New York City FC 1-2 Seattle Sounders FC 2025 MLS Regular Season - Decision Day: Matchday 39 Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025 | Kickoff: 6:10pm ET Location: Citi Field | Flushing, NY Attendance: 24,832
New York City FC suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to the Seattle Sounders on MLS Decision Day at Citi Field. The hosts took the lead in the second half through Jordan Morris before Nicolás Fernández Mercau equalized in the 82nd minute. Unfortunately, Jackson Ragen’s late header restored Seattle's advantage and secured victory for the visitors.
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New York City has clinched a postseason berth for the ninth time in the last 10 seasons and has done so with the second youngest average roster in Major League Soccer.
New York City is hosting a Decision Day match for the seventh time in Club history and the third time at Citi Field.
The ‘Boys in Blue’ carry a record of 3-2-2 in its previous seven home Decision Day matches and are 1-1-1 in Queens (2-2 v. CLB in 2017, 1-0 v. CHI in 2023, and 1-2 v. SEA this evening).
This is the fifth match for the team at Citi Field in league play this year, and the Club’s final match of this MLS Regular Season.
The Club has gone 3-2-0 (W-L-D) at Citi Field in league play in 2025.
The team’s overall Citi Field record during the MLS Regular Season is 12-5-6.
Over 23 games played at Citi Field, New York City FC has scored 33 goals and conceded 27.
The team has nine recorded clean sheets.
New York City FC ends the regular season with a home record overall of 11-6-0.
This is the first time in Club history during a full-length MLS Regular Season where the team did not record a tie at home.
All-time, New York City has played MLS Regular Season matches against 14 different Western Conference teams, posting a total record of 34-29-20 (W-L-D).
At home, New York City has posted a 20-12-9 all-time record against the West.
All-time in the MLS Regular Season, New York City has a 3-3-0 record against Seattle.
At home, New York City’s record is 2-2-0.
On the road against Seattle, New York City has a winning percentage of .500 with a record of 1-1-0.
With his goal tonight, Fernández Mercau has scored two goals in his last three matches.
This marks his first goal scored in a home match for New York City FC.
He has netted three goals this season since his arrival at the Club.
This makes him the fourth different New York City FC player during the 2025 MLS Regular Season to score at Citi Field, with the other three being Forward Alonso Martínez (2), Forward Julián Fernández (1), and Midfielder Maxi Moralez (1).
Julián Fernández recorded his fifth assist of the 2025 MLS Regular Season.
Midfielder Máximo Carrizo recorded his first-ever assist in MLS play through a second assist off Fernández Mercau’s goal.
All-time, he is the fifth homegrown player to have recorded an assist.
The other four players were as follows: Defender Tayvon Gray (11), Former Midfielder James Sands (5), Defender Justin Haak (4) and Former Midfielder Andres Jasson (3).
With spots in the starting XI tonight, both Moralez and Haak have started all 34 Regular Season games for New York City this season.
Forward Agustín Ojeda has appeared in all 34 matches as well, having started 12 times and come off the bench another 22 times as a substitute.
NEW YORK CITY FC HEAD COACH PASCAL JANSEN
On if the playoffs were in mind with today’s game... “No, not at all. We set up to win this match, and the players gave their best game possible today like we always do. I just mentioned to my boys that now the switch will be made, the focus goes into playoff mode. Today, unfortunately, we were not playing our A-game. It was slow and predictable. We emphasized the urgency that should be there, like we always try to have in our game. Throughout the game, there were only bits and pieces of urgency, way too little for the standard we’re after.”
On the overall production of the attacking players headed into playoffs... “No, I wouldn’t say that [that the players have burnout since the regular season is ending]. If they [the attacking players] get five shots all together, that’s not a lot. But I’m not worried about that part of the game because we’ve shown throughout the season what we’re capable of. I trust my guys that we’ll be ready once we head for Charlotte [FC]. I was just told that Charlotte [FC] will be the team we play...We just have to make sure we have the right focus and energy. Now the focus can go straight to the playoffs. Like I said, no concerns with league position or points. Now it’s do-or-die games, and my guys have shown they can handle those matches as well.”
NEW YORK CITY FC DEFENDER KEVIN O'TOOLE
On facing Charlotte FC in the playoffs... “Like I was saying [this was] disappointing tonight. We’ll mourn this one for a little bit and then look forward to the series against Charlotte [FC]. We feel confident against that team. We put in a couple of good performances. The win at home was the most recent one during a super busy stretch of the season. We were more compact and a bit off the ball but hit them strong in transition. In the game at their [Charlotte FC] place, I thought we dominated possession and limited their chances, but they were able to convert a couple [of chances]. If we can keep that same intensity, keep the ball, and create chances when we go down to Charlotte, we’ll be in a good spot.”
NEW YORK CITY FC MIDFIELDER JUSTIN HAAK
On the playoffs... “Right now, I'm fully focused on the playoffs. First, tonight was disappointing. But to be fair, even if we would have won, we'd still be in the same spot. It's kind of a want to get [it] out of the way. Now we fully think Charlotte [FC] is a good matchup. They're a strong team [and] they're very good at home. It's going to be tough and we're ready for the matchup.”
61’ - SEA - Jordan Morris [14]
Scored with header from the center of the box to the middle right zone. Assisted by Albert Rusnák [11].
82’ - NYC - Nicolás Fernández Mercau [7]
Scored with left footed shot from the center of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Julián Fernández [11], second assist by Máximo Carrizo [29].
87’ - SEA - Jackson Ragen [25]
Scored with header from the center of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Danny Leyva [75].
New York City FC welcomed Seattle Sounders to Citi Field for an exciting MLS Decision Day.
Pascal Jansen's side were keen to finish the regular season with a victory and knew doing so would boost their chances of securing a top-four finish in the Eastern Conference.
The hosts started the brighter of the two teams, and that saw Alonso Martínez try to break the deadlock early on, only for his shot to be deflected behind for a corner.
At the other end, Raul Gustavo produced similar heroics to deny Jesús Ferreira. A lengthy stoppage then followed after an unfortunate injury to Pedro de la Vega.
When play resumed, Seattle thought they had earned a penalty after Jordan Morris went down in the area. However, following consultation with VAR, the referee overturned his initial decision.
The first half saw clear-cut chances hard to come by, but that changed in stoppage time when Justin Haak rattled the post with a curled effort from the top of the box that left Stefan Frei helpless.
New York City started the second half far brighter, and Martínez made several dangerous runs in behind during the early minutes that earned the hosts opportunities from corners.
At the other end, Morris was handed a great chance to break the deadlock when a low cross flashed across the box — his side-footed shot from close range flying wide of the goal.
Hannes Wolf then attempted to put New York City ahead with an effort from distance. Unfortunately, it failed to hit the target.
Seattle were proving a threat on the break, and that saw Freese called into action just before the hour mark. Kalani Kossa-Rienzi fired off a low shot that Freese gathered comfortably.
Seattle took the lead minutes later through Morris. The forward rose highest to head home a free kick from the right delivered by Albert Rusnák.
Jansen made three changes in the wake of that goal, as Julián Fernández, Jonny Shore, and Agustín Ojeda replaced Wolf, Moralez, and Gustavo.
Ojeda involved himself in the action quickly, and a dangerous corner delivery in the 67th minute found Thiago Martins in the area. He powered a header at goal but saw his attempt saved by Frei.
Kevin O'Toole then attempted a shot from distance that deflected safely into Frei's hands.
New York City were building momentum, and Nicolás Fernández Mercau was next to test Frei with a low drive from the top of the box that landed comfortably in his arms.
The hosts continued to push for an equalizer, and Martínez was found inside the penalty area. Unfortunately, Jackson Ragen was on hand to produce a last-ditch block.
Further changes for New York City came in the 78th minute, as Mitja Ilenič and Máximo Carrizo replaced Gray and Andrés Perea.
New York City’s persistence finally paid off in the 82nd minute when they found an equalizer through Nico Fernández. The move began when Carrizo pounced on a loose ball inside Seattle’s half and drove toward goal. He played the ball inside to Julián Fernández, who then shifted it to Nico Fernández to convert via a deflection.
Unfortunately, that joy lasted only five minutes, as Seattle retook the lead in the 87th minute — Ragen heading home from an in-swinging corner.
Martínez then almost drew New York City level early in stoppage time after latching onto a pass in behind from O'Toole. The forward managed to get away from his defender but flashed his effort across goal and wide.
That would prove to be New York City’s last chance of the game on a night they fell to a narrow 2–1 defeat.
