NYCFC take Round One lead after road win at Charlotte | OneFootball

The first round of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs continued this evening as NYCFC banked a 1-0 win on the road against Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium.

Scorers: Martínez 34'

It was a tough night for the Crown without star man Wilfried Zaha, as the Ivorian icon served his suspension after being sent off against Philadelphia in the final match of the 2025 regular season.

The Pigeons took a deserved 1-0 lead in the 34th minute through an unbelievable solo run from key striker Alonso Martínez, with the Costa Rican international finishing from close range after embarking on a slalom run through Charlotte's lines.

Charlotte came out of Dean Smith's half-time team talk reinvigorated as they looked for an equalizer, but missing Zaha's x-factor on the pitch continued to loom large moving into the final 15 minutes of action.

A pair of penalty shouts and a subsequent coming-together of the two sides would add further drama in the closing minutes to close out a hotly contested second half.

But there would be no last-minute heroics from Idan Toklomati and company, however, with Martínez's hit proving the difference on the night as NYCFC take the slimmest of margins back to the Bronx for Saturday's follow-up meeting at Yankee Stadium.

📸 David Jensen - 2025 Getty Images