NYCFC’s Season Hangs in Balance After Heartbreaking Penalty Shootout Loss to Charlotte

Boys in Blue Fall 7-6 on Penalties After Scoreless Draw at Yankee Stadium; Series Tied 1-1

THE BRONX, NY — In a playoff thriller that tested every nerve in Yankee Stadium. New York City FC’s quest to close out Charlotte FC in two games ended in heartbreak Saturday afternoon. After 90 minutes of tense, scoreless soccer. The Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 series was decided by a marathon penalty shootout that saw Charlotte prevail 7-6. Now forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 in North Carolina.

The 19,051 fans who packed the Bronx witnessed a defensive masterclass from both sides. When the moment came to convert from the spot, it was Charlotte who held their nerve. Through 16 grueling penalties to level the series at one game apiece.

“The result—it’s a pity,” said NYCFC Head Coach Pascal Jansen. “We were focusing on getting the job done within two games. We had the opportunities, even though we didn’t play as well as I was hoping for. We had two or three big moments to go in front, and when it comes down to penalties, that can go either way.”

A Cagey Affair at Yankee Stadium

Coming off Tuesday’s hard-fought 1-0 victory at Bank of America Stadium. NYCFC entered Game 2 with momentum and an unchanged starting XI. The Boys in Blue controlled possession early, dictating tempo and probing Charlotte’s defensive structure with purpose.

The hosts nearly struck first when a well-worked corner-kick routine found midfielder Aiden O’Neill at the edge of the area. His spectacular volley forced Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina into action. Moments later, Captain Maxi Moralez tested Kahlina from a tight angle, but his shot crashed wide.

Charlotte responded with their own moment of danger in the 14th minute. Goalkeeper Matt Freese palmed away a dangerous cross, but the rebound fell to Brandt Bronico. Whose thunderous effort cannoned off the crossbar. The visitors had announced their intent—they would not go quietly.

As the first half wore on, clear chances became scarce. Both defenses stood resolute, with NYCFC’s back line of Kevin O’Toole, Raúl Gustavo, Justin Haak, Thiago Martins, and Tayvon Gray limiting Charlotte’s attacking threats.

Just after the half-hour mark, NYCFC carved out its best opportunity of the half. A delightful delivery to the back post found Andrés Perea in space. Unfortunately, the midfielder couldn’t get the ball out from under his feet. It eventually was deflected behind for a corner.

In the 40th minute, Moralez whipped in a dangerous corner that found the head of Gustavo. Kahlina dove low to his left to claim the ball and deny NYCFC the breakthrough.

Charlotte nearly stole the lead on the stroke of halftime when Ashley Westwood’s side-footed effort from just outside the area struck the frame of the goal and bounced back into play. The woodwork had saved NYCFC—for now.

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Second Half: Pressure Mounts, Chances Squandered

The second half began with renewed urgency from both sides. Freese was called into action early when Wilfried Zaha attempted a shot from distance. At the other end, forward Alonso Martínez tried to break the deadlock with a shot from a narrow angle, but Kahlina gathered comfortably.

In the 67th minute, Jansen turned to his bench, introducing Hannes Wolf and Agustín Ojeda for Moralez and O’Toole. The Austrian wasted no time making an impact, flashing a free kick just over Kahlina’s goal minutes after entering.

NYCFC’s best chance of the match arrived in the 74th minute. Martínez whipped in a free kick that Martins powered toward goal with a thunderous header. Only for Kahlina to produce a brilliant save to deny the Brazilian. Perea then flashed an effort across the goal from the edge of the box as the hosts piled on the pressure.

Jansen made his final substitution in the 82nd minute, bringing on Julián Fernández for Nicolás Fernández Mercau. As the clock ticked toward full time, NYCFC continued to press for an opener, but Charlotte’s dogged defense stood firm.

Charlotte had their own late chance after a turnover in NYCFC’s half. The tame effort didn’t trouble Freese, who was otherwise outstanding throughout the 90 minutes.

The final whistle blew with the scoreline still 0-0. For the first time in NYCFC’s playoff history at home, the match would be decided by penalties.

Penalty Drama: 16 Kicks, One Winner

The tension in Yankee Stadium was palpable as both teams lined up for the shootout. What followed was a test of nerve, skill, and mental fortitude that stretched through 16 penalties.

Charlotte struck first through Archie Goodwin, but NYCFC responded immediately as Alonso Martínez buried his penalty to level at 1-1. The pattern continued: Ashley Westwood, Idan Toklomati, Harry Toffolo, Wilfried Zaha, Adilson Malanda, and Djibril Diani all converted for Charlotte.

For NYCFC, Aiden O’Neill, Thiago Martins, Justin Haak, Hannes Wolf, and Raúl Gustavo all found the back of the net. Freese made a crucial save to keep NYCFC alive, but it wasn’t enough.

The decisive moment came when Julián Fernández and Agustín Ojeda both saw their penalties saved by Kahlina. When Nathan Byrne stepped up for Charlotte’s seventh penalty, he calmly slotted home to seal a 7-6 shootout victory.

“Juli [Forward Julián Fernández] and ‘Agu’ [Forward Agustín Ojeda] missed their penalties, and the others were well taken,” Jansen said. “[Goalkeeper] Matt [Freese] saved one. You could see the response from the team, taking care of each other in these moments because it’s tough when you miss, but it’s part of the game. Overall, it shouldn’t have come to penalties. We should have finished them within 90 minutes.”

Freese Reaches Milestone, But Victory Eludes NYCFC

Despite the loss, goalkeeper Matt Freese delivered a performance worthy of praise. The 24-year-old recorded his third clean sheet in NYCFC’s playoff history, tying former goalkeeper Sean Johnson for the most in club postseason history. Freese also reached a career milestone, surpassing 300 saves in MLS play (including postseason) across his time with the Philadelphia Union and NYCFC.

His back-to-back shutouts against Charlotte—first in the 1-0 Game 1 victory, then in Saturday’s scoreless draw—showcased his growth and reliability between the posts. But even Freese’s heroics couldn’t prevent the shootout heartbreak.

Photos From The Match

Homegrown Duo Continues Ironman Streak

Midfielder Justin Haak and captain Maxi Moralez both started their 36th consecutive match for NYCFC this season (34 regular season, two playoffs). Forward Agustín Ojeda extended his streak of appearing in every match this season to 36 as well.

Moralez made history by becoming the first NYCFC player to appear in 20 playoff matches, further cementing his legacy as one of the club’s all-time greats.

Homegrown defender Tayvon Gray and midfielder Haak both made their seventh playoff appearances, continuing NYCFC’s proud tradition of developing young talent. Defenders Kevin O’Toole and Thiago Martins are now tied with midfielder Keaton Parks for the fifth-most playoff appearances in club history with nine.

Players React: Disappointment, But No Time to Dwell

The immediate aftermath in the NYCFC locker room was one of disappointment and frustration. The players knew the opportunity that had slipped through their fingers.

“The immediate feeling is disappointment,” said defender Justin Haak. “We knew how big this opportunity was. Coming home in front of our fans—they were great tonight, as expected—and not being able to give them the result to move on probably hurts the most. But we don’t have time to dwell on it. We’ll look back on this game, see what we can do better, what we didn’t do as well as in the first game, and focus on getting a good result in Game 3.”

Defender Kevin O’Toole echoed Haak’s sentiments, acknowledging the missed opportunity while looking ahead to the decisive Game 3.

“It’s frustrating. We had a big opportunity in front of us today, and we didn’t capitalize,” O’Toole said. “I thought we defended quite well and created some chances, but it just didn’t fall our way today. This one will hurt tonight, and we just have to refocus tomorrow and make sure we’re ready to go for Game 3.”

Jansen: “We’ll Go at Them Again on Friday”

Despite the setback, Head Coach Pascal Jansen remained confident in his team’s ability to secure a result on the road. NYCFC has proven throughout the season that they are stronger in away matches, and Jansen is banking on that trend continuing in Charlotte.

“It is what it is. We’ve proven throughout the season that we’ve become stronger in our away games,” Jansen said. “I mentioned the first hour in Charlotte—in and out of possession—and the final 30 minutes defensively. We did a good job. Charlotte [FC] is a tough team to beat at home, but we did it in a convincing way. Our goal was to finish this sequence in two games, but now they’ve made us work for Game 3. We’ll travel there on Thursday with full confidence and go at them again on Friday.”

By the Numbers: NYCFC vs. Charlotte

Possession: NYCFC dominated possession with 53.9% to Charlotte’s 46.1%, but couldn’t convert their territorial advantage into goals.

Shots: NYCFC outshot Charlotte 17-8, with five shots on target compared to Charlotte’s three. Despite the statistical edge, neither side could find the breakthrough.

Pass Accuracy: NYCFC completed passes at an 81.3% clip, showcasing their technical superiority and control of the match.

Discipline: NYCFC picked up two yellow cards (Aiden O’Neill in the 27th minute, Tayvon Gray in the 84th minute), while Charlotte received three (Djibril Diani in the 61st minute, Nathan Byrne in the 72nd minute, Wilfried Zaha in the 81st minute for poor sportsmanship).

Playoff History: NYCFC’s all-time playoff record now stands at 8-8-5 (W-L-D), with 27 goals scored and 31 conceded. At home, the Boys in Blue are 5-4-1 in postseason play. This was NYCFC’s first home playoff draw in club history.

Head-to-Head: NYCFC’s all-time record against Charlotte (including postseason) is 3-5-2, with nine goals scored and 12 conceded. This marked the first time NYCFC has been held scoreless by Charlotte at home.

What’s Next: Winner-Take-All in Charlotte

The stage is now set for a dramatic Game 3 showdown at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday, November 4. Kickoff time is to be determined.

NYCFC will travel south on Thursday with its season on the line. The winner advances to the next round of the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs; the loser’s season ends.

The Boys in Blue have already proven they can win in Charlotte, having claimed a 1-0 victory in Game 1 on Tuesday. Now, they’ll need to summon that same resilience, composure, and attacking quality to keep their playoff dreams alive.

For a team that has thrived on the road this season, the challenge is clear: win or go home.

Game Notes

• Historic Milestone: Matt Freese surpassed 300 career saves in MLS play (including postseason), spanning his time with Philadelphia Union and NYCFC.
• Clean Sheet Club: Freese’s shutout was his third in NYCFC playoff history, tying him with Sean Johnson for the most in club postseason history.
• Ironman Duo: Justin Haak and Maxi Moralez have started every match for NYCFC this season (36 total: 34 regular season, two playoffs).
• Moralez Makes History: The Argentine captain became the first NYCFC player to appear in 20 playoff matches.
• Homegrown Pride: Six NYCFC Homegrown players have appeared in club playoff history: James Sands (8), Tayvon Gray (7), Justin Haak (7), Joe Scally (1), Andres Jasson (1), and Seymour Reid (1).
• Yankee Stadium Drought: The last playoff match at Yankee Stadium before Saturday was a 2-0 victory over Atlanta United FC on November 21, 2021.

Match Details

Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs – Round One Best-of-3 Series, Game 2

• Date: Saturday, November 1, 2025
• Kickoff: 3:40 PM ET
• Location: Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, NY
• Attendance: 19,051
• Final Score: New York City FC 0(6)-0(7) Charlotte FC
• Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
• Broadcast: Apple TV (MLS Season Pass), newyorkcityfc.com/radio (English/Spanish)

Starting XIs

New York City FC (5-4-1):Matt Freese (GK); Kevin O’Toole, Raúl Gustavo, Justin Haak, Thiago Martins, Tayvon Gray; Nicolás Fernández Mercau, Maxi Moralez, Aiden O’Neill, Andrés Perea; Alonso Martínez

Substitutions: 67′ – Hannes Wolf for Kevin O’Toole, Agustín Ojeda for Maxi Moralez; 82′ – Julián Fernández for Nicolás Fernández Mercau

Charlotte FC (4-3-3): Kristijan Kahlina (GK); Nathan Byrne, Tim Ream, Adilson Malanda, Harry Toffolo; Djibril Diani, Ashley Westwood, Brandt Bronico; Kerwin Vargas, Idan Toklomati, Wilfried Zaha

Substitutions: 75′ – Archie Goodwin for Brandt Bronico

Penalty Shootout Summary

Final Shootout Score: NYCFC 6-7 Charlotte FC

Up Next

Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs – Round One Best-of-3 Series, Game 3

• Date: Friday, November 4, 2025
• Kickoff: TBD
• Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
• Broadcast: Apple TV (MLS Season Pass)Series Tied: 1-1

The season hangs in the balance. One game. One chance. Everything on the line.

Go NYCFC. Win or go home.

For more coverage of New York City FC and the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, visit Bad Dawg Sports Socials and website.

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