After New York City FC won each of its first five MLS matches against Inter Miami, the Herons responded with a 3-2 home win on August 13. Alejandro Pozuelo was involved in three goals as he’s recorded 14 goal contributions in 12 games against NYCFC (including playoffs) in his career, the most of any player against a single opponent since Pozuelo joined MLS in 2019.
This will be the seventh straight playoff appearance for New York City FC, the second longest active streak in MLS behind only the Red Bulls (13). Three of New York City’s last five postseason matches have gone to penalties, losing to Orlando City in 2020 before winning in both the conference semifinal against New England and MLS Cup against Portland last season.
New York City FC won its final three matches of the regular season after w inning just one of its previous 10 league games (D2 L7). NYCFC has been hot and cold this year, posting four different streaks of at least three wins and three different streaks of at least four games without a win.
Inter Miami is in the playoffs proper for the first time after losing in the play-in round in the expanded 2020 postseason. Miami won just two of its first 15 matches on the road this season (D3 L10) before winning both at D.C. United and Toronto in its last two away matches. It marks only the second time in club history that the Herons have won consecutive road games (at Cincinnati and Toronto in September 2021).
New York City FC had a strong Brazilian influence this season, especially after the midseason departure of Taty Castellanos. Of the 29 goals (excluding own goals) NYCFC scored after Castellano’s departure, 17 of them were scored by Brazilians, including each of the last three, by three different players (Talles Magno, Gabriel Pereira, Heber). Further, since the start of last season’s playoffs, 59 of NYCFC’s 63 goals (excluding own goals) have been scored by South Americans.
Gonzalo Higuain had a strong finish to the final regular season of his career, scoring in five straight games before being held goalless on Decision Day against Montreal. After scoring only twice in his first 14 games, Higuain scored 14 goals in his final 16 games of the season as only the Union’s Daniel Gazdag (15) scored more since that run began in mid-June.
