Alonso Martínez, Thiago Martínez help NYCFC clinch decider against FC Cincinnati

NEW YORK (AP) — Alonso Martinez and defender Thiago Martins scored first-half goals to give New York City FC a 3-1 win over Cincinnati FC at Citi Field on Saturday.

Santiago Rodriguez scored on a penalty kick in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time to help No. 6 seed NYCFC even in its best-of-three first-round series with third-seeded Cincinnati.

Cincinnati, which has won six of its last seven games with a plus-9 goal difference, will host the final on Saturday.

NYCFC took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute when Martinez took a pass from 19-year-old defender Mitja Ilenic and scored his first goal of the season in his second career appearance and start. Ilenich’s assist was his first in the first playoff match.

Martins sent NYCFC into halftime with a 2-0 lead when he scored unassisted in the 40th minute. It was his first postseason goal in five games — all starts.

Cincinnati cut the deficit in half in the 65th minute on a goal by rookie Luca Orellano — his first of the postseason — off assists from Sergio Santos and Luciano Acosta. Santos, a 57th-minute substitute, notched his third assist in 13 postseason games. Acosta tallied his second shutout of the postseason and his fourth in 11 games with 10 starts.

Rodriguez’s PK came in the seventh minute of stoppage time after he fouled Cincinnati defender Chidozi Awazie. It was his second goal in nine career playoff games — all starts.

Matt Freese made four saves in his second postseason appearance for NYCFC.

Roman Celentano finished with one save in his eighth playoff start for Cincinnati.

Cincinnati last played at Citi Field, home of MLB’s New York Mets, in September 2022 and has never played a playoff game there. The pitch is narrower than most other stadiums.

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