New York City FC beat the Philadelphia Union 1–0 at Subaru Park, knocking out the team with the best regular season record and securing a spot in the Eastern Conference final. Maxi Moralez’s first half goal and Matt Freese’s saves were decisive in a match where NYCFC showed it could compete even while missing important players. The result came in one of the toughest environments in MLS and sets up a direct clash with Inter Miami for a place in the MLS Cup final.
The goal from Moralez that changed the direction of the semifinal
The match opened with Philadelphia pressing high and testing New York City’s ability to keep the ball. The visitors took a while to adjust to the intensity but gradually found their rhythm. The first big chance came in the 15th minute, when Maxi Moralez stole the ball from Jakob Glesnes and set up Nicolás Fernández Mercau. His shot deflected and hit the post, showing that NYCFC had space to trouble the hosts.
The Union responded with Bruno Damiani, who fired a low shot that forced Freese into a quick reaction. The rebound slipped for a moment, but he kept it from crossing the line. The goal that decided the semifinal came in the 27th minute through a well worked team move. Ojeda advanced down the right, cut inside and played it to Nicolás Fernández, who slipped a pass behind the back line to find Moralez making his run. The Argentine hit it first time and opened the scoring, his fourth goal in four playoff matches against the Union. The home team tried to answer with Olwethu Makhanya, but Freese handled the header comfortably. Ojeda kept pushing and forced another save with a long range effort down the left.
Moments before halftime, Glesnes had two straight chances, both stopped by Freese, who was already becoming the key figure of the first half.
Union pressure, Freese’s decisive saves and the confirmation of the win
Philadelphia stayed aggressive after the break. Jovan Lukic created the first chance of the second half. Soon after, Nicolás Fernández nearly scored from his own half when he tried to catch the Union off guard, forcing Andre Blake to sprint back and clear before the ball crossed the line.
The Union kept attacking and in the 75th minute Frankie Westfield appeared free at the back post after a deflection. Freese blocked the equalizer with an important save using his foot. Minutes later, Ojeda and Nicolás Fernández combined again down the left, and Moralez hit a powerful strike that required a save from backup goalkeeper Andrew Rick. The match turned into constant pressure from Philadelphia. Westfield sent one over the bar at the 90 minute mark, and in stoppage time Milan Iloski hit a dangerous shot from distance that Freese pushed away for a corner. NYCFC’s defense held firm until the final whistle.
After the match, Justin Haak highlighted the importance of the result by saying, “I think we’ve proven we can beat anyone who steps on the field with us.” Freese, a former Union academy player, spoke about his journey: “It’s been a roller coaster, with a lot of ups and downs. A lot of people have believed in me and I’m very grateful for that: family, friends, people here, people in New York. It’s all thanks to them.” He added, “The message is that there are five days of preparation ahead. That’s what I’m focused on right now. It was good to celebrate with the fans, but I have a lot of respect for this club.”
The win, earned away from home for the third time in these playoffs, shows a team that doesn’t depend on favorable circumstances to compete. NYCFC reaches the conference final with solid arguments and a performance that explains why it’s still alive in the title race, but a tough opponent awaits in the decision. Now it’s about seeing whether they can surprise again.