FC Cincinnati 0-1 New York City FC 2025 MLS Regular Season - Matchday 30 Date: Saturday, August 23, 2025 | Kickoff: 7:40pm ET Location: TQL Stadium | Cincinnati, OH Attendance: 25,513
New York City FC earned a vital 1-0 road win at FC Cincinnati, extending their unbeaten run to five. Alonso Martínez scored the decisive goal after a clever move involving Aiden O’Neill and Maxi Moralez, while Matt Freese delivered key saves to preserve City’s fourth away victory of the season.
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This season, New York City FC has faced 11 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 7-2-2. They’ve 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 6-6-2. The Club has scored 21 goals against these opponents, conceded 20 and recorded three clean sheets.
New York City FC is unbeaten in five matches with a record of 4-0-1, 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.
New York City and Cincinnati have played each other 14 times since their first meeting in 2019, with the Club holding an 9-3-2 (W-L-D) record over that time. In the overall series, New York City has scored 33 goals and conceded 19.
On the road, they have played Cincinnati six times, posting a record of 3-2-1.
Over those matches, New York City has scored 11 goals and conceded 10 goals.
Currently, the team is on a three-game winning streak versus Cincinnati dating back to a 3-2 win at Sports Illustrated Stadium on October 2, 2024. Their second game of the winning streak was a 1-0 win this season at Citi Field on May 4, 2025.
Their record through 14 away matches this season stands at 4W-5L-5D.
Despite only having four wins on the road, New York City has gone unbeaten with a 3-0-1 record in their last four road matches.
In addition to today’s result, 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 four-game span, Martínez scored five goals.
Also, during this stretch, Midfielder Maxi Moralez recorded four assists in three matches. He had one against Kansas City and Cincinnati and two against Dallas.
With today’s 1-0 victory, this is now New York City’s ninth clean sheet this season.
Martínez now has the third most goals scored in Club history during the MLS Regular Season with 30 goals.
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 18-3-3 all-time record when Alonso Martínez scores at least once. Across those matches, New York City FC has tallied 56 total goals.
So far in the 2025 MLS regular season, Martínez has played in 23 matches and scored 14 goals.
When he has found the net, New York City holds a 10-1-1 record, with 25 goals scored in those games.
The Club has also won the last eight straight matches in which Martínez has scored, a streak dating back to April 12, 2025, against the Philadelphia Union.
This streak ranks in a tie for third all-time for this stat with Martínez scoring 10 of the team’s 16 goals during this stretch.
He is tied with Former Defender Alexander Callens. He had an eight-game win streak (11/08/2020-10/02/2022), scoring eight of the team’s 23 goals.
When playing on the road, New York City FC is on a four-game winning streak for when Alonso Martínez scores, dating back to April 26, 2025.
Martínez is still at the top of the list in Club history during the MLS Regular Season with eight game-winning goals in a single season.
All time, Martínez now sits in a tie for third place with 11 game-winning goals for the Club.
He is now tied 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.
In away matches all time, across all MLS Regular Season matches, Forward Alonso Martínez sits in a tie for fourth place in Club history for most goals scored in road matches, netting 13 goals for the Club.
Martínez (13 goals) is tied for fourth place with 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 31 assists.
Moralez leads the Club in all-time assists during the MLS Regular Season, with 84.
He now has 10 assists this season. He provided 10 or more assists in the following seasons: 2018, 2019 and most recently in 2021.
With tonight’s win, Matt Freese has recorded his eighth clean sheet this season.
NEW YORK CITY FC HEAD COACH PASCAL JANSEN
On the team’s performance tonight... “Well, obviously, getting a win away against Cincinnati is a huge achievement... Our start of the game was way better than last week against Nashville, and that helped us to stay in the game at a good level and build from that. You could see that we were controlling like we wanted to control every game and get those moments like we did today. Alonso [Martinez] got one in, so you win this very important game away against Cincy.”
On the return of Defender Thiago Martins... “Of course, it's a huge influence. Thiago [Martins] is our captain, a huge piece for our team as well, but don't underestimate the qualities of Tana [Strahinja Tanasijević]. He did a very good job when Thiago wasn't available. It's a big thumbs up for our medical staff getting Thiago ready to play 90 minutes, coming from surgery four weeks ago. What better than to play against one of the best strikers in the league, playing 90 minutes, coming from an injury like Thiago did, the way he did. It helped us, of course, because he is, like I said before, a huge piece for our team.”
NEW YORK CITY FC DEFENDER THIAGO MARTINS
On the defensive performance and returning to the lineup... “I'm happy to be back, especially against Cincinnati because we know they have a good team and [we played] away. It's important for me as well to be back in the lineup. We did a good job. We defended very well, very solid. We had so much communication inside the field to adjust when we had to. I'm feeling good, and I'm happy to be back to help my guys on the field.”
On defending as a team... "Like I always say about this, Alonso [Martinez] is our first defender and when he runs crazy, Maxi [Moralez], all the guys in front, we know we have the support. We have to support them and help them to defend, and they do this with us as well. When we need to drop and defend in our box, they were there to help us as well. Like I said, the collective game is the most important thing, and especially away. We need to give everything to help each other and be brave when we have the ball like we did today.”
55'- NYC– Alonso Martínez [16]
scored with right footed shot from the center of the box with an xG of 43% to the lower right zone. Assisted by Maxi Moralez.
[27] Tah Brian Anunga (71’ - [22] Gerardo Valenzuela)
[10] Evander Da Silva Ferreira
[66] Ender Echenique
[8] Kévin Denkey
Head Coach: Pascal Jansen
[49] Matt Freese
[22] Kevin O’Toole
[80] Justin Haak
[13] Thiago Martins
[24] Tayvon Gray
[8] Andrés Perea (43’ - [32] Jonathan Shore)
[21] Aiden O’Neill
[10] Maxi Moralez (81’ - [11] Julián Fernández)
[7] Nicolás Fernández Mercau
[16] Alonso Martínez
[17] Hannes Wolf (61’ - [26] Agustín Ojeda)
Subs Unused
[13] Evan Louro
[16] Teenage Hadebe
[37] Stiven Jimenez
[19] Stefan Chirila
[3] GIlberto Flores
Subs Unused
[30] Tomás Romero
[38] Drew Baiera
[29] Máximo Carrizo
[35] Mitja Illenič
[19] Strahinja Tanasijević
[99] Seymour Reid
CIN
Yellow Cards (0)
Red Cards (0)
NYC
Yellow Cards (3)
29’- Nicolás Fernández Mercau [7] - Bad Foul
63’ - Agustín Ojeda [26] - Bad Foul
89’ - Kevin O’Toole [22] - Bad Foul
Red Cards (0)
Referee: Victor Rivas
Ast. Referee 1: Kathryn Nesbitt
Ast. Referee 2: Michael Barwegen
Fourth Official: Matthew Corrigan
VAR: Younes Marrakchi
Ast. VAR: Brian Dunn
A tricky trip at TQL Stadium was on the cards for New York City FC on Saturday night as they faced off against FC Cincinnati.
The visitors arrived fresh off an impressive 2-1 win over Nashville SC and were eager to extend their four-game unbeaten run in MLS.
Head Coach Pascal Jansen welcomed Thiago Martins back into the starting XI after injury, with the Brazilian replacing Strahinja Tanasijević.
New York City started brightly and created the first notable chance through Hannes Wolf, whose low strike from the right side of the box forced Roman Celentano into a smart save.
Cincinnati responded minutes later when Evander tested Matt Freese, though the effort was comfortably held. The Brazilian playmaker went close twice more in the opening 25 minutes, including a fierce long-range drive that Freese did well to push around the post.
A tightly contested opening period produced few clear chances until the 31st minute, when Alonso Martínez rattled the woodwork with a powerful effort from distance.
Nicolás Fernández Mercau, lively throughout, nearly unlocked the Cincinnati defense with a clever ball in behind for Maxi Moralez, but it just evaded the veteran midfielder.
An injury to Andrés Perea then forced an early change, with Jonny Shore entering the midfield.
The second half began with New York City on the front foot, Fernández Mercau earning a dangerous free kick. At the other end, Alvas Powell’s left-footed strike required Freese’s attention.
Moments later, the breakthrough came. Aiden O’Neill split the lines with a brilliant pass to Moralez, who slipped Martínez through on goal for a calm finish.
Wolf was soon replaced by Agustín Ojeda as Jansen made his second change. Confidence flowing, Shore drove forward through traffic and fired a shot that was well blocked by Matt Miazga.
New York City continued to press, with Fernández Mercau’s inventive reverse pass finding Moralez, whose quick shot was denied by Celentano.
In the 79th minute, City produced their finest move of the night, sweeping from back to front before Martínez narrowly missed doubling his tally, the ball looping over from close range.
Julián Fernández entered soon after in place of Moralez, who departed following another composed display in midfield.
Cincinnati pushed late, with Freese berating his defense after Kevin Denkey found space at the back post, only for his header to drift wide. Evander then tested the visitors again with a stoppage-time free kick, Gerardo Valenzuela’s flicked header forcing Freese into an excellent save.
In the end, New York City held firm to claim a valuable fourth road win of the season.
