NEW YORK — In an exciting match at Citi Field on Saturday, New York City FC overcame FC Cincinnati with a score of 3-1, forcing a decisive game in their best-of-three first-round playoff series. Alonso Martínez and defender Thiago Martins both found the net in the first half, while Santiago Rodríguez secured the victory with a penalty kick deep into stoppage time. This win allowed the sixth-seeded NYCFC to level the series with the third-seeded Cincinnati, setting the stage for a crucial finale next Saturday on Cincinnati’s home turf.

In the 22nd minute, NYCFC took the lead, thanks to a goal from Martínez, who scored from a pass delivered by 19-year-old defender Mitja Ilenic. This marked Martínez’s first postseason goal in just his second career appearance. Notably, Ilenic made his mark with an assist in his inaugural playoff match, showcasing his talent on the big stage.

NYCFC extended their advantage to 2-0 before the halftime whistle, with Martins scoring unassisted in the 40th minute. This goal was particularly significant for Martins, marking his first playoff goal in five postseason appearances, all of which have been as a starter.

Cincinnati responded in the second half, narrowing the gap in the 65th minute with a goal from rookie Luca Orellano, who received assists from Sergio Santos and Luciano Acosta. This was Orellano’s first goal in the playoffs and highlighted the contributions from Santos, who made his mark after being subbed in just eight minutes earlier. Santos recorded his third assist in 13 career playoff matches, while Acosta recorded his second assist this postseason, adding to his total of four assists over 11 playoff appearances, ten of which were starts.

The match concluded with Rodríguez converting a penalty kick in the seventh minute of stoppage time after being fouled by Cincinnati defender Chidozie Awaziem, marking his second playoff goal in nine career appearances. Goalkeeper Matt Freese played a vital role for NYCFC, saving four shots in his second postseason start, while Roman Celentano, the goalkeeper for Cincinnati, managed to save one shot in his eighth career playoff start.

Notably, Cincinnati had not played at Citi Field, the home of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets, since September 2022, and this match marked their first playoff game at this venue. The dimensions of the field were narrower than many of their usual playing surfaces, which could impact game strategy.