New York Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz says pressure is good for players as they prepare to face rivals New York City FC in the MLS Eastern Conference semifinal.

The Red Bulls beat defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew 1-0 in the first of their best-of-three series before edging them 5-4 on penalties in Game 2.

They are playing in the semifinals for the first time since 2018, though it is the first time they are meeting their city rivals in the postseason in their history.

Schwarz acknowledged there was a lot riding on this game but is sure the pressure can bring out the best in his team.

"To feel the pressure as a player and head coach is good," he told reporters. "We need the pressure to bring our best performance and level.

"Without pressure, it's not possible. Now we have this historic derby on Saturday and we're very excited.

"Our main target is to win this game, but our focus is to get a result like we had against Columbus. The last three weeks have been looking at how we can create our best performance for Saturday."

Meanwhile, NYCFC had to come from behind in round one after losing their first match to FC Cincinnati but won the second at home before going through with a 6-5 penalty shootout win in the decider.

Head coach Nick Cushing is delighted to have home advantage for the semifinal tie but says he is not yet thinking about securing the same fate in the next round.

"I've learned over my tenure here as assistant coach and as head coach that the next game is the most important part," Cushing said.

"The whole focus is hosting a playoff semifinal at home. We're really proud that we've done everything to get to this opportunity, but there are many more challenges ahead, and we cannot look further than the first 10 minutes of the game, because that is our main focus.

"And then, through there, we have a game plan and half-time. We're working through this game, and that is our whole focus."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

New York City FC – Alonzo Martinez

Twelve of Alonzo Martinez's 17 goals this season (regular season and playoffs) have been scored in home matches, while Santiago Rodriguez has scored 11 of his 13 goals at home.

Both players found the net in NYCFC's home win over Cincinnati in Game 2 of their first-round series.

New York Red Bulls – Emil Forsberg

Emil Forsberg became the 14th different Red Bulls player to record a goal and an assist in a single playoff match in Game 2 of New York's first-round series against Columbus Crew.

No player has more than one such game in the team's postseason history.

MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK CITY FC WIN

This will be the first playoff meeting between New York City FC and the Red Bulls, but the fifth in knockout rounds in all competitions.

The Red Bulls eliminated NYCFC in each of the previous four knockout round meetings, doing so in the US Open Cup three times and the Leagues Cup once.

NYCFC has won five of their eight all-time home playoff matches, including the last three in a row. All three teams that defeated NYCFC on the road in the playoffs went on to reach the MLS Cup Final (Toronto FC in 2016 & 2019, Atlanta United in 2018).

The Red Bulls' 1-0 win at Columbus in Game 1 on October 29 ended a six-match road losing streak in postseason play for the club. The Red Bulls have won multiple road playoff games in a single season twice before, doing so in 2008 and 2017.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

New York City FC – 46.5%

Draw – 26.5%

New York Red Bulls – 27%

Nick Cushing acknowledged the importance of New York City FC’s supporters at Citi Field for Game 2 of their best-of-three series MLS playoff clash with FC Cincinnati.

Yamil Asad’s only goal handed the Orange and Blue a slender advantage heading into their upcoming encounter, though the Pigeons head coach was confident about his sides chances on home soil.

NYCFC won 10 games at Citi Field during the regular season, with only Inter Miami (11) winning more in the Eastern Conference.

And Cushing believes that his players must start the game well to ensure their home fans generate an “incredible” atmosphere to push them over the line.

“We love playing at home in front of our people,” Cushing said. “I said post-game - irrelevant of what happened in Cincinnati - we're now playing in front of our people, and that is where we play our best football, but we need everybody behind us.

“The players are incredibly hungry. They have a huge desire to win this football game and to make sure that we win the game with our people. They've been amazing all season. I can always go back to the Miami game [this season]. That was incredible.

“It was actually interesting because the Miami game at Yankee Stadium was an amazing game in front of our fans. Our fans delivered so much for us, but the last playoff game I did at Citi Field was also against Miami.

“That was an incredible atmosphere and a good performance from the team. We know that if we play well and we start well we get our people behind us, and that is our aim.”

Pat Noonan, meanwhile, expects another difficult “chaotic” playoff encounter, evident when NYCFC’s goalkeeper Matt Freese was sent up from the back late on to try and steal a point in the opening game.

Cincinnati boasts an impressive record away from home, though, and Noonan said the ending of their previous match was a timely reminder to his players about the aggressive nature of the postseason.

“On Monday, we experienced what it looks like when there is no aggregate, and that’s teams going for it with no repercussions if they concede another goal,” Noonan said.

“We have a one goal lead, and they were going after it. You could see it when the goalkeeper came up at the end. It’s a little bit chaotic, so you must be prepared for it.

“That was a good reminder of what the game can look like when you’re playing with a lead and, on the other side of it, the ability to go after it in a very aggressive way to find the leveller – that was the reminder we needed from that particular game.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

NYCFC – Alonzo Martinez

Since his move to NYCFC in August 2023, Martinez has found home comfort at Citi Field, netting 11 of his 16 goals in the 2024 regular season on home soil.

Along with team-mate Santiago Rodriguez, who scored in 10 of his 12 games at home, the Pigeons, along with Inter Miami (Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez), were the only two teams to feature two different players with 10 home goals this term.

Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

Acosta continued his fine regular season form into the postseason, setting up Asad for the only goal in Cincinnati’s 1-0 win in Game 1 on Monday.

The Argentine has now scored (three) or assisted (three) in six of Cincinnati’s 10 all-time playoff goals.

MATCH PREDICTION: NYCFC WIN

The Pigeons have won five of their seven home matches against Cincinnati (D1 L1), though both of Cincinnati’s games away from home against NYCFC have come in their three visits since 2022.

NYCFC have lost only four of their last 25 home matches in all competitions dating back to late August 2023 (W15 D6). They have won their last two home matches, scoring three goals in each, including a 3-2 win over Cincinnati in October. 

However, Cincinnati, along with Inter Miami, won 11 away matches in the 2024 regular season, equalling CF Montreal’s single-season MLS record set in 2022. They only managed two wins in their last six on the road (D1 L3) though, after winning nine of their first 11 away matches in 2024 (D1 L1).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

NYCFC – 43.7%

Draw – 26.8%

Cincinnati – 29.5%