FC Cincinnati v. New York City FC 2025 MLS Regular Season - Matchday 30 Date: Saturday, August 23, 2025 | Kickoff: 7:40pm ET Location: TQL Stadium | Cincinnati, OH Television: MLS Season Pass Radio (English/Spanish): New York City FC App | Tune In App newyorkcityfc.com/radio
HEAD COACH PASCAL JANSEN
MIDFIELDER ANDRÉS PEREA
NEW YORK CITY FC HEAD COACH PASCAL JANSEN
Thoughts on FC Cincinnati... “FC Cincinnati is a very good team and had a great start to the season. I remember we played a good game against each other when they came to New York City [on Matchday 11]. So, we're looking forward to playing this game in Cincinnati as well. It's obvious that they are a good team. However, they've been somewhat struggling in the past few games...Then they got back together [and bounced back] the last game against Portland [Timbers], if I'm not mistaken. We have to make sure that we keep them in that spot and try to get that level of play that we did in game one.”
NEW YORK CITY FC MIDFIELDER ANDRÉS PEREA
On playing as a midfielder again and if playing as a winger benefited him... "The time I played on the wing helped me a lot in that [midfield] position. It helped me develop and have a better feel of that offensive side and now, going back to midfield, I feel very comfortable. It’s my natural position. Starting a little further back, helps me develop and show what’s most important and what makes me a professional footballer, which is my transition play. I’ve trained in many positions. I’m a player who can play in several positions, both defensive and offensive, and I think the most important thing is to help the team wherever it needs me. But to answer your question: yes, definitely playing on the wing helped me a lot in the offensive part, in developing that side that I didn’t have, and now, being back in midfield, I feel happy, content, and I will try to do the best I can."
Sobre volver a jugar como mediocampista y si el tiempo como extremo le benefició… “El tiempo que jugué en la banda me ayudó bastante en la posición de extremo. Me ayudó bastante para de pronto desarrollar y sentir un poco más esa parte ofensiva. Ahora, volviendo a la mitad del campo, me siento también bastante cómodo. Es mi posición natural. Arrancando [la jugada] desde un poco más atrás, creo que puedo desarrollar, mostrar lo más importante, y lo que me hace jugar al fútbol profesional, que es mi transición. He venido trabajando bastante en muchas posiciones. Soy un jugador que puede desarrollar varias posiciones, defensivas como ofensivas, y creo que lo más importante es ayudar al equipo en lo que más lo necesite. Pero para responder tu pregunta: sí, definitivamente jugar en la banda me ayuda mucho en la parte ofensiva, en desarrollar esa parte que no tenía. Y ahora, volviendo a la mitad, me siento contento, feliz y tratar de hacer lo mejor que pueda hacer.”
10, NINE...MATCHES TO GO New York City FC has less than ten matches remaining in the regular season and sits in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 41 points through 25 games played.
During the 2025 season thus far, New York City’s record is 12-8-5 with nine more matches to play. They’ve recorded 36 points in wins, and five points in ties. They’ve scored 36 goals thus far.
The team in seventh is Charlotte FC with 44 points. Charlotte has played 27 matches, with New York City having two games in hand.
The team in ninth place is Chicago Fire FC with 39 points. Chicago has played 26 matches, with New York City having a game in hand.
This season, New York City FC has faced ten opponents who were ranked above them in the MLS standings at the time of the match, and 14 opponents who were ranked below them. Their opening match against Inter Miami CF is not included, as neither team held a higher position in the standings at that point.
Against opponents ranked above them in the MLS standings when entering the match, New York City FC holds a record of 6-2-2. They’ve scored 13 goals, conceded eight and recorded four clean sheets.
Against opponents ranked below them in MLS standings when entering the match, New York City FC holds a record of 6-6-2. The Club has scored 21 goals against these opponents, conceded 20 and recorded three clean sheets.
The team's record at home stands at 9-3-0, with 21 goals scored.
The Club's away record is 3-5-5, with 15 goals scored.
New York City FC is unbeaten in four matches with a record of 3-0-1, which is their longest streak of games without a loss this season.
They have been unbeaten over three matches this season two times this year:
From their 2-1 win against Orlando City SC on March 8, 2025, to their 0-0 draw with the Columbus Crew on March 22, 2025.
From their 0-0 draw with D.C. United on May 14, 2025, to their 3-1 win against Chicago on May 25, 2025.
During the current streak, the team earned road wins over Orlando City SC (2-1) and FC Dallas (4-3), a home win against Nashville SC (2-1) and tied away at Sporting Kansas City (1-1).
In all three of these victories New York City overcame deficits: They were down 1-0 against Orlando, 2-1 and 3-2 against Dallas, and 1-0 against Nashville.
This season, New York City has scored 36 goals and allowed 30, for a goal differential of plus six.
New York City has the second-fewest goals conceded in the Eastern Conference with 30 goals conceded.
They have the third-fewest goals conceded in the league, tied with Los Angeles Football Club and Minnesota United FC.
Nine current players have scored, including team leading goal-scorer Forward Alonso Martínez (13 goals), Midfielder Hannes Wolf (nine goals), Midfielder Maxi Moralez (two goals), Forward Julián Fernández (two goals), Midfielder Andrés Perea (two goals), Defender Mitja Ilenič (two goals), Defender Kevin O’Toole (one goal), Midfielder Keaton Parks (one goal) and Midfielder Jonathan Shore (one goal).
One own-goal was received from Orlando City SC Defender Kyle Smith.
The following players have game-winning goals this season: Martínez (seven goals), Wolf (two goals), Fernández (one goal), Moralez (one goal) and Ilenič (one goal).
Martínez is now tied with Moralez for the third most goals scored in Club history during the MLS Regular Season with 29 goals.
He has now scored 13 goals this season, which is the second consecutive time he has reached 10 or more goals in a single season.
The players that are ahead of Martínez in this category are Former Forwards Valentín Castellanos (50 goals) and David Villa (77 goals).
In MLS play (regular season and playoffs), New York City FC holds a 17-3-3 all-time record when Alonso Martínez scores at least once. Across those matches, New York City FC has tallied 55 total goals.
In the 2024 MLS season (including playoffs), Martínez appeared in 27 matches and scored 17 goals.
When he scored, New York City posted an 8-2-2 record and totaled 31 goals across those matches.
So far in the 2025 MLS regular season, Martínez has played in 22 matches and scored 13 goals.
When he has found the net, New York City holds a 9-1-1 record, with 24 goals scored in those games.
The Club has also won the last seven straight matches in which Martínez has scored, a streak dating back to April 12, 2025, against the Philadelphia Union.
This streak ranks fourth all-time for this stat with Martínez scoring nine of the team’s 15 goals during this stretch.
If Martínez’s streak continues for one more game, he will be tied with Former Defender Alexander Callens in third. He had an eight-game win streak (11/08/2020-10/02/2022), scoring eight of the team’s 23 goals.
If Martínez’s streak continues for two more games, he will be tied with Former Defender Anton Tinnerholm in second. He had a nine-game win streak (03/11/2018-10/03/2020), scoring nine of the team’s 23 goals.
Moralez holds the longest win streak with 17 games (03/04/2018-07/25/2021), scoring 18 of the team’s 49 goals.
From September 28, 2024, to March 15, 2025, New York City FC went on a seven-match unbeaten run in games where Martínez scored, with six wins and one draw.
That run includes the playoff victory on November 2, 2024, against FC Cincinnati (3-1).
The sole draw occurred on February 22, 2025, against Inter Miami CF, which resulted in a 2-2 scoreline.
This streak is tied for eighth all-time for this stat with Martínez scoring nine of the team’s 15 goals.
When playing on the road, New York City FC is on a three-game winning streak for when Alonso Martínez scores, dating back to April 26, 2025.
At home, the ‘Boys in Blue’ are currently on a nine-match winning streak when Martínez scores, dating back to April 27, 2024.
For this statistic, Martínez's streak is tied for third with Parks.
Martínez has scored nine of the Club’s 21 goals during this stretch (10/02/2024-08/17/2025).
Parks scored nine of the Club’s 27 goals during his streak (09/14/2019-04/27/2024).
Moralez ranks second with a 12-game streak (03/17/2018-07/25/2021), scoring 13 of the team’s 39 goals.
Former Forwad Valentín Castellanos ranks first with a 13-game streak (4/24/2019-10/27/2021), scoring 20 of the team’s 43 goals.
This streak both began and ended with clean sheet victories for New York City FC. The streak started with a 1-0 win against Chicago Fire FC on April 24, 2019, and ended with a 1-0 win against Chicago on October 27, 2021.
Lastly, when Martínez scores two or more goals, New York City FC has a record of three wins and one draw. Additionally, in those matches New York City has tallied 13 goals, more than double their six goals conceded.
When Martínez scores two or more goals he encompasses a total of 10 goals.
The matches he scored two or more goals include a 5-1 win against San Jose Earthquakes (5/31/24), a 2-0 win against CF Montréal (7/3/24), a 2-2 draw against Chicago Fire FC (8/24/24), and a 4-3 win against FC Dallas (7/25/25).
In MLS play (regular season and playoffs), New York City FC put together several remarkable streaks whenever Maxi Moralez found the back of the net:
17-game winning streak when he scored at least once. This streak is the longest in Club history.
26-game unbeaten run when he scored at least once. This streak is the longest in Club history.
12-game home winning streak when he scored at least once. This streak ranks the second-longest in Club history.
Each of these streaks both began and ended with clean-sheet victories for New York City FC.
For the winning streak, it started with a 2-0 win over Sporting Kansas City on March 4, 2018, and ended with a 5-0 win over Orlando City SC on July 25, 2021.
For the unbeaten run, it started with a 4-0 win over D.C. United on March 12, 2017, and ended with a 2-0 win against Inter Miami CF on July 23, 2022.
Notably, the D.C. United match was just Moralez’s second appearance for New York City FC in the MLS. Along with scoring, he also provided two assists in that game.
Lastly, for the home win streak, it started with a 2-0 win against Orlando on March 17, 2018, and ended with a 5-0 clean sheet win against Orlando City SC on July 25, 2021.
The following players have game-winning assists this season: Fernández (three assists), Moralez (two assists), Ojeda (two assists), Wolf (one assist), O'Neill (one assist), Fernández Mercau (one assist), Haak (one assist) and Ilenič (one assist).
Moralez leads the Club in all-time assists during the MLS Regular Season, with 83.
His nine assists this season ties his 2022 and 2017 MLS Regular Season total, where he had nine as well.
Parks is seventh on the all time assist list for the Club with 17, and Wolf is tied for ninth all time with Former Midfielder Tommy McNamara with 14.
The Club has scored two or more goals in a single game 12 times during the 2025 MLS Regular Season, with the most recent occurring in their most recent match when New York City defeated Nashville at Yankee Stadium.
Martínez recently delivered a multi-goal performance against FC Dallas, recording a hat trick.
Martínez has tallied five goals across his last four matches, dating back to July 16 against Orlando City SC.
The only other player with a multi-goal game this season is Hannes Wolf, who has achieved the feat three times (twice versus Atlanta at home and away, and away against Nashville). Wolf’s total is tied for the fourth-most multi-goal games in a single MLS Regular Season in Club history.
Martínez is tied for first in the league with Cincinnati Forward Kevin Denkey in game-winning goals this season with seven. Additionally, Martínez now sits at the top of the list in Club history during the MLS Regular Season with seven game-winning goals in a single season.
All time, Martínez now sits in solo-fourth place with 10 game-winning goals for the Club. He is now only the fourth player in Club history to score at least 10 game-winning goals.
He is now one goal away from a tie for third with Former Forward Ismael Tajouri-Shradi with 11 and two goals away from a tie for second with Former Forward Valentín Castellanos with 12. Former Forward David Villa sits a top the list with 16.
Freese maintains his place with one of the best save percentages in the league, as he is second overall with a rate of 75.51%.
The minimum amount of saves for this statistic is 30 and the minimum number of games played is 20.
Freese is tied for the fourth most clean sheets in the league with six.
New York City has the highest save percentage as an overall squad in the league, with 77.06% over 25 games played.
The Club is the only Eastern Conference team in the top four in this statistic, with Austin FC in second (75.86% over 25 games played), Colorado Rapids in third (74.03% over 27 games played), and Portland Timbers in fourth (72.09% over 26 games played).
THE CITY VS CINCY New York City FC hosts FC Cincinnati, playing their Eastern Conference opponents for the second and final time of this 2025 MLS Regular Season.
New York City and Cincinnati have played each other 13 times since their first meeting in 2019, with the Club holding an 8-3-2 (W-L-D) record over that time.
Between June 6, 2019, when New York City faced Cincinnati for the first time, to their match on September 7, 2022, they remained unbeaten in all eight encounters over the course of four-year different years.
Five of these matches were home and three were away.
They won their first six matches of this stretch and drew the last two.
Two of these matchups were clean sheet victories that occurred back-to-back.
In order, they won 5-2, 4-1, 2-1, 4-0, 5-0, 2-1 and then tied 4-4 and 1-1.
Currently, the team is on a two-game winning streak versus Cincinnati dating back to a 3-2 win at Sports Illustrated Stadium on October 2, 2024. Their other win during this stretch was a 1-0 win this season at Citi Field on May 4, 2025.
In the overall series, New York City has scored 32 goals and conceded 19.
On the road, they have played Cincinnati five times, posting a winning percentage of 50% and record of 2-2-1.
Over those matches, New York City has both scored and conceded 10 goals.
At home, New York City has fared well at home against Cincinnati. Over eight matches played they only have one loss posting a 6-1-1 record.
The Club has scored more than double their goals conceded. They have scored 22 and conceded just nine.
Five players on the current roster have scored against Cincinnati: Alonso Martínez, Julián Fernández, Maxi Moralez, Keaton Parks and Mitja Ilenič all have one goal versus Cincinnati.
Fernández is the only player on the current roster to score a game-winning goal, doing so in New York City’s most recent match against Cincinnati, which was a 1-0 clean sheet at Citi Field on May 4, 2025.
Two current players have registered assists against Cincinnati: Moralez has recorded 10 and Defender Tayvon Gray has recorded one.
In 2019, Moralez recorded five assists.
In 2021, Moralez recorded one assist.
In 2022, Moralez recorded three assists and Gray had one.
In 2024, Moralez recorded one assist.
For goals scored in 15-minute intervals, New York City has the most goals scored in minutes 46-60 with nine.
As for other intervals, New York City scored four in minutes 1-15, four in minutes 16-30, six in minutes 31-45, five in minutes 61-75, and four in minutes 76-90.
Subsequently, New York City has scored 17 goals in the first halves of matches, and 15 scored in the second.
New York City has shut out Cincinnati three times, with two of the clean sheets occurring in consecutive matches.
In their two clean sheets in consecutive matches, they scored an impressive nine goals. The first of these matches was a 4-0 win at Sports Illustrated Stadium on September 26, 2020, and the second was a 5-0 win at Yankee Stadium on April 24, 2021.
Their other clean sheet was in their most recent match against Cincinnati. This match occurred this season and resulted in a 1-0 win at Citi Field on May 4, 2025.
New York City has been held scoreless against Cincinnati on two occasions, occurring in consecutive matches.
They fell to Cincinnati 3-0 on August 26, 2023, and 1-0 on March 23, 2024. Both matches took place at TQL Stadium.
Neither team has ever shut out the other on the road.
The most goals the team has scored against Cincinnati in a single game was five. This occurred in two matches.
The first was New York City’s first ever match against Cincinnati, which resulted in a 5-2 win at Yankee Stadium on June 6, 2019.
The second was the 5-0 clean sheet at Yankee Stadium on April 24, 2021.
Conversely, the most goals conceded by New York City in a single match against Cincinnati was four, resulting in a 4-4 draw on June 29, 2022, at TQL Stadium.
The most New York City has conceded in a loss was three, occurring on two occasions in consecutive matches.
The first match was a 3-1 loss at Yankee Stadium on May 31, 2023, and the second was a 3-0 loss at TQL Stadium on August 26, 2023.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese has played in six games versus Cincinnati over the course of seven seasons in the MLS.
With New York City Freese has played four games, has logged 360 minutes, has faced 20 shots, and has made 14 saves with a goals-against average (GAA) of 1.50, conceding six goals thus far.
His most recent match was a 1-0 clean sheet versus Cincinati at Citi Field on May 4, 2025. In this match he played 90 minutes, faced four shots and made four saves.
Freese also played in two games against Cincinnati with the Philadelphia Union over the course of four seasons. In those matches he logged 131 minutes, faced seven shots, made six saves with a goals-against average of 0.50, and conceded one goal over that span.
ONWARD TO OHIO New York City FC has played 13 games away from home this season, with the Club gearing up for their road match against FC Cincinnati.
Apart from their match at Cincinnati, New York City has three more confirmed away games against Chicago Fire FC, the New York Red Bulls, and the Philadelphia Union.
Their record through 13 away matches this season stands at 3W-5L-5D.
Their three wins came against Toronto FC, Orlando City SC and FC Dallas.
In their three wins on the road, New York City has scored seven goals (including own goals) and conceded four.
Their win against Toronto was a 1-0 clean sheet on April 26, 2025.
Thier 4-3 victory against Dallas on July 25, 2025, was New York City’s largest goal tally in an away match so far this season.
In these three victories, Forward Alonso Martínez recorded five goals, including a hat-trick against Dallas.
This marked his second hattrick in his New York City FC career, with the other being recorded in 2024.
The only other New York City FC player to record two hattricks in Club history during the MLS Regular Season is Former Forward Valentín Castellanos (2020, 2022).
Additionally, Midfielder Jonathan Shore recorded his first MLS goal, becoming the the youngest ever player in Club history to score a goal at 18 yrs, 103 days, doing so against Dallas.
Their losses were against Los Angeles Football Club, Atlanta United FC, the New England Revolution, CF Montréal, and Charlotte FC.
The Club was shut out in four of these five losses. Their only loss where they recorded at least one goal was against Atlanta in a 4-3 loss on March 29, 2025.
Their ties were against Inter Miami CF, the Columbus Crew, D.C. United, Nashville SC, and Kansas City.
Despite only having three wins on the road, New York City has gone unbeaten with a 2-0-1 record in their last three road matches.
They beat Orlando 2-1 on July 16, 2025, tied Sporting Kansas City 1-1 on July 19, 2025, and beat Dallas 4-3 on July 25, 2025.
Over this three-game span, Martínez scored four goals.
Also, during this stretch, Midfielder Maxi Moralez recorded three assists in two matches. He had one against Kansas City and two against Dallas.
Five current players have scored in matches away from home: Forward Alonso Martínez (seven goals), Forward Hannes Wolf (four goals), Midfielder Jonathan Shore (one goal), Midfielder Andréa Perea (one goal) and Defender Mitja Ilenič (one goal).
Wolf’s four goals came in the form of two braces. He scored a brace against Atlanta United in a 4-3 loss on March 29, 2025, and in a 2-2 draw against Nashville SC on May 31, 2025.
His brace against Nashville secured a point for New York City as “Boys in Blue” came back to tie from a 2-0 deficit.
Martínez has all three game-winning goals in New York City’s three away victories.
Seven players have recorded assists away from home: Midfielder Maxi Moralez (five), Midfielder Keaton Parks (two assists), Forward Julián Fernández (two assists), Midfielder Hannes Wolf (one assist), Midfielder Nicolás Fernández Mercau (one assist), Midfielder Aiden O’Neill (one assist) and Defender Thiago Martins (one assist).
Fernández had a game-winning assist against Orlando City SC and Fernández Mercau had a game-winning assist against FC Dallas.
In away matches all time, across all MLS Regular Season matches, Forward Alonso Martínez sits in solo-fifth place in Club history for most goals scored in road matches, netting 12 goals for the Club.
Martínez (12 goals) is one goal off fourth place, which is held by Former Forward Ismael Tajouri-Shradi (13 goals). He is three goals off third place, which is held by Former Forward Héber (15 goals).
Second place is held by Former Forward Valentín Castellanos (18 goals) and first place is held by Former Forward David Villa (29 goals).
In away matches all time, across all MLS Regular Season matches, Midfielder Maxi Moralez ranks first in Club history for most assists recorded, with 30 assists.
He is the first player in Club history to record 30 assists in away matches.
He recorded assists number 29 and 30 in New York City’s most recent road match against FC Dallas.
The second ranked player in away assists recorded is Former Midfielder Andrea Pirlo, who sits 19 assists behind Moralez. Pirlo recorded 11 assists.
