New York City FC (NYCFC) players and staff hope that the club’s return to Citi Field for the first time in more than two months will be a source of inspiration for the club ahead of the first round of the MLS Cup post-season playoffs against Cincinnati.
NYCFC, who have not played a home game at Citi Field since a 2-2 tie with Chicago on Aug. 24, will take on Cincinnati in Queens on Saturday, Nov. 2, in the second game of a best-of-three series, with the other two fixtures taking place in Cincinnati.
The club generally splits its home games between Yankee Stadium and Citi Field depending on availability, but simultaneous post-season runs from both the Mets and the Yankees saw NYCFC’s final two home games of the season shifted to Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, the home of their near neighbors and cross-city rivals, the New York Red Bulls.
However, the Mets’ elimination at the hands of the Dodgers last weekend has freed up Citi Field for the upcoming MLS post-season and the club’s players and staff are welcoming the return to familiar territory despite winning three games in a row at Red Bull Arena, including a 5-1 away victory against the Red Bulls.
NYCFC head coach Nick Cushing said the return to Citi Field said he was proud of the club’s winning record during its short stint at Red Bull Arena but said the return to Citi Field will be a source of inspiration during the upcoming game against Cincinnati.
“Playing in front of our home fans in Queens, playing in front of our home fans in the Bronx, being in New York, is something that incredibly inspires us,” Cushing said. “It gives us energy because the crowd is loud and the atmosphere is good.”
Cushing added that NYCFC now has to do its part to get the home fans behind them for Game 2 of the three-game series by playing aggressive and attacking soccer that will excite fans in Citi Field.
Goalkeeper Matt Freese similarly believes the atmosphere will be electric when Cincinnati comes to town at the beginning of November.
“Being able to play in front of our fans, I’m sure is going to be a fantastic atmosphere,” Freese said. “Not only does it intimidate an opponent, but it reminds us who we’re fighting for and who we’re putting all that effort in for.”
Kevin O’Toole, who has established himself as NYCFC’s starting left-back during the 2024 season, said the Citi Field crowd will be like the 12th man during Game 2 of the series.
“I think a lot of our fans are in Queens,” O’Toole said. “So to get them back (after the break from Citi Field) will be a huge leg up for us. They’ll be our 12th man.
“We hope that the (stadium) will be filled out for the game. They’ll be a big boost for us and we’ll definitely need their support.”
NYCFC’s defeat to Montreal on the final day of the regular season saw the club finish sixth in the Eastern Conference, leaving them outside the four-seeded places and with two away games in the MLS Cup first round.
Cushing’s side traveled to Cincinnati for the opening game of the three-game series on Monday, Oct. 28, before their solitary home game at Citi Field on Saturday, Nov. 2.
