NYCFC falls to Inter Miami in Eastern Conference Finals, ending 2025 season | OneFootball

When New York City FC entered the Eastern Conference Finals, they knew they were the underdog. Inter Miami CF had nine more points than the Pigeons, but have also been on fire as of late, scoring four times each in the last playoff matches. Yes, they beat the Philadelphia Union, but the Herons are different. So, the Boys in Blue had a mountain to climb. But the mountain was too tall, for they ultimately lost 5-1.

Head Coach Pascal Jansen tried to be a little more defensive by taking Hannes Wolf out, with Aiden O’Neill returning.  Although Wolf came on after halftime. Defensively, the team had four at the back, with Raul Gustavo playing as the left-back and Kevin O’Toole playing more towards the final third in the first half and defensive midfield in the second.  Both O’Toole and Tayvon Gray moved into the attack when the Pigeons had offensive chances.

Alas, that did not work, since the Herons scored five times during the game.  It was not entirely dominated, though, by the home side, for NYCFC fought as hard as they could.  Plus, they were without Alonso Martínez.  Nevertheless, the score does not tell the whole story.

Truthfully, with the way Miami has been playing, it was not shocking by any means that they lost. Again, the home team is arguably the hottest side in Major League Soccer at this time. NYCFC did what they could do. Maybe, without their injuries, they could have had more of a chance. But in complete honesty, even the best team that Jansen could field likely would have walked away into the offseason.

NYCFC is out of the MLS Cup Playoffs

The game began with the two teams sharing periods of possession.  NYCFC had moments in the attack where they produced offensive chances, but failed to get off a shot in the first ten minutes.  It was not until a free kick from Miami in the 13th minute that anyone took a shot.  Despite Lionel Messi taking the free kick, Matt Freese easily earned the save against Mateo Silvetti.

However, the goalkeeper could not stop Tadeo Allende, who scored one minute later.  Justin Haak failed to clear the ball, and the Miami forward just powered it past Freese.  The solid defense from the Philadelphia Union match was already broken down.

This subsequently opened up the Herons and their attack, and immediately they turned into the more threatening side.  So, it was not shocking when they scored again in the 23rd minute.  The backline completely broke down, and Allende scored his second goal of the night.  Another powerful shot saw the ball end up in the back of the net.  By this point, fans of both teams knew where the match was going.  Sadly for NYCFC, it was the beginning of the end.

It was not like NYCFC did not have chances, though.  Nicolás Fernández Mercau had a shot in the 28th minute.  But Rocco Ríos Novo easily saved the shot, for it went right to him.

Still, in the 37th minute, NYCFC was given some life.  The Pigeons had a free kick, and Maxi Moralez put the ball right into the box.  Haak was in the right place at the right time and headed the ball right at Ríos Novo.  The shot was too intense for the Miami goalkeeper to handle, and the Boys in Blue were not going to be shut out.

The Pigeons had a chance to tie the match at the beginning of the second half, too.  Ríos Novo gave the ball away, and Moralez intervened.  The NYCFC legend probably should have taken the shot, but instead, he tried to pass the ball, and Agustín Ojeda’s lackluster shot meant that the Bronx side failed to capitalize on a perfect opportunity.

Other than that, the attack for the Pigeons died down a little.  They spent time in their final third, but lacked the clinical finish that they desperately needed.  Bringing on Julián Fernández in the 60th minute did help, for he brought fresh energy to the pitch.  He also had the best chance for the Pigeons in the 66th minute that easily could have gone in without the Miami keeper’s quick reaction.

Unfortunately, another missed chance led the Herons to score their third right after.  Silvetti, who Freese stopped in the first half, finally found the back of the net.  The rest of the story was written, and sadly, NYCFC could not do enough to secure another goal.

The visitors should have been more clinical and focused in the final third.  Miami dropped off slightly after the third goal.  But in the 83rd minute, they had an opportunity to counter, and NYCFC’s defense was extremely messy.  Rather, they already looked defeated.  So, the Herons dismantled them, using a series of pitch-perfect passes to enable Telasco Segovia to score the fourth goal. And, in the final minute, Allende struck one last time to get his third goal of the night and stab the dagger deep into the Boys in Blues' souls.

But this is not a time to focus on the rough loss. When all is said and done, NYCFC had a pretty good postseason run after finishing in fifth place in the Eastern Conference.  They won both road games in the Round One Best-of-3 series against Charlotte FC, who had their number for the longest time.  Then, they knocked out the Supporters’ Shield winners, the Philadelphia Union, away from home.

Making the Eastern Conference Finals in a year they were not expected to is a great accomplishment for NYCFC. The players should be proud of the 2025 season. Sure, it would have been great to go to the MLS Cup Finals. But the journey can be looked at in a positive light, and everyone can look forward to the 2026 season.