The 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs are back and FC Cincinnati hosts the opening game of its first round, best of 3 series with NYCFC. Due to the new playoff format first introduced in 2023, this game is not a knockout game. Still, the intensity of the playoffs will be there and will provide a chance to start a championship run in full swing.

“It feels different, and it should. And you realize you have to be very connected in every aspect of the game,” Pat Noonan said Saturday morning before Monday night’s game. “At this stage, so many little things become so much more important that you have to get them right.”

FC Cincinnati heads into the playoffs on a winning note after defeating Philadelphia Union 2-1 on decider day, setting an MLS record for away wins in a season. The playoff calendar includes additional free time as the FCC kicks off on Monday night, meaning they have two more days to prepare than the usual week.

The additional time gives Noonan and his staff the opportunity to continue the work done before this game in Philadelphia – work that Noonan said paid off with a strong performance and result.

“We’ve only had a few days to start conversations about some of the things we’re going to do on both sides of the ball, and like leading up to Philly, I think we’ve seen an improvement in the understanding of some of those ideas as we move players around “I’m there to try different things and make sure the guys are prepared to do different things,” Pat Noonan explained. “A lot of times it looks hectic at the end of (playoff) games. And when there is desperation, you see things that you don’t normally see, I think I’ve said that in previous years: players in different positions or very aggressive. “Depending on the score, it’s a very defensive approach, you see that a lot at the end of these games. So everyone needs to be attentive to how the games are progressing (and) to understand how they can affect game late.

FC Cincinnati made it to the playoffs for the third time in a row, winning the opening game in each of those years. With this third straight win, FCC became only the second Cincinnati-based major league professional sports club to make the postseason in three consecutive seasons.

With a win, FC Cincinnati could secure its spot in the conference semifinals if it wins Game 2 at Citi Field next week. If this game is tied after 90 minutes, the winner will be determined by penalty shootout. Last season, FC Cincinnati secured its spot by defeating the New York Red Bulls in PKs in the second game at Red Bull Arena.

FC Cincinnati vs. New York City Football Club – Monday, October 29, 2024 – 6:30 PM ET – Citi Field

Electricity: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Traditional: Fox Sports 1

TV Talent (English, Apple): Chris Wittyngham (PxP), Lori Lindsey (Analyst)
TV Talent (Spanish, Apple): Oscar Salazar (PxP), Jamie Macias (Analyst)
TV talent (English, FS1): Mike Watts (PxP), Tony Meola (Analyst)

Radio (English): Fox Sports 1360

Radio (Spanish): La Mega 101.5 FM

Radio Talent (English): Tom Scholar (PXP), Kevin McCloskey (Analyst)
Radio Talent: (Spanish): Gustavo Luques (PXP), Jose Romero (Analyst)

Be sure to follow @FCCincinnati TwitterInstagram and Facebook for live updates from the game.

The clash with NYCFC will be the fourth time FC Cincinnati have met them this season. FCC emerged victorious in both games at TQL Stadium, but in the final game (a trip to New York) FCC lost 3-2.

In the league game at TQL Stadium on Saturday, March 23, Luciano Acosta scored a goal to give FC Cincinnati a 1-0 win. In his FCC career, Acosta has six goals and four assists against NYCFC.

However, the Leagues Cup game at the TQL Stadium was full of energy and interest as FCC stormed back to claim a 4-2 win after trailing 2-0 with just over ten minutes to play. Yuya Kubo, Pavel Bucha, Yamil Asad and Sergio Santos all contributed to the group stage win.

In the 2-3 loss at Red Bull Arena, Acosta scored a PK in the 69th minute. Corey Baird also scored in the 90th+6. A goal in the minute gave the FCC a last glimmer of hope, but the orange-blues ultimately failed to equalize.

Get ready to experience TQL Stadium like never before! The Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs will be even more exciting with a new synchronized pre-game light show for all fans in attendance! Download the FC Cincinnati app and you can help light up TQL Stadium with your phone. Join us in this amazing experience and let’s make Cincy shine together.

Open the FC Cincinnati app on your mobile device and tap the Light up Cincy Card on the home screen.

Tap the “Accept and Continue” button to agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Click the “Next” button when you hear the announcement in the stadium that the light show is about to begin. This step only works on match day at the stadium.

Click the Enable Microphone button to enable microphone permissions. Microphone permissions are required to activate and synchronize the light show. This step only works on match day at the stadium.

Click the Enable Camera button to enable microphone permissions. Camera permissions are required for light show functions. This step only works on match day at the stadium.

Keep your FCC app open on the Waiting to Sync page and let the show begin! The three buttons allow you to take photos and videos and switch to the rear or front camera of your device. This step only works on match day at the stadium.

Monday Monday – Monday will be only the second game on a Monday for FC Cincinnati since the club joined Major League Soccer in 2019. The only previous game was this season, ironically also against New York City FC, in the 2024 Leagues Cup on August 5th.

Postseason game – Monday marks FC Cincinnati’s 29th non-MLS regular-season game in official competition since joining the league in 2019, its ninth this season. FCC has a record of 13-6-6 in their last 25 games. While Monday’s game isn’t technically an outright win, the club is 7-5-5 (2-3 on penalties) in 17 win-or-loss home games.

Known enemy – On Monday night, FC Cincinnati and NYCFC will meet for the fourth time in 2024, after two clashes in the MLS regular season and the League Cup group stage. Only two times before has FC Cincinnati scored more than four times against a single club in a year, including

They will face the New York Red Bulls five times in 2023 and Columbus Crew four times in 2020. Depending on the outcome of the first-round best-of-three series, FCC and NYCFC could meet in competition six times this calendar year.

Rotation – In 42 games across all competitions participating in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, FC Cincinnati has not repeated a positional lineup once. In fact, the same 11 players – regardless of position – have not played in the same starting XI once this season. And there was rotation, especially in defense. There was no defensive line (three central defenders, two full-backs) for FC Cincinnati that played together positionally more than twice. Only once did these defenses play together unchanged in consecutive games (July 6 vs. Inter Miami CF; July 13 vs. Charlotte FC).

Snubbed – Surprisingly, Luciano “Lucho” Acosta was not named a finalist to repeat as Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player this season. Acosta had more goal contributions in 2024 than in 2023, setting a single-season club record with 33 goal contributions (14 G, 19 A).

This is the first time FC Cincinnati and NYCFC will meet in the MLS Cup Playoffs, but these two teams have little familiarity with each other in cup competition in recent years. The two met earlier this season in the Leagues Cup, where FCC emerged victorious, and again in the US Open Cup in 2023, where FCC also won 1-0 at Yankee Stadium.

NYCFC missed the playoffs in 2023, but made it in each of the previous three seasons and won the MLS Cup in 2021. 2023 was NYCFC’s first season since its inaugural year in 2015 in which they failed to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs.

The New York squad was led offensively this season by two outstanding players. Santiago Rodriguez was the engine of the attack, starting 32 games and scoring 12 goals and 10 assists. Costa Rican star Alonso Martínez leads the team with 16 goals despite starting just 19 games this season. The international had a breakout season in 2024 after playing just 30 minutes last season, but only joined the club in August following a move from Alajuelense.

In goal for NYCFC is standout goalkeeper Matt Freese, who, although not a finalist for Goalkeeper of the Year, was on the shortlist for most of the season. Freese started every regular season game for NYCFC this season and only failed to play all 90 minutes of a game once when he was sidelined due to injury. He made 121 saves and conceded 45 goals, for a save rate of 72 percent.

Defensive midfielders James Sands and Keaton Parks were instrumental in NYCFC’s success in 2024, each completing over 87 percent of their passes. Defenseman and designated player Thiago Martins (who goes by the nickname “Thiago”) leads the team in passes, with 2,034 passes completed and a completion rate of over 90 percent.

Head coach Nick Cushing is leading NYCFC in his third year as top boss at the club. Prior to his appointment as manager in 2022, he served as an assistant at NYCFC from 2020 to 2022. However, Cushing is a long-standing member of the “City Football Group”, the organization that includes NYCFC and, in particular, Manchester City in the English Premier League. Prior to his appointment in the United States, Cushing was head coach of Manchester City’s women’s team from 2013 to 2020, which is his only other coaching role.

The last time NYCFC and FC Cincinnati played each other, New York used a 4-2-3-1 formation, but varied this shape at times. In their last game, a 2-0 loss to CF Montréal, NYCFC used a 4-3-3 formation and continued to use a 4-4-2 formation as recently as September. When NYCFC came to Cincinnati in March, they mostly used a 3-4-2-1 formation, but have mostly abandoned that, having only resorted to it once since March 31st.