The 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs are back and FC Cincinnati will host the opening match in their Round One, Best of 3 series with NYCFC. The new playoff format, first instituted in 2023, ensures that this match is not a knockout match. Still, the intensity of the playoffs will be there, with the chance to start a championship run on a high note.

“It feels different, it should. And you realize you have to be very connected in every aspect of the game,” Pat Noonan said on Saturday morning ahead of Monday night’s match. “So many little things become so much more important at this stage that you have to get it right.”

FC Cincinnati enters the playoffs on a high after beating Philadelphia Union 2-1 on Decision Day and tying an MLS record for road wins in a season. The playoff calendar has allowed extra time off as FCC kicks off on Monday night, meaning they have two extra days to prepare than the usual week.

The extra time gives Noonan and his staff a chance to continue the work done before the Philadelphia game; work that, Noonan says, has paid off with strong performance and results.

“We’ve just had a few days to start conversations about some of the things we’re going to do on both sides of the ball. Just like in the lead-up to Philly, I think we’ve seen improvements in understanding some of those ideas when moving players.” around trying different things and making sure guys are willing to do different things,” Pat Noonan explained. “Often at the end of (play-off) games it can look hectic. And when there is desperation you see things that you normally don’t see, I think I’ve said that in recent years. Players in different places, or a very aggressive approach or a very defensive approach depending on the state of the game, you see that a lot at the end of these games. So everyone needs to be well informed as the games progress (and) to understand how to play the game late.”

FC Cincinnati has made the playoffs for the third season in a row, winning their opening game in each of those years. With that third consecutive victory, FCC became only the second Cincinnati-based major league professional sports club to make the postseason in three consecutive seasons.

With a win, FC Cincinnati could clinch their spot in the Conference Semifinals if they win Game 2 at Citi Field next week. If this match is tied after 90 minutes, the winner will be determined via a penalty shootout. Last season, FC Cincinnati secured their spot by defeating the New York Red Bulls in PKs in Game Two at Red Bull Arena.

FC Cincinnati vs New York City Football Club – Monday, October 29, 2024 – 6:30 PM ET – Citi Field

Current: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Traditional: Foxsport 1

TV Talent (English, Apple): Chris Wittyngham (PxP), Lori Lindsey (Analyst)
TV talent (Spanish, Apple): Oscar Salazar (PxP), Jamie Macias (Analyst)
TV talent (English, FS1): Mike Watts (PxP), Tony Meola (Analyst)

Radio (English): Foxsport 1360

Radio (Spanish): La Mega 101.5 FM

Radio talent (English): Tom Gelehrter (PXP), Kevin McCloskey (analyst)
Radio talent: (Spanish): Gustavo Luques (PXP), Jose Romero (analyst)

Make sure you follow @FCCincinnati TweetInstagram and Facebook for live updates of the game.

The match against NYCFC will be the fourth time FC Cincinnati will meet them this season. In both games at TQL Stadium, FCC came away with the win, but in the most recent game (a trip to New York), FCC fell 3-2.

In the league match at TQL Stadium on Saturday, March 23, Luciano Acosta scored to give FC Cincinnati a 1-0 victory. In his FCC career, Acosta scored six goals and four assists against NYCFC.

However, the Leagues Cup match at TQL Stadium was full of energy and interest as FCC stormed back to secure a 4-2 win after trailing 2-0 with just over ten minutes to play. Yuya Kubo, Pavel Bucha, Yamil Asad and Sergio Santos all contributed to the group stage victory.

In the 3-2 loss at Red Bull Arena, Acosta scored a PK in the 69th minute. Corey Baird also scored in the 90+6 minute to give FCC a last hold on hope, but the Orange and Blue ultimately could not find the equalizer.

Get ready to experience TQL Stadium like never before! Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs are about to get even more exciting with a new synchronized pre-match light show, and all fans in attendance can be part of it! Download the FC Cincinnati app and you can help light up TQL Stadium with your phone. Join this amazing experience and let’s light up Cincy together.

Open the FC Cincinnati app on your mobile device and tap the Light up Cincy Card on the home screen.

Tap the ‘Accept and Continue’ button to agree to the terms of use and privacy policy.

Click the ‘Continue’ button when you hear the announcement in the stadium that the light show is about to start. This step only works on match day at the stadium.

Click the “Enable Microphone” button to enable microphone permissions. Microphone permissions are required to activate and synchronize light shows. This step only works on match day at the stadium.

Click the “Enable Camera” button to enable microphone permissions. Light show features require camera permissions. This step only works on match day at the stadium.

Keep your FCC app open on the ‘Waiting for Sync’ page and let the show begin! Use the three buttons to take photos, record videos, and switch to the front or back camera of your device. This step only works on match day at the stadium.

Monday Monday – Monday will be only the second match on a Monday for FC Cincinnati since the club joined Major League Soccer in 2019. The only previous time was this season, ironically also against New York City FC, in the 2024 Leagues Cup on August 5.

Post-season play – Monday will be FC Cincinnati’s 29th non-MLS regular season game in the official league since joining the league in 2019, the ninth this season. FCC is 13-6-6 in its previous 25 games. While Monday’s game isn’t technically a must-win, the club is 7-5-5 in 17 previous win-or-go home games (2-3 in shootouts).

Known enemy – Monday night will mark the fourth time in 2024 that FC Cincinnati and NYCFC will meet, following two MLS regular season battles and in the Leagues Cup group stage. Only twice before did FC Cincinnati meet a single club four times a year, inclusive

will face the New York Red Bulls five times in 2023 and the Columbus Crew four times in 2020. Depending on how the Round One Best-of-3 series goes, FCC and NYCFC could meet six times in competitive action this calendar year.

Rotation – In 42 games across all competitions participating in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, FC Cincinnati did not repeat a positional lineup once. In fact, the same 11 players – regardless of position – have not featured in the same starting XI once this season. And there was rotation, especially on the back line. No backline (three centre-backs, two full-backs) for FC Cincinnati played together positionally more than twice. Only once did these backlines play together without change in consecutive matches (July 6 vs. Inter Miami CF; July 13 vs. Charlotte FC).

Rejected – Luciano ‘Lucho’ Acosta was surprisingly not named a finalist this season to repeat as Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player. Acosta made more goal contributions in 2024 than in 2023 by setting a club single-season record with 33 goal contributions (14 G, 19 A).

This is the first time FC Cincinnati and NYCFC have faced off in the MLS Cup Playoffs, but these two sides are hardly unfamiliar with each other in cup competition in recent years. The two met earlier this season in the Leagues Cup, where FCC came out on top, and again in the US Open Cup in 2023, where FCC also won 1-0 at Yankee Stadium.

NYCFC missed the playoffs in 2023, but made it in each of the previous three seasons, winning the MLS Cup in 2021. 2023 marked the first season since NYCFC’s freshman year of 2015 that they failed to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs .

The team from New York was led offensively this season by two striking players. Santiago Rodriguez powered the attack, starting 32 games and scoring 12 goals with 10 assists. Costa Rican star Alonso Martínez leads the team with 16 goals despite only starting 19 games this season. The international enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2024 after playing just 30 minutes last term, but only joined the club in August after joining from Alajuelense.

In net for NYCFC is standout goalkeeper Matt Freese, who, despite not being named a finalist for Goalkeeper of the Year, was shortlisted for much of the season. Freese started every regular season match for NYCFC this season and only once failed to complete all 90 minutes of a match when he was removed due to injury. He made 121 saves and conceded 45 goals, for a save percentage of 72 percent.

Defensive midfielders James Sands and Keaton Parks have been instrumental in NYCFC’s success in 2024, each completing more than 87 percent of their passes. Defender and Designated Player Thiago Martins (who goes by the mononym ‘Thiago’) leads the team in passes, with 2,034 completed and a completion rate of over 90 percent.

Head Coach Nick Cushing leads NYCFC in his third year at the club as top boss. Prior to his appointment as manager in 2022, he was an assistant at NYCFC from 2020 to 2022. However, Cushing has long been a member of the “City Football Group”, the organization that owns NYCFC and specifically Manchester City in the English Premier League. Prior to his US appointment, Cushing was Head Coach of the Manchester City Women’s Team from 2013 to 2020, which is his only other coaching role.

The last time NYCFC and FC Cincinnati faced off, The New Yorkers used a 4-2-3-1 formation but switched shapes occasionally. In their most recent match, a 2-0 loss to CF Montréal, NYCFC used a 4-3-3 formation, having not used a 4-4-2 formation until September. When NYCFC came to Cincinnati in March, they mostly used a 3-4-2-1 formation, but have largely abandoned that as they have only used it once since March 31st.