his touch couldn’t keep the shot out. Sebastian Berhalter followed that up with the first miss for the US, leveling the shootout after three rounds.

Freese came close to another save to his right, but again wasn’t able to keep the Costa Rican penalty out. This time Alex Freeman converted for the Americans to keep it tied entering round five.

With the game on the line, Freese came alive. With the Minnesota crowd behind him he made his second save of the shootout against Francisco Calvo, who had opened the scoring for Los Ticos from the penalty spot in the 12th minute. This time legendary goalkeeper Keylor Navas answered with a save on John Tolkin to extend the match.

By this point, Freese was in the zone. The whole stadium knew what was coming and sure enough “Matty Ice” pounced to his right for a definitive stop against Andy Rojas. Damion Downs converted the final penalty for the US, ending an enthralling quarterfinal match.

On Wednesday night, the US took the field against semifinal debutants Guatemala. La Azul also advanced in a shootout, stunning Canada in an all-time Gold Cup upset. The other semifinal matchup pinned cup-holders Mexico against El Salvador, seeking their first appearance in the final since 1981. The CONCACAF Gold Cup Final is Sunday, July 6 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Kickoff will be at 7pm on Fox.

Back in the Northeast, New York City FC will be eagerly awaiting the return of their top goalscorer and shotstopper. They sit in the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as the season enters the final 15 matches. There is still plenty of time to secure a postseason berth, but NYC needs to build some momentum quickly in order to secure a top seed.



NY International FC’s Nick Platt to Step Down as Coach

BQE Admin on July 2, 2025

Founder and Head Coach Departs After Leading Lions to CSL’s Top Division

By Noah Zimmerman | noah@queensledger.com

New York International FC founder and head coach Nick Platt has announced that he is stepping down from the position. Under his leadership, the Lions were able to rise through the CSL, coming within inches of promotion to the APSL.

“Whether as a player, manager, board member, club president, social media maestro, carpool captain, equipment supplier, or shoulder to lean on, Nick embodies the spirit of NYIFC better than anyone else,” the club said in their statement last week.

“When there was nobody to fill the head coach role two years ago, Nick said yes without hesitation. In what was meant to be an interim position, Nick instead led the club to the CSL Division 2 title, promotion to Division 1, back-to-back Kilby Cup victories, and a historic APSL playoff which had us on the brink of semi-professional football.” 

To say his time at International was special is an understatement, from success on the field to his tremendous charitable work with the organization. In a CSL game this year, Platt was found wearing a pink tutu on the sidelines as he raised awareness for the club’s charity work with St. Baldrick’s Foundation to battle children’s cancer.

“The first Kilby Cup win was incredibly special. It reaffirmed my belief that the players I had were special and belonged with the very best in NYC,” Platt remarked about his most cherished moments with the club. “The first time I went to EVLovesNYC food bank and soup kitchen was special too. It has always been so important to me that we are community minded and this was a giant step forward in our goal as a club.”

Captain Aaron Forde remarked that Platt was his favorite coach to play under. “His man management is second to none and you can see how much the group respect and admire him,” he said. “He’s helped my progression as a player, I’ve played my best under him, and I can’t thank him enough for everything!”

It won’t be easy for the Lions to adjust to life without Nick on the sideline, though he’ll still suit up for the reserves. Forde is well aware of the looming challenge for their first team.

“The club will lose some great players but we’ll attract some great ones as we always do. That’s down to the culture and spirit Nick has built along with the rest of NYIFC’s management. I’m very happy that Nick is still going to be playing too, it means I won’t be the slowest on the playing squad,” the defender added with a chuckle.

 

New York City FC Extinguish the Fire, Move to 6th in East

BQE Admin on May 27, 2025

New York City FC are starting to put it together. They now hold the 4th best defensive record in MLS as they climb the Eastern Conference standings. (Photo: Noah Zimmerman, @n.z.media)

By Noah Zimmerman

Noah@queensledger.com

Three goals and two red cards gave New York City FC a comfortable win at Yankee Stadium over Memorial Day Weekend. After conceding an opening goal to the visiting Chicago Fire, NYC found the net three times in the second half for a second straight win.

Chicago’s goal came in the 19th minute, a strike by Philip Zinckernagel with an assist by Jonathan Dean. New York left too much open space around the top of the box, allowing for a long-distance shot to settle in the bottom left corner. At the half-hour mark Chicago nearly doubled the lead, but the play was ruled offside.

The defensive task was made easier by a reckless move by Chicago’s Brian Gutierrez. The central midfielder seemed to jump into the body of NYC midfielder Aiden O’Neill, catching him in the face with his elbow. Gutierrez was given a straight red card and Chicago was sent down to 10 men.

NYC capitalized in the second half with a goal by Monsef Bakrar and a wonderful strike by Hannes Wolf. After a controversial second red for the Fire, Alonso Martinez sealed a 3-1 win from the penalty spot. 

The Boys in Blue entered the week 6th in the East. After their midweek match vs Houston they head to Nashville on Saturday before hosting Atlanta on June 12th.

New York City beat Red Bulls in First Hudson River Derby of 2025

BQE Admin on May 20, 2025

NYC avenge their 2024 playoff loss to RBNY at Citi Field

By Noah Zimmerman

Noah@queensledger.com

Justin Haak makes a sliding stop against the Red Bulls. NYC’s defense is among the best so far this season (Photos by Noah Zimmerman, @N.Z.Media)

New York is Blue to start the 2025 season. In their third match at Citi Field, New York City FC picked up a 2-0 Hudson River Derby win over the New York Red Bulls. It’s the first of two matchups this year, with NYC now winners of three straight regular season contests. 

Despite last year’s results, the Red Bulls won the first ever postseason matchup between the two clubs, ending NYC’s 2024 campaign at Citi Field with an identical scoreline. They would go on to the MLS Cup Final, narrowly falling to the LA Galaxy but claiming a second conference championship.

30,000 plus fans came out on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, including a strong traveling contingent of Red Bull fans. Home supporters unveiled a tifo celebrating their 2021 MLS Cup triumph and mocking the visitors’ recent defeat in the final. Both groups were in full voice for all 90 minutes.

New York City fans displayed a tifo poking fun at the Red Bulls MLS Cup Final loss, while bragging about their 2021 title

In the first 13th minutes, the Blues drew first blood. After dispossessing the Red Bulls, a quick series of passes set up Alonso Martinez for a long distance shot. He curled it over goalkeeper Carlos Coronel from beyond the box for his 7th goal of the campaign. Five minutes later, the Red Bulls shot-stopper got the better of the Costa Rican striker, making a stellar save on a breakaway.

NYC went on to double their advantage off of a brutal miscue by Coronel. The goalkeeper mishit the ball, giving it right to Martinez on the edge of the box. This time he laid it off to Maxi Moralez, who dribbled past the keeper and defenders for his first goal of the year. 

Red Bull defenders console Carlos Coronel after the GK’s mistake gifted NYC a second goal

Martinez had one last taste of the goal in stoppage time, but his second long-range strike bounced off the crossbar. Still, NYC’s two goals were their most in a game since a 4-3 defeat to Atlanta in late March.

A stellar City defense made sure to keep the Red Bulls from answering. NYC keeper Matt Freese didn’t face a single shot on target through the first half, comfortably saving the only one he’d face in the second. He finished with his 6th clean sheet of the year.

Birk Risa on the ball for NYC. The defensive line only allowed one shot on goal, an easy save for Matt Freese

With the win NYC finally found themselves back in the top half of the Eastern Conference, just three points from 4th in the East and 6th overall. They’re tied for the 4th best defensive record in the league. The scoring hasn’t come easily, but if New York City start putting the ball in the net more frequently, they’ll become a force to be reckoned with this season.

Up next for the Boys in Blue are clashes with Chicago on Sunday afternoon (5/25) and Houston on Wednesday night (5/28), both at Yankee Stadium. New York City FC will make their return to Citi Field in August when they host the Columbus Crew.

New York City FC beats Cincinnati at Citi Field

BQE Admin on May 6, 2025

Boys in Blue now 2-0 in Queens

By Noah Zimmerman

Justin Haak shields the ball from a Cincinnati attacker

Thiago Martins made his 100th appearance for New York City FC. Photos by Noah Zimmerman

New York City FC returned to Citi Field over the weekend for their second home match in Queens. The Boys in Blue were winners of two of their previous three matches, a 1-0 win at Citi Field over Philadelphia and a 1-0 road win in Toronto. Hunting consecutive wins for the first time since early March, New York hosted Eastern Conference contenders FC Cincinnati.

It didn’t take 10 minutes for NYC to find the net, keeping their foot on the gas from the opening whistle. A deflected centering ball fell kindly at the top of the box for Julian Fernandez, who expertly tucked it into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Wearing the captain’s armband and celebrating his 100th appearance with the club, Thiago Martins was effective on both ends of the pitch early in the first half. He was able to fend off Cincinnati’s attackers while delivering piercing through balls to spring the NYC offense. Just a few minutes after the opening goal, Martins threaded a ball into New York’s attacking third.

Alonso Martinez was brought down inside the box and it seemed like things were going from bad to worse for Cincinnati until his penalty shot bounced off the post and away from the goal. Still, NYC were able to dominate the offensive chances in the opening 45 minutes, forcing goalkeeper Roman Celentano into a number of saves. New York nearly conceded in first half stoppage time, but a headed goal was called offside.

Rather than just sit back and defend, New York kept the tempo up in the second half. Both sides found themselves in good positions to score, but both defenses and goalkeepers were up to the task. The 1-0 score would last the remainder of the 90 minutes as NYC picked up a big win in Queens.

With the win, NYC were able to propel themselves into the top half of the East. Despite a slow start, New York are keeping matches close, with three of their four losses coming in 1-goal games. Through 11 matches, NYC are level on points with Nashville and Orlando and sit in 7th place, a point above New England and two above the New York Red Bulls.

Next week NYC will host CF Montreal at Yankee Stadium and visit DC United before returning to Citi Field for the Hudson River Derby on Saturday, May 17. They will kick off against the rival NY Red Bulls in Queens at 4:30pm.

After the derby NYC will play two more home matches at Citi Field; August 9 vs Columbus and September 24 against Miami. The venue for their final home match on October 18 is TBD.

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