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New York City FC should not be playing the third and final match of the Round One Best-of-3 series in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Bronx side should have gotten the job done at home after their first road win against Charlotte FC. Instead, the Crown had other ideas and held the Boys in Blue to a scoreless draw, forcing a penalty kick shootout. And unfortunately, the result went the other blue team’s way, leading to the third and final fixture of this series.
So, this raised the all-important question: can NYCFC win on the road in Charlotte for the second time in a row? History would say probably not, since that win was the first one. The Pigeons’ six road wins in the regular season would say it is possible, especially when one adds the road win in the Best-of-3 series. At the same time, the return of Wilfried Zaha last weekend in the Big Apple made a difference for Charlotte, whereas he did not play the first match.
Additionally, NYCFC struggled against playoff teams in the final three of four games played in the regular season, scoring once and losing all three of those fixtures. Therefore, it is easy to believe that they blew their chance to move on in the playoffs and face the Philadelphia Union in the Conference Semifinals. But the beautiful game is something else. Anything can happen.
What NYCFC needs is for the defensive players to continue their solid work. The likes of Justin Haak and Raul Gustavo have been great with their ability to change where they play. Haak has been in the defensive midfield and in the backline, while Gustavo has played as the left-back and center-back. Matt Freese also has to have a great game, again, and hopefully, in the case of another penalty kick shootout, be more of himself than he was last Saturday.
How to watch the game between NYCFC and Charlotte FC
Date
Time
7:00 PM ET, with an expected start at 7:10 PM ET
How to watch on TV and streaming
The MLS Season Pass via Apple TV, which will be free
How to watch in person
Fans can must travel to Charlotte, North Carolina
How to listen
newyorkcityfc.com/radio or via the NYCFC app
How to follow
If NYCFC supporters cannot watch or listen to the game, then they can follow along via MLS Soccer’s timeline and NYCFC’s X account. Additionally, the club will post updates here and there on Facebook.
Final Notes
Listen, this is it. This could be the final match of the season. NYCFC backed themselves into a corner by not winning at home. In the end, the team and the team alone will be responsible for their fate.