Inter Miami CF v. New York City FC Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs | Eastern Conference Finals Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025 | Kickoff: 6:10pm ET Location: Chase Stadium | Fort Lauderdale, FL Television: MLS Season Pass Radio (English/Spanish): New York City FC App | Tune In App newyorkcityfc.com/radio
NEW YORK CITY FC HEAD COACH PASCAL JANSEN
On Midfielder Maxi Moralez’s leadership and his impact... “There's a lot that goes on throughout the week since day one. Maxi [Moralez] is a leading figure in that whole spectrum. You can see he can translate a whole lot of things on the pitch. Obviously, we also have our conversations off the pitch as well, but he is one of the main characters. He's in a good place at the moment. He is very important on-and-off the field, but don’t forget all the other guys behind the scenes because there's a lot of them that take their responsibility, and Maxi is one of them.”
NEW YORK CITY FC DEFENDER KEVIN O'TOOLE
On Midfielder Maxi Moralez’s leadership and impact... “It's incredible to see what [Maxi Moralez] is still capable of doing. All the playoff matches against Philly, he has scored in, I remember the one very vividly in 2022 when we went ahead 1–0 on his strike. To see him do it again [the other] night, you just have the images of him scoring in Philly replaying in your head. It's just so cool to see, and [his] leadership is next level. The way [Maxi] orchestrates the press on the field, the way he's in everyone's ear in a positive way to bring the best out of everyone. It's something that's irreplaceable; he's done an incredible job, and he always seems to elevate his game in the playoffs year-after-year. He's just an indispensable part of the team and he's had a tremendous contribution, especially in the last game.”
On his thoughts regarding Midfielder Jonny Shore’s playoff performance... “Jonny [Shore] is a beast. He's got this stoic presence about him where he seems unfazed by any moment that he steps into. I think it was kind of inevitable once our two midfielders went down in the last game that Jonny was going to have to step up and play a big role. I think he was excellent in the last game in settling things down in the midfield. For a guy who's just 18 years old to step into one of the more difficult environments you can find in MLS, in a high-paced game to have his calm and poise, and be able to play his game despite what the opponent was throwing at us, it's super impressive. You don't find that in many 18-year-olds, and I think it's what makes [Jonny] so special as a young player; his ability to find his way into any game and still play his game.”
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL OVERVIEW New York City FC has advanced to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals or further three of the nine times the Club has qualified for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
This was achieved in the 2021, 2022, and 2025 MLS Regular Seasons. Midfielder Maxi Moralez scored in both Eastern Conference Finals in the Audi 2021 and 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs.
In the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs, New York City won the Audi 2021 MLS Cup.
To win the Audi 2021 MLS Cup, New York City and the Portland Timbers fought to a 1-1 result, before New York City won 4-2 in the penalty shootout at Providence Park on December 11, 2021.
In the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Final, New York City came back to defeat the Union 2-1 at Subaru Park on December 5, 2021.
No Philadelphia player scored a goal in this match, as their goal was an own goal given by former Defender Alexander Callens.
Midfielder Maxi Moralez scored a goal in this match.
In the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs, New York City made it to the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Final.
New York City fell to the Union 3-1 at Subaru Park on October 30, 2022.
Midfielder Maxi Moralez scored the goal for New York City in this match.
Thus far in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, New York City won the Eastern Conference Semifinals 1-0 against Philadelphia at Subaru Park on November 23, 2025.
Midfielder Maxi Moralez scored the goal in this match.
New York City FC is one of four teams to win or tie (excluding extra time and the penalty shootout) their first four games in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, never trailing at the half in any of these matches, doing so in multiple postseasons. The following outlines this statistic:
New York City FC (2021, 2025)
LA Galaxy (2000, 2009, 2011, 2024)
Seattle Sounders FC (2017, 2019)
D.C. United (1997, 2004)
In addition to this 2025 MLS Regular Season, the 2020 MLS Regular Season was the only other season New York City finished as the fifth seed.
All-time, with the Club’s victory in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Union, the Club earned its 10th playoff victory. The Club now has a .500 or better record overall, at home, and on the road in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
Overall, in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, New York City has posted a record of 10-9-5 (W-L-D).
On the road in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, New York City has posted a record of 5-5-4.
At home in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, New York City has posted a record of 5-4-1.
All-time, with the Club’s 1-0 clean sheet victory in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Union, the Club has collectively reached 600 goals across the MLS Regular Season and Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
With his appearance in the Club’s victory in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Union, Moralez has now started in 38 straight games including the MLS Regular Season and Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, doing so at 38 years, 269 days.
This puts him as the seventh oldest player in MLS history to start in every single MLS Regular Season and Audi MLS Cup Playoff match.
Moralez has surpassed Martínez for the third most goals across all competitions with 40.
In the Club’s victory in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Union, Defender Kevin O’Toole reached 100 appearances across all competitions.
Head Coach Pascal Jansen has the most away wins in a single MLS season with nine (2025) as a New York City FC Head Coach, encompassing the MLS Regular Season and Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
ROAD WARRIORS On the road so far this season, including the MLS Regular Season and the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, New York City FC has compiled a 9W-6L-6D record, scoring 55 goals, conceding 45, and recording 12 clean sheets.
In the 2025 MLS Regular Season and Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, New York City has posted a record of 8-1-1 (W-L-D) over their last 10 away matches.
In the 2025 MLS Regular Season, New York City finished with a .500 record of 6-6-5 on the road.
In this season’s edition of the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, New York City is undefeated with a 3-0-1 record (excluding the penalty shootout), conceding only a single goal.
Thus far in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs on the road, New York City has a winning record of three wins.
New York City has recorded two clean sheets during this streak:
A 1-0 win against Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium on October 28, 2025, in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Game 1 in the Round One Best-of-3 series.
A 1-0 win against the Union at Subaru Park on November 23, 2025, in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals.
At home, in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, New York City is 0-0-1.
They fell to Charlotte in the penalty shootout 7-6 after the two sides fought to a scoreless draw in Game 2 in the Round One Best-of-3 series at Yankee Stadium on November 1, 2025.
In the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs the following players have scored:
Forward Alonso Martínez and Midfielder Nicolás Fernández Mercau each have scored two goals, having scored in the Round One Best-of-3 series.
Both of Martínez's goals were the game-winners in Game 1 and Game 3 in the Round One Best-of-3 series against Charlotte.
Fernández Mercau scored both his goals in the form of a brace, scoring in Game 3 in the Round One Best-of-3 series against Charlotte.
Midfielder Maxi Moralez scored once in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, scoring the game-winner for New York City in a 1-0 clean sheet win against the Union.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese has yet to lose in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs (excluding the penalty shootout). He has posted a 3-0-1 record.
Overall, he has played 360 minutes, faced 13 shots, conceded a single goal, and has a goals-against average of 0.25, while recording three clean sheets.
With his three clean sheets in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, Freese leads the league with the most clean sheets. Freese is followed by Inter Miami CF's Goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo with two.
On the road, Freese has won all three games he has played, posting a 3-0-0 record.
With his 1-0 shutout in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Freese has surpassed former Goalkeeper Sean Johnson for the most shutouts in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs with four.
At home, Freese is 0-0-1, recording another clean sheet in a scoreless draw to Charlotte (before losing 7-6 in the penalty shootout) in Game 2 in the Round One Best-of-3 series at Yankee Stadium on November 1, 2025.
MOVING ON TO MIAMI New York City plays at Inter Miami CF in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals at Chase Stadium on November 29, 2025.
In the opening match of the 2025 MLS Regular Season for both Clubs, the teams fought to a 2-2 draw at Chase Stadium on February 22, 2025.
The following stats include the MLS Regular Season and Audi MLS Cup Playoffs:
This match is the 14th time these two teams will face off in MLS play (including the MLS Regular Season and Audi MLS Cup Playoffs). New York City has an overall record of 7-2-4 (W-L-D) against Miami.
New York City has a 3-1-3 record while on the road against Miami and a 4-1-1 while at home.
Over these 13 games played, New York City FC has scored 22 goals and conceded 15.
When away, New York City FC has scored 13 and conceded 10.
When home, the team has scored nine and conceded five.
The leading goal-scorer against Miami for the Club is former Forward Valentín Castellanos, who scored four goals.
On the current roster, Forward Alonso Martínez and Midfielder Maxi Moralez have scored two goals each.
New York City Defender Mitja Ilenič has scored once.
New York City has scored 12 goals in the first half and 10 in the second half.
For goals scored in 15-minute intervals, New York City’s most prolific interval is 31-45, where the team has scored six goals.
In 1-15, New York City has two.
In 16-30, the team has two.
New York City has scored four goals in the 46-60, 61-75 and 76-90 intervals.
The most goals scored by New York City against Miami in a single game is three, which occurred three times, twice in the regular season (October 3, 2020 and October 30, 2021) and once in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs (October 17, 2022).
As for assists recorded in this series, Moralez has the most in the series over players from both sides, with four.
Two other players on the active roster have recorded assists in this series, Midfielder Keaton Parks (2A) and Defender Tayvon Gray (1A).
Freese and Goalkeeper Tomás Romero both have minutes played against Miami.
Freese has six games played (GP), 540 minutes, 29 shots faced, 19 saves, 10 goals conceded, and a goals-against average (GAA) of 1.67.
One of Freese’s appearances came with the Philadelphia Union on July 25, 2021, when he made five saves, faced six shots, and allowed one goal in a 1-1 draw.
Romero has played one game, 90 minutes, five shots faced, one save, and a goals-against average (GAA) of 4.00.
Romero’s appearance came on September 20, 2023, with Toronto FC in a match that ended in a 4-0 defeat.
