Charlotte, N.C. — New York City FC punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Semifinals with a commanding 3-1 victory over Charlotte FC on Friday night at Bank of America Stadium, clinching the Round One Best-of-3 series 2-1. Midfielder Nicolás Fernández Mercau delivered a stunning brace, while forward Alonso Martínez added his third goal of the playoffs to send the ‘Boys in Blue’ through to face the Philadelphia Union in the next round.
In front of 34,473 fans in a winner-take-all Game 3, NYCFC weathered an early Charlotte storm before Fernández Mercau’s stoppage-time brilliance gave the visitors a 1-0 halftime lead. Martínez doubled the advantage early in the second half, and despite Idan Toklomati pulling one back for Charlotte in the 81st minute, Fernández Mercau sealed the result with a sublime finish in the 90+10th minute.
First Half: Charlotte Dominates Possession, Fernández Mercau Strikes Late
Charlotte FC came out flying in front of their home crowd, determined to keep their playoff hopes alive after a penalty shootout victory in Game 2 leveled the series at 1-1. Head Coach Dean Smith’s side controlled the early tempo, with Wilfried Zaha going close in the 10th minute—only for a crucial block from NYCFC captain Thiago Martins to deny him a clear look at goal.
NYCFC Head Coach Pascal Jansen made one change to the lineup that started in the Bronx last weekend, inserting Hannes Wolf in place of Raúl Gustavo. The tactical adjustment proved vital as the visitors absorbed Charlotte’s early pressure.
Djibril Diani flashed a header wide in the 14th minute as Charlotte continued to press, while Brandt Bronico missed a golden opportunity in the 34th minute, blazing his strike over the bar from inside the area.
With the game delicately balanced at 0-0 heading into halftime, it seemed a moment of brilliance was needed to break the deadlock—and Fernández Mercau delivered in spectacular fashion.
In first-half stoppage time, a Charlotte corner was cleared out of the box, and Fernández Mercau pounced on the loose ball inside his own half. The Argentine nicked it past Tim Ream and raced away before rifling a stunning strike high past goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina from a tight angle to give NYCFC a 1-0 lead.
“They [Charlotte FC] will keep their energy going into the second half, so that moment just before the break is very intense because they go into the dressing room needing to regroup,” Jansen said. “We were prepared to go for another 15–20 minutes like the first half started, but I thought we were a little better on the ball in the first 15–20 minutes of the second half. The goals came, and we played how we wanted to play.”
The Pigeon News:
- NYCFC’s Season Hangs in Balance After Heartbreaking Penalty Shootout Loss to Charlotte
- Alonso Martínez’s Strike Sends NYCFC Past Charlotte in Game 1 Thriller
Second Half: Martínez Doubles Lead, NYCFC Seals Series
The second half began with both sides threatening early, but it was NYCFC who claimed a crucial second goal in the 50th minute through Martínez.
Once again capitalizing on a Charlotte set piece, veteran playmaker Maxi Moralez delivered a perfectly weighted pass that released Martínez in behind for a footrace with Nathan Byrne. The Costa Rican striker settled the ball before calmly sliding it underneath Kahlina to make it 2-0 and put NYCFC firmly in control.
The contest grew feisty after the goal as Charlotte pushed desperately to find a way back into the match. The tempo became disjointed, and clear chances were few and far between.
NYCFC were forced into their first change of the night in the 75th minute when midfielder Andrés Perea suffered an unfortunate injury, with Raúl Gustavo coming on in his place. Just three minutes later, Moralez slipped Wolf in down the left, and his low cross looked destined for Martínez—only for a last-ditch challenge to take it off his toe.
Charlotte pulled one back in the 81st minute through Toklomati, who reacted quickest to turn the ball home after Archie Goodwin flicked it toward goal, cutting NYCFC’s lead to 2-1 and injecting late drama into the contest.
Jansen turned to his bench once more as the match entered stoppage time, with Agustín Ojeda and Julián Fernández replacing Martínez and Moralez.
Stoppage Time Drama: Fernández Mercau Seals It
With 12 minutes of added time to endure, NYCFC were forced to dig deep defensively. Yet, even under pressure, they managed to conjure one final, decisive counterattack to seal the result.
In the 90+10th minute, a long ball from Ojeda found Wolf. The Austrian midfielder did brilliantly to bring it under control before waiting for the overlapping run of Fernández Mercau. Slipping his teammate through, the Argentine delivered a sublime dinked finish from the tightest of angles to confirm NYCFC’s place in the next round with a 3-1 victory.
Fernández Mercau was substituted shortly after, with Strahinja Tanasijević coming on for the closing moments—the final act on a night when NYCFC triumphed in Charlotte to clinch a 2-1 series victory.
Defensive Resilience in Hostile Environment
Goalkeeper Matt Freese was instrumental in preserving NYCFC’s lead during Charlotte’s frantic late push, while the backline—featuring Martins, Justin Haak, Tayvon Gray, and Kevin O’Toole—stood firm in front of a raucous crowd of over 34,000.
“I don’t know how many blocks Justin [Haak] had in the first 10 minutes—probably two or three,” Freese said. “Toward the end, Aiden [O’Neill] got the block that led to our second goal, and Kevin [O’Toole] had an amazing block on [Liel] Abada on our left side. The defensive line putting their bodies on the line is something we’ve worked on, and I’m very grateful for it.”
Freese emphasized the importance of weathering Charlotte’s early storm in a hostile environment.
“In the first 10–15 minutes, they bunkered down and got through it, which is what you need when you’re playing in front of 40,000 people in a must-win game,” Freese said. “If you go down 1–0, it’s an entirely different game. So that was our thought—get through the first 15–20 [minutes], then create opportunities.”
Fernández Mercau’s Breakout Performance
Fernández Mercau’s brace marked his first and second goals for the club in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs and his first career brace for NYCFC. Over his last 10 MLS appearances (including playoffs) since September 13 against Chicago Fire FC, the Argentine midfielder has scored five goals in 14 total matches (including playoffs), recording five goals and one assist.
Wolf was credited with the assist on Fernández Mercau’s stoppage-time goal, marking his first career assist in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, while Ojeda earned the second assist—also his first career playoff assist.
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Martínez Continues Playoff Dominance
Martínez’s 50th-minute goal was his third of the playoffs and second against Charlotte in the Best-of-3 series. His first came in the 34th minute of Game 1, also at Bank of America Stadium. The Costa Rican striker is now tied for the second-most goals scored in club history in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, level with former forwards Valentín Castellanos and David Villa.
In MLS play (regular season and playoffs), NYCFC holds a remarkable 22-3-3 all-time record when Martínez scores at least once. The club has won the last 12 straight matches in which Martínez has found the net, a streak dating back to April 12, 2025, against the Philadelphia Union. This streak ranks second all-time in club history, with Martínez scoring 14 of the team’s 34 goals during this stretch.
When playing on the road, NYCFC is on a seven-game winning streak when Martínez scores, dating back to April 26, 2025—a club record for this statistic.
Moralez Makes History
Moralez recorded his first goal contribution of the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, assisting Martínez’s 50th-minute goal. The 38-year-old Argentine playmaker leads the club all-time in both goals scored and assists recorded in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs (5G, 7A), and ranks first in both categories in away playoff matches (3G, 3A).
With his assist in Friday’s match, Moralez broke his own record as the oldest player in club history to record an assist during postseason play. His previous mark was set at 34 years and 287 days old on December 11, 2021, against the Portland Timbers. He now sets a new record at 38 years and 254 days old.
Moralez and midfielder Justin Haak have started every match for the club in MLS this season (34 in the 2025 regular season and three in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs), while Ojeda has featured in every match.
Road Warriors Advance
NYCFC’s victory marked their second consecutive road win at Bank of America Stadium in the series, following a 1-0 clean sheet victory in Game 1 on October 28. The club now posts a record of 7-2-1 in its past 10 away matches, encompassing the 2025 MLS Regular Season and the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs.
As the lower seed in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, NYCFC holds an all-time record of 5-4-4. MLS introduced the Round One Best-of-3 Series format last year, and NYCFC has now advanced from Round One twice, overcoming their opponent in three matches on both occasions.
By the Numbers
- Possession: Charlotte 46.41%, NYCFC 53.59%
- Shots: Charlotte 16, NYCFC 8
- Shots on Goal: Charlotte 1, NYCFC 7
- Pass Accuracy: Charlotte 79.8%, NYCFC 80.2%
- Saves: Freese 0, Kahlina 4
- Corner Kicks: Charlotte 4, NYCFC 1
- Fouls: Charlotte 16, NYCFC 15
NYCFC scored three goals in Friday’s match—the first time the club has recorded multiple goals in a game since September 27 during the regular season, a 3-2 road win over rivals New York Red Bulls.
Freese has recorded seven saves and conceded one goal in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, recording two clean sheets in Games 1 and 2 against Charlotte.
O’Toole Earns Ireland Call-Up
In a special moment for the club, defender Kevin O’Toole received his first senior national team call-up with the Republic of Ireland ahead of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
“Very proud. I couldn’t be prouder,” Jansen said. “In Kevin’s [O’Toole] case, it’s even more special because it’s his first call-up while playing in the MLS. He must have caught their attention with his performance this season. He’s going to travel there, and the dressing room is very proud of his call-up.”
Looking Ahead: Philadelphia Union Awaits
NYCFC will face the Philadelphia Union in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals. More information regarding the match will be announced in the coming days.
Freese relished the opportunity to face the Union on their home turf.
“I don’t care how many people there are, 40,000 or more, I want to win no matter what,” Freese said. “I don’t know if I need any more motivation, I already want to win, but I don’t mind big crowds. That’s when I come alive.”
Entering the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs as the fifth seed, NYCFC has now advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The club has finished fifth or higher in the Eastern Conference in eight of the nine MLS Regular Seasons it has qualified for the playoffs.
Overall, NYCFC’s all-time record in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs is 9-8-5 (W-L-D), scoring 30 goals and conceding 32. In away matches, the club’s all-time playoff record is 4-5-4, scoring 16 goals and conceding 20.
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