3 questions before NYCFC plays FC Cincinnati in the last game of the Best-of-3 series

The Round One Best-of-3 series is tied between New York City FC and FC Cincinnati. The Orange and Blue won the first match while the Boys in Blue won the second. Therefore, the final game will take place at TQL Stadium, for the Ohio side has the home-field advantage.

There are some concerns heading into the final fixture, which is why there are some questions for Nick Cushing and his squad. They will not be answered until the weekend, but here are some of the questions for NYCFC before the critical playoff match.

3 questions for NYCFC before Saturday

1. Will NYCFC score on the road?

For a good portion of the season, NYCFC had issues scoring, especially on the road. While they did win away from home against the New York Red Bulls, that game was at Red Bull Arena. The Pigeons finished the rest of their home matches at their rival's stadium, where they performed well.

NYCFC has also won four away fixtures in Major League Soccer this season, which is three more compared to 2023. However, that does not negate the road woes that have followed them over the last few years. So, can the Pigeons score at Cincinnati? They could not in the first game in the Best-of-3 series and failed to do so in the game at TQL Stadium in the regular season. NYCFC did score twice in the Leagues Cup, but as everyone knows, the Orange and Blue won 4-2.

Sometimes the Bronx team can only score once when they are on the road. Other times they might score twice, but struggle defensively. Still, NYCFC's road woes mean they often do not score the necessary goals. Whether they can do so on Saturday remains a mystery.

2. Will Matt Freese have another great game?

Matt Freese had a great game last weekend when he made some incredible saves, making four in total. He tends to play well, as seen in most matches. Sure, there are times when he struggles, but Freese has been mostly reliable.

However, can he have another great game at TQL Stadium? He did make five saves in the 1-0 loss in the first fixture of the first round, and allowed a goal in both thus far. The goalkeeper must have a similar performance to keep the Boys in Blue in the match. Although, it would be great for Freese to have a clean sheet.

3. Will Nick Cushing make the right decisions for NYCFC?

One of the big questions for this game surrounds Nick Cushing. Will the head coach make the right decisions? He has been criticized throughout the season, especially with his substitution and tactical choices. Hence, Cushing must be at the top of his game to ensure he provides his players with an opportunity to move on.