Chicago Fire FC v. New York City FC 2025 MLS Regular Season - Matchday 33 Date: Saturday, September 13, 2025 | Kickoff: 8:40pm ET Location: Soldier Field | Chicago, IL 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 Goalkeeper Matt Freese and his progression... “I think [his progression] speaks for itself. He's been making good [and steady] progress throughout the whole season. He started really well and got himself a spot with the U.S. Men’s National Team. Matt Freese has played good matches with us and showed good level which also got him the first spot into the starting eleven for the national team. Knowing Matt like I do, he's not going to give up easily. He's not going to relax. He's going to go hunt for more and become better and that is Matt in a nutshell. I would say he is very professional, very determined and very eager to learn and improve. That's the best recipe for a good professional. We're going to see the best is yet to come.”
NEW YORK CITY FC MIDFIELDER JUSTIN HAAK
On facing Chicago Fire FC and the team’s mentality going into the match... “When we had 10 games left in the season, Coach [Jansen] said it best: we have 10 finals. So that doesn't change for us going into this game. These past three games were like playoff games for us and this one is going to be the same. Just this time you could say it's a little bit different because we're right next to each other in the standings. But mentality wise, that doesn't change anything for us. We have seven finals left and next up is Chicago.”
A PERSEVERING PLAYOFF PUSH After being upset at home by D.C. United 2-1 in their last match, New York City FC remains near the cut line, holding on to the eighth place MLS playoff spot that would require the team to play in a wildcard match. If the playoffs started today, New York City FC would face Chicago Fire FC in the wildcard match.
New York City has qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs in eight of their ten seasons since the Club’s inception in 2015.
The team won the MLS Cup in the 2021 season. Current players still on the roster from this triumph include Midfielder Maxi Moralez, Midfielder Keaton Parks, Defender Justin Haak and Defender Tayvon Gray.
With seven matches to go, New York City plays five teams that are ranked higher than them in the MLS standings. The Club sits in eighth in the Eastern Conference.
In the Eastern Conference, New York City plays the seventh ranked Columbus Crew, third ranked Charlotte FC, sixth ranked Inter Miami and the number one ranked Philadelphia Union.
In the Western Conference, New York City plays the fourth ranked Seattle Sounders.
The Club’s other two remaining matches are against two teams that sit just below them in the Eastern Conference standings. They play the New York Red Bulls, who sit just outside a playoff spot in tenth, and Chicago Fire FC, who are only one place behind New York City in ninth.
Despite being a lower seed in most of their matches left, New York City has stood up to the task as underdogs.
This season, New York City has faced 11 opponents who were ranked above them in the MLS standings at the time of the match, and 15 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. This match ended in a 2-2 draw.
Against opponents ranked above them in the MLS standings when entering the match, New York City FC holds a record of 7-2-2. They have scored 14 goals, conceded eight and recorded five clean sheets.
Against opponents ranked below them in MLS standings when entering the match, New York City FC holds a record of 6-7-2. The Club has scored and conceded 22 goals in these matches and has recorded three clean sheets.
Going by the current standings ahead of Matchday 33, New York City in eighth place has only suffered one defeat in 10 matches against the Eastern Conference teams ranked one to seven. Their sole defeat was a 2-0 loss to Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium on July 12, 2025.
New York City has held the top two teams in the Eastern Conference scoreless in three matches played, all of them being 1-0 victories.
The team defeated first place Philadelphia in a 1-0 shut out win at Citi Field on April 12, 2025.
The team recorded two 1-0 clean sheet wins against second place FC Cincinnati at Citi Field on May 4, 2025, and at TQL Stadium on August 23, 2025.
New York City tied fourth placed Nashville SC 2-2 at Geodis Park on May 31, 2025, and defeated them 2-1 at Yankee Stadium on August 17, 2025.
The team recorded two 2-1 victories against fifth place Orlando City SC at Yankee Stadium on March 8, 2025, and at Inter&Co Stadium on July 16, 2025.
The ‘Boys in Blue’ drew sixth place Inter Miami 2-2 at Chase Stadium on February 22, 2025.
The team recorded a scoreless draw against the seventh place Crew at Lower.com Field on March 22, 2025.
The following players have recorded multiple goal contributions in these nine unbeaten matches: Forward Alonso Martínez (five goals), Midfielder Hannes Wolf (three goals, one assist), Moralez (four assists), Forward Julián Fernández (one goal, two assists), Defender Mitja Ilenič (one goal, one assist), Parks (two assists).
Midfielder Andrés Perea scored one goal, and Forward Agustín Ojeda and Midfielder Aiden O’Neill recorded one assist each.
The following players have recorded game-winning/tying goals in these nine unbeaten matches:
Martínez scored four, one against Philadelphia at Citi Field on April 12, 2025, one against Cincinnati at TQL Stadium on August 23, 2025, one against Nashville at Yankee Stadium on August 17, 2025, and one against Orlando at Inter&Co Stadium on July 16, 2025.
Martínez scored a game-winning/tying goal in every head-to-head matchup against teams above New York City in the standings where New York City earned at least one win.
Fernández and Wolf each scored one. Fernández netted against Cincinnati at Citi Field on May 4, 2025, and Wolf netted against Orlando at Yankee Stadium on March 8, 2025.
The following players have recorded game-winning/tying assists in these nine unbeaten matches:
Fernández recorded both against Orlando at Yankee Stadium on March 8, 2025, and at Inter&Co Stadium on July 16, 2025.
Moralez had one against Cincinnati at TQL Stadium on August 23, 2025 and Nashville at Yankee Stadium on August 17, 2025.
Ilenič had one against Philadelphia at Citi Field on April 12, 2025, Ojeda against Nashville at Yankee Stadium on August 17, 2025, and O’Neill against Cincinnati at TQL Stadium on August 23, 2025.
Overall, Martínez has recorded seven goal contributions (six goals, one assist) in five matches over the course of New York City’s last six matches.
He scored once against Orlando at Inter&Co Stadium on July 16, 2025, a hat trick against FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium on July 25, 2025, once against Nashville at Yankee Stadium on August 17, 2025, and once against Cincinnati at TQL Stadium on August 23, 2025.
He recorded an assist in New York City’s most recent match against D.C. United at Yankee Stadium on August 30, 2025.
With New York City celebrating their tenth anniversary in the league since their first season in 2015, the team has faced many opponents but have only played nine teams in each season since the Club’s inception.
Those teams are all in the Eastern Conference, and include CF Montréal, Chicago Fire FC, the Crew, D.C. United, the New England Revolution, the New York Red Bulls, Orlando, Philadelphia and Toronto FC.
Of those nine, the Club has played the most games against New England (27 GP), scored the most goals against Orlando (47 GF), conceded the most against Columbus (40 GA), conceded the least against Montréal (17 GA), won the most against Montréal and Chicago (12 wins each), and lost the least against Chicago (three losses).
New York City has scored at least 30 goals against each of the nine teams.
Several players on the current roster have scored against these nine teams, with Moralez (17G) in first and Martínez one goal behind (16G) in second.
Other players who have scored include Parks (eight goals), Wolf (seven goals), Fernández (five goals), Ojeda (three goals), Perea (three goals), Forward Kevin O’Toole (two goals), Haak (two goals), Gray (one goal), Ilenič (one goal) and Forward Malachi Jones (one goal).
As for assists, Moralez leads with 50 against these teams. Moralez has recorded a total of 85 assists in his career.
Additionally, other players that have assisted are Wolf (nine assists), Parks (eight assists), Gray (seven assists), Martínez (five assists), Fernández (four assists), Thiago Martins (three assists), Ojeda (three assists), Haak (two assists), Ilenič (two assists), Jones (two assists), O’Toole (two assists), O’Neill (one assist) and Perea (one assist).
RIDING MOMENTUM AWAY This season, New York City has posted an away record of 4-5-5 (W-L-D), collecting a total of 17 points on the road. 12 points have come from wins and five points from draws.
New York City is currently on a four-game unbeaten run in away matches, posting a 3-0-1 record.
They beat Orlando 2-1 on July 16, 2025, drew Sporting Kansas City 1-1 on July 19, 2025, defeated Dallas 4-3 on July 25, 2025, and shut out Cincinnati 1-0 on August 23, 2025.
The first three unbeaten matches of this streak were in consecutive matches overall.
Martínez has scored five goals in three games during this stretch: One against Orlando on July 16, 2025, a hat-trick against Dallas on July 25, 2025, and one against Cincinnati on August 23, 2025.
Martínez tallied game-winning goals against Orlando on July 16, 2025, against Dallas on July 25, 2025, and against Cincinnati on August 23, 2025.
The game-winning goals versus Dallas and Cincinnati have occurred consecutively in the team’s last two away matches.
In addition to scoring in these matches, Martínez also netted the game-winner in a 1-0 clean sheet win against Toronto FC on April 26, 2025. Martínez has scored at least one goal in every away win so far this season for the Club.
Moralez has recorded four assists in three games during this stretch: one against Kansas City on July 19, 2025, two against Dallas on July 25, 2025, and one against Cincinnati on August 23, 2025.
Moralez recorded a game-winning assist in the Club’s 1-0 against Cincinnati on August 23, 2025.
All time, New York City’s longest unbeaten streak on the road was six games, occurring on two occasions over the course of three months.
The first was from a 3-3 draw to Minnesota United FC on April 13, 2019, to a 2-2 draw to the Crew on June 1, 2019. The team posted a 3-0-3 record during this stretch.
New York City had three consecutive 2-0 shut-out wins during this streak, against D.C. United on April 21, 2019, against CF Montréal on May 4, 2019, and against the LA Galaxy on May 11, 2019.
The remaining game of this streak was a 1-1 draw to Chicago on May 25, 2019.
The second was from a 1-1 draw against Orlando on May 17, 2023, to a 1-1 draw against the Crew on July 8, 2023. The team posted a 1-0-5 record during this stretch.
New York City’s sole victory during this streak was a 1-0 shut out win against CF Montréal on July 1, 2023.
New York City’s other three matches of this streak ended in draws, a scoreless draw to Real Salt Lake on June 10, 2023, a 2-2 draw against Atlanta United on June 21, 2023, and a 1-1 draw against the Portland Timbers on June 24, 2023.
In all-time away goals scored for the Club during the MLS Regular Season, Martínez and Moralez rank in the top five.
Martínez is in a tie for fourth with Former Forward Ismael Tajouri-Shradi with 13 away goals.
Moralez is in a tie for fifth with Former Midfielder Frank Lampard and Former Forward Gabriel Pereira with eight away goals.
Martínez has scored eight away goals this season, tying him with FC Dallas Forward Peter Musa, CF Montréal Forward Prince Owusu, and Chicago Fire FC Midfielder Philip Zinckernagel for the third-most in the league. Only San Diego FC Midfielder Anders Dreyer (12), FC Cincinnati Midfielder Evander (9), Inter Miami CF Midfielder Lionel Messi (9), and Nashville SC Forward Sam Surridge (9) have more.
In all-time away assists recorded for the Club during the MLS Regular Season, Moralez holds a commanding lead in the top spot. He has recorded 31 assists on the road for the Club, 20 more than Former Midfielder Andrea Pirlo with 11.
Parks is in a tie for fourth with Former Forward Valentín Castellanos with nine assists.
With a road win against Chicago in their upcoming match, New York City will surpass their win total in away matches from last season, where the Club had four.
Last season, the Club recorded three of their four away wins in one month: They defeated Toronto 3-2 on May 11, 2024, Philadelphia 2-1 on May 15, 2024, and the New England Revolution 1-0 on May 25, 2024.
These victories came during three consecutive away matches, forming part of a four-game unbeaten streak on the road where the team posted a 3-0-1 record. The run began with a 1-1 draw against Inter Miami on March 30, 2024.
Before the current streak this season, this is the most recent time the team has gone on a four-game unbeaten run in away matches.
Martínez scored three goals over the course of the team’s four road wins in 2024. He scored once against Philadelphia in a 2-1 result on May 15, 2024, and netted a brace against their rivals, the Red Bulls, on September 28, 2024.
One of the two goals Martínez scored against the Red Bulls was the game-winner in the contest.
Martínez also scored in the 1-1 draw with Inter Miami on March 30, 2024.
His goals against the New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia and Inter Miami contributed to the four-game unbeaten run.
Including this season thus far, the Club has recorded four road wins in six out of 11 seasons all time. This occurred in the 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025 seasons.
If the team wins their fifth road match, the team will achieve its third best road win total in Club history.
The Club’s best win total on the road was seven, having accomplished this feat in the 2016 and 2019 seasons.
The team had six road wins on two occasions as well, in the 2017 and 2022 seasons.
If the team wins out in their last three road matches against Chicago Fire FC, the New York Red Bulls, and Philadelphia Union, they will equal their highest win total of seven.
THE CONCRETE JUNGLE STANDS FIRM AGAINST THE WINDY CITY In the overall series, New York City has posted a record of 12-3-8 (W-L-D) against Chicago, scoring 37 goals and conceding 23.
New York City is currently on an eight-game unbeaten run (five wins, three draws) against Chicago, beginning after a 1-0 win at Yankee Stadium on October 27, 2021.
New York City won the first three meetings of this unbeaten run, shutting out Chicago in all three of these matches. The results were the 1-0 win at Yankee Stadium on October 27, 2021, a 1-0 win at Citi Field on May 22, 2022, and a 2-0 win at Soldier Field on August 21, 2022.
New York has shut out Chicago two additional times during this streak, doing so consecutively in a 1-0 win at Citi Field on October 21, 2023, and in a scoreless draw at Soldier Field on July 13, 2024.
New York City has only let Chicago score two goals during this streak just once, in a 2-2 draw at Citi Field on August 24, 2024.
Over the course of this streak, New York City has tallied almost triple the goals scored by Chicago, scoring 11 times and conceding only four times.
New York City won their most recent matchup 3-1 at Yankee Stadium on May 25, 2025.
Additionally, New York City has gone on two separate six-game unbeaten runs versus Chicago.
After a 1-0 loss in New York City’s first ever match versus Chicago at Toyota Park (now SeatGeek Stadium), they went on a six-game unbeaten run, dating back to a 2-2 draw at Yankee Stadium on May 15, 2015, to a 1-1 draw at Toyota Park (now SeatGeek Stadium) on September 30, 2017. They posted a 3-0-3 record.
After only their second ever loss to Chicago 3-2 at Toyota Park (now SeatGeek Stadium) on June 30, 2018, they went on a six-game unbeaten run, dating back to a 2-0 win at Yankee Stadium on September 26, 2018, to a scoreless draw at Soldier Field on August 4, 2021. They posted a 4-0-2 record.
New York City shut out Chicago in two consecutive matches during this streak. These games were victories at Yankee Stadium 2-0 on September 26, 2018, and 1-0 on April 24, 2019.
Overall, New York City has shut out Chicago nine times, posting a record of 6-0-3 matches where New York City held Chicago scoreless.
New York City has only one loss against Chicago from the 2019 season onward, occurring in a 2-0 loss at Toyota Park (now SeatGeek Stadium) on September 29, 2021.
New York City has never suffered a loss to Chicago at home, posting a record of 9-0-3.
New York City has beaten Chicago in nine of their last 10 home matches.
The other result was a 2-2 draw at Citi Field on August 24, 2024.
New York City is currently on a three-match unbeaten run versus Chicago in away matches, posting a record of 1-0-2.
Their win during this streak was a 2-0 win at Soldier Field on August 21, 2022.
Their most recent match during this streak was a scoreless draw at Soldier Field on July 13, 2024.
The remaining match in this streak was a 1-1 draw at Soldier Field on March 4, 2023.
New York’s highest goal tally against Chicago was four, occurring on three occasions: in two 4-3 away victories on March 6, 2016, and November 8, 2020, and in a 4-1 home victory on September 23, 2016.
New York City has never conceded four goals against Chicago.
Five players on the current roster have scored against Chicago: Martínez (three), Fernández (one), Wolf (one), Perea (one) and Parks (one).
Fernández and Wolf each have one game-winning goal against Chicago.
Wolf had the game-winning goal in the team's most recent matchup against Chicago in a 3-1 win at Yankee Stadium on May 25, 2025.
Fernández had the game-winning goal on October 21, 2023, which resulted in a 1-0 win at Citi Field.
Martínez has scored three goals in the team’s last two matches against Chicago. He scored once in the team’s most recent matchup against Chicago in a 3-1 win at Yankee Stadium on May 25, 2025, and netted a brace in a 2-2 draw at Citi Field on August 24, 2024.
Six current players have registered assists against Chicago: Moralez (11), Parks (two), Fernández (one), Perea (one), Wolf (one) and Haak (one).
The following players have recorded game-winning assists against Chicago: Moralez (four), Fernández (one).
Moralez and Fernández each recorded a game-winning assist in the team's most recent matchup against Chicago in a 3-1 win at Yankee Stadium on May 25, 2025. Fernández had the primary assist and Moralez had the secondary assist.
Moralez has recorded assists in consecutive matches against Chicago, recording one in each match. He assisted in the team’s most recent matchup against Chicago in a 3-1 win at Yankee Stadium on May 25, 2025, and in a 2-2 draw at Citi Field on August 24, 2024.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese has never lost a game against Chicago, posting a 2-0-2 with two clean sheets.
His clean sheets were a 1-0 win at Citi Field on October 21, 2023, and a 0-0 draw at Soldier Field on July 13, 2024.
His most recent start against Chicago resulted in a 3-1 win at Yankee Stadium on May 25, 2025.
Across these four matches, he faced 12 shots, made nine saves, and has only conceded three goals. He has posted a goals-against average (GAA) of 0.75.
Lastly, If New York City defeats Chicago in their next match, this will be their fourth season sweep this season, marking a new Club record.
This season, New York City has swept the following teams: Toronto, Orlando, and Cincinnati.
Against Toronto, their first win was a 1-0 clean sheet victory at BMO Field on April 26, 2025, and the second was a 3-1victory at Yankee Stadium on July 3, 2025.
Against Orlando, both of their wins were 2-1 victories at Yankee Stadium on March 8, 2025, and at Inter&Co Stadium on July 16, 2025.
Against Cincinnati, both of their wins were 1-0 clean sheets at Citi Field on May 4, 2025, and at TQL Stadium on August 23, 2025.
