3 things we learned from NYCFC's win over FC Cincinnati to move on in playoffs

Some people might not have thought New York City FC would have been in the MLS Cup Playoffs a few months ago.  Some might have thought FC Cincinnati would have beaten the Pigeons easily, but that was not the case as the two entered the final game of the First Round Best-of-3 series.

NYCFC struggled in the first match because they could not find the back of the net in the 1-0 loss.  However, they turned things around in the second, winning 3-1 and controlling most of the fixture.  The win at home forced the third game back in Ohio, and the Pigeons knew they had to put up a fight to win against a talented Cincinnati side.

Truthfully, NYCFC struggled during the game.  They did not score but kept the Orange and Blue out of the back of the net as well.  When the whistle blew after 90 minutes, the teams were tied 0-0.  As a result, they went straight into a penalty kick shootout.  It was crazy and took nine rounds, but NYCFC won 6-5.  Mitja Ilenič scored the winning goal to send the Pigeons into the Conference Semifinals.

Although this was not the best game offensively, the Bronx side played well enough defensively to force the penalty kicks that led to the win.  Here are three things we learned from the deciding first-round game between NYCFC and FC Cincinnati.

3 things we learned from NYCFC's Best-of-3 series win

1. The penalty kick shootout was insane

Nobody scored in regulation, so NYCFC and Cincinnati went into the penalty kick shootout.  Most thought it would be a regular shootout, but it was far from that.  It was absolutely insane and probably one of the crazier penalty kick shootouts the Bronx side was a part of. 

The first five rounds were typical, for both NYCFC and Cincinnati converted four of their kicks while each goalkeeper, Matt Freese and Roman Celentano, made one save each in the fourth and fifth round respectively.  Thiago Martins was the first Pigeon to not make his penalty kick.

Both teams then made theirs in the sixth round, but the seventh, eighth, and ninth saw five straight misses.  Some were saved while a couple went over the bar.  Kevin O’Toole and Andrés Perea could not find the back of the net from their spot kicks, but Cincinnati opened up the door for Ilenič to win the game for NYCFC.  The right-back did so, which is why the Boys in Blue are moving on.

Still, it was crazy that five straight penalties were taken and missed.  That does not occur often.  Sure, a goalkeeper can make multiple saves, but usually, it does not happen with both keepers.  Freese fortunately did enough to keep NYCFC in the shootout and was slightly better than Celentano.  This will undoubtedly be a shootout that fans will remember for a long time.

2. Matt Freese continues to shine for NYCFC

There is no question Freese is why NYCFC is moving on in the playoffs.  He made five saves in the first match and four in the second.  Then, in regulation of the final fixture, the goalkeeper made four saves against Cincinnati, earning a clean sheet. 

The home team had a stronger offensive performance, so without the NYCFC star, the Pigeons might have lost in the 90 minutes played.  Instead, Freese and the backline did enough to keep the game level 0-0.

Then, in the shootout, he made three saves while one shot went over the goal.  His ability to guess where players were going and his quick reactions led to the stops.  He was at the top of his game and fully focused.  Between the saves earlier in the game and the stops in the shootout, Freese proved to everyone that he should have been nominated for the Goalkeeper of the Year.

3. NYCFC will officially play the New York Red Bulls

Technically, the game ended in a draw, but NYCFC won the match via the penalty kick shootout.  As a result, they will play against the New York Red Bulls in the Conference Semifinals.  The next round will return to the single elimination format, so the Pigeons will only play their rivals once.  It will be the first time the Hudson River Derby occurs in the playoffs, so this will be a must-win game.

Moreover, NYCFC will host the match since they finished in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and the Red Bulls in seventh.  Since there is a college football game the weekend of the next round, the game will take place at Citi Field on Saturday, November 23.  This is probably a good thing since they won the first home playoff game there against Cincinnati.

One can assume that the belief that they can win must be spreading like wildfire.  They upset the Orange and Blue and also destroyed the Red Bulls in the last meeting.  NYCFC might have a chance of making the Conference Finals.