CINCINNATI — In a thrilling start to their postseason campaign, FC Cincinnati secured a narrow 1-0 victory over New York City FC on Monday night during the opening match of their best-of-three first-round MLS Cup series. Luciano Acosta played a pivotal role by assisting Yamin Asad, who scored his first career playoff goal in the 51st minute, propelling Cincinnati to take the lead in both the match and the series, which now heads to Citi Field in New York on Saturday.

Asad’s goal came after he connected with Acosta’s precise pass and directed a powerful header into the net, marking a significant milestone for the player in only his third postseason appearance. For Acosta, this assist marked his third in ten playoff matches, further solidifying his status as a key playmaker for the team.

In goal, Roman Celentano delivered an impressive performance, recording two saves and achieving his third career clean sheet. Last season, Celentano had already established himself in the playoffs with two shutouts in just four starts, demonstrating his consistency by allowing only six goals across his seven playoff appearances.

On the opposing side, Matt Freese, making his first postseason start for sixth-seed NYCFC, managed to save five shots. Previously, his only playoff experience came in 2021 with the Philadelphia Union, where he stepped in for the sidelined starter Andre Blake and faced a challenging match resulting in a 2-1 defeat against Cincinnati.

The first half ended without any goals, with both goalkeepers making crucial saves. This match marked the first-ever postseason meeting between the two teams, adding an extra layer of intensity to the competition.

New York City FC suffered a setback when defender Tayvon Gray received a red card for a foul on Acosta just before the end of second-half stoppage time, leaving the club with one less player on the field.

Earlier in the season, Cincinnati had defeated NYCFC 1-0 at home in March with Acosta scoring the decisive goal, while they faced a 3-2 defeat on the road earlier this month. Acosta shone throughout the regular season, tying for the league lead with 19 assists and contributing a team-high 14 goals, achieving a remarkable total of 33 goal contributions in a single season, which set a new club record.

Both Cincinnati and Inter Miami achieved equal success on the road this season, finishing with 11 victories away from home, thereby equaling the league record for a single campaign.