New York City FC will face the New York Red Bulls for a place in the Eastern Conference final after a 6-5 penalty shootout victory over FC Cincinnati.

In a shootout during which five spot-kicks were missed, Mitja Ilenic kept his cool to slam home and get NYCFC over the line after a 0-0 draw in Ohio.

Cincinnati, last season's Supporters' Shield winners, had the better of the chances at TQL Stadium, though NYCFC did have a goal disallowed midway through the second half, with Alonso Martínez having been flagged offside.

But Nick Cushing, who this week insisted he wanted to stay at NYCFC amid reported interest from Arsenal Women, saw his team get the job done in dramatic fashion.

NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese, who made a crucial save to deny Luca Orellano on the half-hour mark, looked set to be the hero until his counterpart Roman Celentano thwarted Thiago Martins.

Freese's save from Gerardo Valenzuela then sparked a remarkable streak of five straight missed penalties, with Kevin O'Toole denied by Celentano, Chidozie Awaziem and Andres Perea blazing over, and Teenage Hadebe kept out by NYCFC's shot-stopper, before Ilenic finally showed how it was done.

NYCFC will now go up against their city rivals next week, while Cincinnati must lick their wounds heading into the offseason.

Data Debrief: Away form a concern for Cushing

While New York can celebrate making the Conference semi-finals, they have now won only one of their last 15 away games in all competitions.

Indeed, NYCFC have won just five of their last 41 road matches in all competitions since the start of the 2023 season.

Their meagre 0.28 expected goals (xG), compared to Cincinnati's 1.13, across the 90 minutes showed they were largely outplayed, and Cushing will be glad next week's semi-final will take place on home turf - with NYCFC the sixth seed, whereas the Red Bulls are the seventh.

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%

Nick Cushing is relishing the “underdog” title put on his New York City FC side as they prepare for their first-round playoff tie against FC Cincinnati.

The Pigeons finished the regular season with a 2-0 defeat to CF Montreal but had already confirmed their spot in the postseason with an impressive victory over rivals, New York Red Bulls.

Cushing acknowledged his side could have finished further up the Eastern Conference rankings, but said his team have shown positive signs they can compete in the playoffs.

“Whether we are the underdog or not, we always fancy ourselves,” Cushing said. “I have huge belief in every guy in that dressing room, and they have huge belief in each other.

“We’ve had some disappointing results and that’s why we sit where we do in the league. The most consistent teams are at the top, but we have also shown a positive reaction to those difficult results.

“For us, it’s about taking the positives. We have always done that. We have always faced up to the areas we need to improve and have always fronted the disappointment.

“We’ve had some top games against Cincinnati, and we’re confident we can put performances in, and we’re motivated for the end.”

Cincinnati, meanwhile, ended the season third in the division, finishing their campaign on a high with a triumph over the Philadelphia Union away from home.

The Orange and Blue have struggled for continuity within their squad in the regular season, with coach Pat Noonan forced to play 42 different line-ups in all 42 matches across all competitions.

Noonan deployed winger Luca Orellano, who has been shortlisted for MLS Newcomer of the Year, as a striker, with the Argentine impressing in that role.

And the Cincinnati boss believes that Orellano can make an impact in a more central role, but said improvements were needed for the visit of NYCFC.

“Yeah, there was a bit of risk in that," Noonan said of starting a player in a new position in such an important matchup. 

"If you're looking at our goal threats, as far as personnel and who's contributed pretty consistently, it's been the three that were up top today, with Lucho, Yuya and Luca.

"There were still a few moments where I think he could have been more patient. But, for having not played in that specific role up to this point, I thought he did a good job."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

Acosta has been the standout player for Cincinnati during the regular season, with his 30 goal contributions in the MLS the highest in the division (level with Lionel Messi and Evander).

He has recorded 13 goal contributions in his career against NYCFC (six goals, seven assists), including contributing to eight goals in his last five MLS matches against the Pigeons (four goals, four assists), contributing to at least one goal in each of those games.

NYCFC – Alonso Martinez

Martinez has scored eight goals in nine appearances since the MLS returned from the Leagues Cup break in August, tied with Messi and Luis Suarez for the most goals in the league in that time.

The Costa Rican has scored one goal against Cincinnati in his three appearances against them, but has only won one match against the Orange and Blue (L2).

MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN

This will be the first postseason meeting between Cincinnati and NYCFC. The Pigeons defeated Cincinnati in the last meeting between the two sides, after the Orange and Blue had won the previous five fixtures in all competitions.

Despite being favoured by Opta’s data-led simulations, Noonan’s side won only one of their final six regular-season home matches (D1 L4), including losing the last two in a row at TQL Stadium. Cincinnati had lost six of their previous 39 home league games before losing four of the last six.

But NYCFC have struggled away from home. They won only one of their final 13 away matches in all competitions (D6 L6) dating back to June. That run included a 4-2 loss against Cincinnati in the group stage of the Leagues Cup in August.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

FC Cincinnati – 46.9%

Draw – 26.4%

NYCFC – 26.7%

Nick Cushing said his New York City players must use the pain from recent results to progress as a team when they head to the Lower.com Field to face Columbus Crew this weekend.

The Pigeons returned from an impressive Leagues Cup display with a 2-2 draw against Chicago Fire but were left disappointed with the result after squandering a two-goal lead to share the spoils thanks to Brian Gutierrez’s late penalty.

NYCFC are now without a win in the MLS in their last five fixtures, with Cushing describing the mood in the dressing room as “flat” following their latest setback.

Despite their run of form, Cushing’s side sit fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, and he is looking for his team to show character during the difficulties they are experiencing.

“In the good moments you realise you are making progress, and you are maturing and learning in that side of the game,” Cushing said.

“In the side of the game we are strong we are building the play and pressing the game, the other side of the game that experience gives you and going through those moments gives you.

“Progress is really difficult in the moment, but we have to make sure this isn’t every four weeks. We have to take the pain and I have said this before that tough times make top teams.”

Columbus returned to MLS action in midweek after their Leagues Cup success and continued their winning momentum with a 1-0 win over Philadelphia Union, a team they beat in the semi-finals on their way to the title.

They ended an almost nine-year losing streak at Subaru Park, with substitute Yaw Yeboah coming off the bench to strike the decisive blow in the 75th minute.

The Crew moved to within two points of second-placed Cincinnati with the victory and have the comfort of two games in hand, but head coach Wilfried Nancy has a difficult task in navigating their hectic fixture schedule.

Only Malte Amundsen and Sean Zawadzki kept their place from their Leagues Cup triumph over LAFC, with Nancy acknowledging the fighting spirit of his players, with special praise for Yeboah’s patience this campaign.

"They are human beings," Nancy said. "We cannot minimise the fatigue of the body and of the brain. They were exhausted, simple as that.

"What a game. This is a winning team, but the fact that everybody was involved, and we were able to start with a few guys and, after that, to finish with other guys, and they kept the level great (though) everybody was tired.

"To be a player, it's a beautiful job, but it's not easy. Sometimes you play, sometimes you don't play. But the idea was to be honest with him and to tell him the situation. When the moment would come, I knew that he was able to help us win the game."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Columbus Crew – Cucho Hernandez

Cucho Hernandez has found a place he can call home at the Lower.com Field, and his comfort on home soil has been replicated in his sensational contributions up front.

He has been involved in 20 goals in 17 home matches in all competitions in 2024 (14 goals and six assists), totalling 14 goal involvements in his eight matches at Lower.com Field since the beginning of June (nine goals and five assists).

NYCFC – Alonso Martinez

Alonso Martinez was on target in NYCFC’s last match against Chicago Fire, scoring twice in the same match for the third time this season.

Only Spanish great David Villa and Valentin Castellanos (both three times) have recorded more multi-goal games in a single campaign in club history.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

Columbus are unbeaten in nine straight home matches against NYCFC in all competitions (W6 D3 including a penalty shoot-out win in this year’s Leagues Cup quarter-final). The Pigeons' only win in 13 visits to Columbus was a 3-2 victory in April 2017.

The Crew have lost only one of its last 37 home matches in all competitions (W25 D11) dating back to May 2023. They have won seven of their last nine matches at Lower.com Field, culminating in their Leagues Cup Final win over Los Angeles FC on Sunday.

NYCFC conceded in the 78th and 94th minute in their draw with Chicago Fire last time out, marking the first time in club history that they have failed to win a match that they led by multiple goals in the 75th minute or later (previous W85 D0 L0).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Columbus Crew – 64.5%

Draw – 19%

NYCFC – 16.5%

Nick Cushing believes his New York City FC side are in a good place as they seek to improve their form on the road against Chicago Fire this weekend.

NYCFC are winless in their last three games away from home, with their latest defeat coming against Austin FC last time out as Gyasi Zardes’ double cancelled out Andres Perea's early strike.

The result leaves them in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, a point behind rivals New York Red Bulls ahead of the upcoming Leagues Cup break.

Despite their recent loss, Cushing’s side have impressed on home turf and is happy with the moment his players find themselves at an important stage of the season.

“I think the upcoming games are important because I think everybody in the league sees the League Cup break as a natural marker in the season,” Cushing said. “You then focus on the Leagues Cup, and then you've got the run in through until the end of the season.

“I think the only way that we have to approach it is to improve the performances from the previous games. The Austin game was vastly improved compared to the Nashville and the LA Galaxy game.

“We dominate the game, we control the game, we showed a real maturity in when to have the ball and when to go out and counterattack. We created many chances, but we just fell on the wrong side of the result.

“We have to take the positives out of the performance and we have to improve in the areas where we don't get the result and ultimately that is executing in the final third. We missed chances that we created and we gave two moments that in this league you will be punished for.

“We have to fix that fast. Whether it is understanding whether it is mentality, I think this group is in a good place."

Chicago Fire, meanwhile, suffered a third defeat in four games at the hands of San Jose Earthquakes, leaving them precariously close to the bottom of the Eastern Conference table.

Just four points separate seven teams at the wrong end of the standings, with the Fire guilty of squandering several opportunities to put important points on the board.

It was the seventh time this season that Chicago have failed to score in a game. No team has failed to do so more often in the MLS this season.

Head coach Frank Klopas acknowledged his side’s wastefulness in front of goal, insisting his players need to find that clinical edge moving forwards.

“For me, the staff and the players, it felt like a missed opportunity for us to go and pick up points,” Klopas said.

“It was probably not a game that we came out with the highest intensity of energy. I think both teams had a little bit of a slow start. We did create opportunities, but again conceded one goal.

“We created enough to come away with points. It’s disappointing because it was an opportunity with the results around us for us to pick up some important momentum and gain some ground on teams.

“We missed that opportunity. We don’t always make it easy on ourselves when those chances come and we can’t let too many more of those slide away because the season is running out.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Chicago Fire – Hugo Cuypers

Hugo Cuypers has scored in each of his last three MLS appearances at Soldier Field and will be brimming with confidence ahead of facing NYCFC.

No Fire player has had a longer single-season home scoring streak since Nemanja Nikolic scored in four straight home matches to end the 2017 campaign.

NYCFC – Tayvon Gray

Tayvon Gray continued his influential displays for NYCFC in the final third, notching his fifth assist of the season in their win over Philadelphia Union.

Only two MLS players have more assists this season without having a secondary assist (San Jose’s Cristian Espinoza — 10, New York Red Bulls’ Dante Vanzeir — six).

MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW

Heading into the encounter at Soldier Field, NYCFC hold the better head-to-head record from their previous meetings with Chicago, having lost just three times in their 20 all-time fixtures (W11, D6), including going unbeaten in their last five encounters (W4, D1).

Chicago, however, will have confidence in front of their home supporters. Of the 15 points they have taken from NYCFC, 13 have come at home (W3, D4, L2).

The Fire have won back-to-back home matches after a six-match winless run at Soldier Field from mid-April to the end of May. Chicago scored six times in their two home wins after scoring only twice in their previous six games at home.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Chicago Fire – 35%

Draw – 26%

NYCFC – 39%

Rumba Munthali believes his Nashville SC side are in a good spot ahead of Saturday's clash with New York City, having continued their climb up the standings by beating Toronto FC 2-1 in midweek.

Sam Surridge's 90th-minute strike handed Nashville their second win in their last four MLS matches on Wednesday, and they now sit eighth in the Eastern Conference.

Interim boss Munthali has overseen a resurgence since taking over from the fired Gary Smith last month, and he is excited by the chance to keep it going against NYCFC.

"It's really good to pick up more points and move up the standings," Munthali said. 

"I thought the guys showed some heart and had a good second half and deserved to win.

"Now we just have to talk to our staff, make sure the guys are in a good place for Saturday in the space we have and hopefully again have good performances."

Nick Cushing's visitors sit six points clear of Nashville in fourth place, though they have lost ground on those above them by recording back-to-back losses.

Having gone down 3-2 at home to the Columbus Crew last week, they were beaten 2-0 at the LA Galaxy on Wednesday.

Cushing knows acclimatising to different conditions on their travels is somewhere his team can improve, saying: "We made changes, but we've got a squad that allows us to make changes.

"If you want to be a consistently winning team, a team that is successful in MLS, you have to cope with travel and time zones and all of those things, the heavy schedule too."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Nashville SC – Sam Surridge

Surridge scored both of Nashville's goals in their midweek victory over Toronto, his third match with two or more goals in MLS.

Of Surridge's nine MLS goals, seven have arrived in the three matches where he scored more than once (one hat-trick, two braces).

New York City – Santiago Rodriguez

Rodriguez led NYCFC on Wednesday with five shot involvements (two chances created, three shots attempted), extending his team-leading shot involvements tally to 95 for the season. 

If he maintains his lead, he will have led the team for shot involvements in each of the last three seasons, joining David Villa (2015 to 2017) as the only NYCFC players to do so in three straight campaigns.

MATCH PREDICTION: NASHVILLE SC WIN

The home team has not lost any of the four all-time meetings between these teams, with Nashville winning both of their home games and NYCFC recording a win and a draw on their own turf.

New York's 2-0 defeat to the Galaxy last time out was their fifth shutout defeat of the year, tied with the New England Revolution and Orlando City for the joint-most in MLS.

Nashville, meanwhile, have only lost one of their last seven regular-season games (three wins, three draws), and are chasing their first pair of consecutive wins since May-June 2023.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Nashville SC – 44%

New York City – 29.2%

Draw – 26.8%

Nick Cushing is looking forward to New York City FC's next home game against San Jose Earthquakes on Friday and asks the fans to "build an atmosphere".

NYCFC are on a four-match winning run and beat derby rivals New York Red Bulls 2-1 in their most recent outing at Citi Field.

That run means they sit in third in the Eastern Conference and are eight points behind leaders Inter Miami.

NYCFC have the opportunity to close the gap to second place with Cincinnati not in action this weekend, and Cushing is hopeful the fans can give the team an added boost as they try to maintain their recent winning streak.

"I love playing in front of our fans," Cushing said.

"I love playing at home. It is the last game before we get a bye week and an international break, and it's Friday night under the lights.

"The Red Bull game was amazing because of the atmosphere, the crowd, the amount of fans we got in, and the way that we played.

"We just want to make sure that we deliver a performance every game that makes people want to come to the stadium. A performance that makes people excited and makes them want to make a noise and build an atmosphere.

"We encourage fans to be super noisy for us because it helps us. We want to keep adding wins. I'm excited, and I want to make sure that we start the game in a way that makes us really work together – ourselves and the fans – and then go and get another win."

San Jose, meanwhile, sit second from bottom of the Western Conference, eight points off a playoff spot.

They have not won any of their last three outings, though their last win did come on the road when they beat Colorado Rapids 3-2 on May 12.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

NYCFC – Tayvon Gray

Gray has recorded the assist on the winning goal in each of NYCFC's last two matches.

It is the first time in his career that he has recorded an assist in consecutive MLS matches as he had recorded just one assist in his previous 33 games dating back to September 2022.

San Jose Earthquakes – Cristian Espinoza

Espinoza recorded his eighth assist of the season in San Jose's draw with Austin on Saturday, setting up a goal for Jeremy Ebobisse.

Ebobisse is the seventh different player Espinoza has recorded an assist for this season – the only player he has set up twice is Amahl Pellegrino.

MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK CITY FC WIN

New York City have won five of their six all-time meetings with the Earthquakes (D1), including the last four in a row. NYCFC has scored multiple goals in all five wins, including scoring 10 times in their home matches against the 'Quakes (all wins).

Indeed, NYCFC have won seven of their last eight matches (L1), including the last four in a row, and could equal the longest regular-season winning streak in club history (five straight in 2019).

Meanwhile, San Jose have won only two of their last 48 regular-season road matches against Eastern Conference opposition (D11 L35) dating back to May 2012. The Earthquakes have managed to draw each of their last three road matches against Eastern teams, including a 1-1 draw at Nashville in April.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

NYCFC – 59.5%

Draw – 21.2%

San Jose Earthquakes – 19.3%

Nick Cushing hailed the togetherness demonstrated by New York City FC as they look to continue their impressive form against a struggling Philadelphia Union.

The Boys in Blue endured a poor start to the MLS season – losing four of their opening five matches – but have tasted defeat just once in their last seven.

Last weekend's 3-2 victory over Toronto FC was New York's fourth in five matches, and Cushing saluted the character shown by his squad in recent times.

"We're training incredibly well," he said. "Our intensity and our culture is excellent at the moment.

"I'm so proud of the team because if you look at the way the bench celebrated the third goal [against Toronto], these are guys there that really want to get on the field.

"The way they celebrate for their team-mates and for the team shows me that [togetherness]."

Despite their impressive form, though, NYCFC face a potential banana skin in Philadelphia, who have prevailed in each of the last five meetings between the Eastern Conference sides.

"They are a really hard team to get results against, especially there [at home]," Cushing added. "There's an opportunity there for us, but we have to prepare well."

The Union are without a win in five matches – losing three – and have been beaten in each of their last three on home soil.

Jim Curtin's side had started the season with a seven-game unbeaten run, and the head coach has urged his players to draw inspiration from that as they bid to turn their fortunes around.

"I'm a big believer that you can make your own luck," he said. 

"We've shot ourselves in the foot quite a bit in recent games, played from behind quite a bit, had to chase games and put a lot into them, and we get punished.

"We have to stick together as a group and find a way to tighten things up. We're on a really bad stretch here, but we know we're capable of going on unbeaten streaks already like we've had this year.

"We have to turn it around, and we can't feel sorry for ourselves."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Philadelphia Union – Daniel Gazdag

Despite Union's recent struggles, Gazdag has been in fine form – scoring in three straight home games, though they have all ended in defeat.

The Hungary international is the first player to score in three successive home matches but appear on the losing side each time since Colorado Rapids' Kei Kamara in 2019.

New York City FC – Hannes Wolf

Wolf set up two of NYCFC's three goals in their victory over Toronto FC last time out.

The midfielder became the first Austrian to claim at least two assists in an MLS game after Daniel Royer (2020), Andreas Ivanschitz (2016) and Andreas Herzog (2004).

MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK CITY FC

New York have won four of their last five matches, scoring multiple goals in each of their victories.

They had only scored two or more goals once in their opening seven games of this season.

Meanwhile, Philadelphia are currently on the longest losing home streak in their history, having lost each of their last three at Subaru Park.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Philadelphia Union: 49.7%
New York City FC: 22.8%
Draw: 27.5%

The morale in New York City FC’s squad is good, so says coach Nick Cushing, as his team aim to extend their winning streak when they take on the Colorado Rapids.

NYCFC have won their last three MLS games, and are unbeaten in five, heading into Saturday’s fixture.

It is their final game of a five-match home run, with Cushing’s team up to sixth in the Eastern Conference.

"The morale is really good," Cushing said. "As a coach, you like it when the mood is happy and vibrant and everybody is flying but you also want to make sure the feet are on the floor and the eyes are facing forward.

"We looked at the performance [against Charlotte FC], and I agree we have to score more goals. The process of scoring more goals was about how do we create more chances. I think now we're in a place where it is about how do we score more of the chances we create.

"The aim is to make sure that we prepare ourselves well so that we get ourselves mentally to a place where we can perform well and control the game against a really difficult Colorado team.

"We know they’re going to press and be aggressive. The area of development for the team is to take the chances we create and score goals and continue to be an attacking team.

"Every time we’re hard to play against we give ourselves a chance of winning. When I look out at the guys on the training field I see hungry guys."

The Rapids, meanwhile, are sixth in the Western Conference.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

NYCFC – Santiago Rodriguez

Rodriguez assisted on New York City FC’s stoppage-time winning goal on Saturday, his sixth goal contribution of the season (four goals, two assists), all at home. Since the start of last season, Rodriguez has recorded 15 goal contributions in 22 home matches compared to four in 19 away matches.

Colorado Rapids – Rafael Navarro

Navarro is the Rapids’ leading scorer this season, with four goals in MLS. All of those have come from his right foot, with Navarro averaging a goal every 201 minutes.

MATCH PREDICTION: NYCFC WIN

Colorado’s four-match unbeaten run ended last week with a 2-1 loss at FC Cincinnati. The Rapids are winless in their last nine away matches against Eastern Conference opposition in all competitions (D3 L6).

NYCFC have won three straight regular-season matches for the first time since the last three matches of the 2022 season. NYCFC had managed only two wins in their previous 10 matches dating back to the end of last season.

NYCFC are unbeaten in six all-time meetings with the Rapids (W3 D3). The Rapids are one of two teams (San Jose Earthquakes) NYCFC have played more than three times and never lost against.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

NYCFC – 52%

Colorado Rapids – 21.1%

Draw – 26.9%

Nick Cushing is pushing for more as New York City bid for a third successive victory against Charlotte FC at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. 

NYCFC are eighth in the Eastern Conference standings after back-to-back 2-0 home wins over the New England Revolution and D.C. United, having gone four unbeaten (two wins, two draws).

Their consecutive wins have come after a run of just two victories in their previous 10 (three draws, five losses), but Cushing does not want his team to stop there.

"I think the three-game run is something that we have a huge desire to achieve," Cushing said.

"I said after the game in the locker room, it has been a long time since we've gone back-to-back. It's been too long, really, since we went back-to-back, so it's good to enjoy that after the game.

"Now we have the opportunity to do a three-game run. We have to make sure we do that before we think about anything else."

Charlotte have gone the opposite way in recent weeks, losing two of their last three games to leave them behind New York on goal difference.

Former Aston Villa boss Dean Smith acknowledges they need to show more in the forward areas after averaging just one goal per game in 2024. 

"That's certainly an area where we need to be better, I think we all know that. We've been working on it for the last three or four weeks," Smith said.

"I think defensively we've been really solid. In terms of our creativity, we've had some big chances that we haven't taken. 

"Last week [in a 3-0 loss to Minnesota United] there were some moments we didn't take as well, technically we just failed on that."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

New York City – Santiago Rodriguez 

Rodriguez recorded a goal and an assist in NYCFC's win over D.C. last week and now has four goals and one assist this season, with all of those involvements coming at home. 

Since the start of last season, 14 (seven goals, seven assists) of Rodriguez's 16 goal contributions in regular-season matches have come at home.

Charlotte FC – Ashley Westwood

Charlotte have failed to score in two of their last three games, and a lack of creativity has been a theme of their campaign to date.

Captain Westwood leads all Charlotte players for chances created this season, with 13, and he could be key if they are to hit the goal trail. 

MATCH PREDICTION – NEW YORK CITY WIN

Charlotte are unbeaten in five all-time meetings with New York (four wins, one draw), including a 1-0 win over them in the teams' season opener on February 24.

The Crown are the only team NYCFC have faced more than once in MLS play and never defeated, but that may just change this week.

New York have won back-to-back matches to nil, a major defensive upturn after they managed just one clean sheet in their previous 10. Charlotte, meanwhile, have only earned one point from four road games in MLS this year, losing their last three in a row. 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

New York City – 51.8%

Charlotte FC – 21.1%

Draw – 27.1%

Emma Hayes has been backed to do an “incredible” job as United States women’s team boss by old rival Nick Cushing, who is making his own mark across the pond with New York City FC.

It is four months since it was announced that the 47-year-old would be calling time on her medal-laden time as Chelsea at the end of the season to become a national team manager.

Hayes will be returning to the country where she began her coaching career at the start of the millennium and will likely bump into one of the few managers to have dented her domestic dominance.

Cushing currently coaches Major League Soccer side NYCFC having previous led Manchester City for six years, including beating Chelsea to the 2016 Women’s Super League crown.

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“She’s incredible about what she does,” he said. “I loved fighting with her – we fought every weekend and every season for those trophies.

“I think she’ll do an incredible job. I think if I was going to hire, I would’ve hired her because she’s the best in the women’s game by far.

“Her record speaks for itself but also her ability to manage, her knowledge of the game.

“I do believe you’ll see her in the men’s game at some point. That’s my opinion. I think she’s capable and I think in time people will see her capability.

“I think she’ll be successful in the US women’s national team and then she will have almost conquered the women’s game.”

Cushing is full of admiration and praise for Hayes, whose outstanding work at Chelsea restricted him to a still impressive haul of six trophies in as many years with City.

They were tussling for the WSL title again before the 39-year-old left during the 2019-20 season to become assistant manager of fellow City Football Group side NYCFC.

They won the MLS Cup the following year and Cushing was promoted to head coach in 2022 following an initial spell as Ronny Deila’s interim replacement.

“If you give me my time again and give me a crystal ball, I would be a football player every time,” the NYCFC boss said. “10 times out of 10.

“But when you don’t get the ability to be a football player and then you invest your time at 19 to becoming a coach, you get to the point where you’re at 39 where you probably should be in the first two years of your coaching.

“But you’ve got nearly 20 years of working at academy level through all ages, then the women’s game.

“I didn’t pick my journey but if I could change anything I probably wouldn’t change much of what I’ve done.”

Cushing wants to kick on in his second full season in charge at NYCFC, who continue the new MLS season at St Louis City having narrowly lost their opener at Charlotte FC.

The 39-year-old says he is driven by a desire to keep up with successful CFG stablemates and clearly wants to take his career as far as he can, having risen through the ranks since joining City as a schools coach in 2007.

“My ambition is to work at the highest level of the game,” Cushing said when asked about the potential of one day managing boyhood club Everton.

“Every time I have gone up, I’ve never felt out of my depth and felt like it was a challenge greater than what I have capable in my character.”