We're at the halfway mark of the 2025 season — that makes this the perfect time to reflect on where New York City FC currently stands, and how they got there.
1. 6 Clean sheets
NYCFC has shut out their opponents six times this season, which already ties last season's tally of six. This number at the halfway mark for the club isn't a record-setting number, but it shows improvement from the last two years.
New York City FC | Defensive Stats Through 17 Games
| Year | Clean Sheets | Goals Conceded |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6 | 18 |
| 2022 | 8 | 19 |
| 2023 | 3 | 22 |
| 2024 | 3 | 26 |
| 2025 | 6 | 20 |
Some might point straight to Matt Freese for NYCFC’s six clean sheets, and he’s a huge part of those shutouts. But the center-back pairing in front of him deserves just as much credit. Thiago Martins and Justin Haak have grown into a solid, reliable duo, showing real progress in their positioning and chemistry as the season has gone on.
2. 7 Players have scored
That's the fewest number of goal-scorers the team had in the past five seasons. By comparison, the 2024 team had 10 different players get on the scoresheet in the first 17 games.
New York City FC | Total Goal-Scorers by Year*
| Year | Number of Goal-Scorers |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2022 | 9 |
| 2021 | 9 |
* Through 17 Games
Not only that, 70% of the 20 goals New York City has scored so far in 2025 come from two players, Alonso Martínez (8 goals) and Hannes Wolf (6 goals).
New York City FC | Goal-Scorers in 2025*
| Name | Goals |
|---|---|
| Alonso Martínez | 8 |
| Hannes Wolf | 6 |
| Julián Fernández | 2 |
| Mounsef Bakrar | 1 |
| Mitja Ilenič | 1 |
| Maxi Moralez | 1 |
| Keaton Parks | 1 |
| Total | 20 |
* Through 17 Games
3. 0 Goals with tired legs
NYCFC hasn’t scored a single goal in extra time — not at the end of the first half, or the second. There have been big moments late in a game, like Wolf’s 87th-minute equalizer against Nashville SC, but once stoppage time begins, the team stays quiet.
On the other end, the only extra-time goal conceded came all the way back on opening day, when Inter Miami’s Telco Segovia made it 2–2 in the 90+10th minute.
4. 5 First-half goals
Another recent low. Since 2021, that's the fewest number of first-half goals the team has scored in the first 17 games. To put it into perspective, the second lowest was nine in 2023, which was statistically the worst goal-scoring season in club history.
New York City FC | First-Half Goals by Year*
| Year | First-Half Goals |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2024 | 12 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2022 | 15 |
| 2021 | 10 |
* Through 17 Games
NYC's five first half goals make up 25% of the goals 20 goals they have scored so far in MLS play. The lack of goals in the first half meant that City would only be leading at the 45-minute mark in just two of 17 games this season, even with their win total of seven.
New York City FC | First-half goals in 2025*
| MD | Date | Opponent | Time | Goal-Scorer | Assist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MD 1 | 02/22/2025 | Inter Miami | 26' | Mitja Ilenič | Maxi Moralez |
| MD 2 | 03/15/2025 | New England | 38' | Julián Fernández | Hannes Wolf |
| MD 6 | 03/29/2025 | Atlanta | 15' | Hannes Wolf | — |
| MD 11 | 05/04/2025 | FC Cincinnati | 9' | Julián Fernández | — |
| MD 14 | 05/17/2025 | NY Red Bulls | 13' | Alonso Martínez | Justin Haak |
* Through 17 Games
5. 12.3 xG, 15 big chances missed
Alonso Martínez has been the main guy up front for NYCFC. Not only does he have a team-high eight goals, but his xG of 12.3 leads all of Major League Soccer in xG. Martínez is able to find opportunities to score, whether it comes from chances created by a teammate or by himself.
However, those chances don't always lead to goals. Martínez not only leads MLS in xG, but in big chances missed, with 15 on the season so far. That's more than any New York City player missed in a full season since Taty Castellanos earned the Golden Boot in 2021.
6. 1,083 Minutes
Midfielder Jonny Shore wasn’t eased into the team — the 18-year-old was thrown right into it.
Shore has played 1,083 minutes this season, which comes out to over 70% of all possible minutes. That’s an average of nearly 68 minutes per game across 16 appearances.
New York City FC | Homegrown Debut Seasons
| Name | Date of Debut | Age at Debut | Mins in Debut Season | Mins in 2nd Season | Mins in 3rd Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonny Shore | 02/22/2025 | 17 | 1,083* | — | — |
| James Sands | 09/16/2017 | 17 | 23 | 223 | 1,488 |
| Justin Haak | 06/04/2019 | 17 | 6 | 759 | 909 |
| Andres Jasson | 04/17/2021 | 19 | 676 | 458 | 806 |
* Through 17 Games
For a club that usually brings young players along slowly, his rise has been quick. He started in six of NYCFC's seven wins this season. You can read more about his impact here.
7. 17 Starts
Three players have started every league match for NYCFC this season: Freese, Haak, and Maxi Moralez.
Freese’s streak is no surprise. As the clear first-choice goalkeeper with no injuries, there’s been no reason to rotate. However, that run will come to an end on June 12 against Atlanta, when NYCFC will be without their iceman for the first time this year due to yesterday's call-up to the USMNT Concacaf Gold Cup roster.
Haak’s streak is impressive, but not unexpected. He locked down a starting role late last season, stepping in for the often-injured Birk Risa, and clearly stated that this year he wanted more consistent starting minutes.
Regarding Justin Haak & future w/ #NewYorkCityFC
— Glenn Crooks (@GlennCrooks) November 25, 2024
He told me prior to 9/28 #HudsonRiverDerby that he needs assurance that he is competing for a starting spot in '25 - wherever that might be.
From "On Frame" - Listen👇
His current deal w/ #NYCFC runs through '25#MLS… pic.twitter.com/a7YYChLQBA
But Maxi? That’s the surprise. At 38, he’s the oldest player on the team, and somehow a player that has been completely reliable.
New York City FC | 2025 Most Starts*
| Name | Games Started | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Maxi Moralez | 17 | 38 |
| Justin Haak | 17 | 23 |
| Matt Freese | 17 | 26 |
| Hannes Wolf | 16 | 26 |
| Alonso Martínez | 16 | 26 |
| Thiago Martins | 15 | 30 |
| Jonny Shore | 12 | 18 |
* Through 17 Games
It makes more sense when you consider David Lee has given head coach Pascal Jansen no true replacement for Santi Rodríguez, the team’s main playmaker last year. We have seen experiments with Julián Fernández and Wolf playing as the No 10, but neither have seemed too convincing. Without that true creative engine, Maxi is being asked to carry the load again.
8. 1.67 vs 1.25
NYCFC has recorded 1.67 points per game against teams in the Top 7 positions in their conference, but only 1.25 points per game against teams on the lower end of the table.
New York City is playing to the level of their opponents. What else is new?
From a tactical standpoint, we've seen NYCFC have the most trouble against CF Montréal at home in Matchday 12, whose 1-0 victory at Yankee Stadium is their only win this season. Or you could argue that city's 3-0 loss to Houston Dynamo last week showed the weakest version of their attack — Houston had only one road win before this game, and played a heavily rotated lineup.
However, we have seen the best version of this team against top teams like FC Cincinnati, who arguably have the league's best attacking duo in Kevin Denkey and Evander. The two have a combined 17 goals and five assists on the season, but when they were facing New York City at Citi Field they looked like they were playing together for the first time.
NYCFC's next match will be against Atlanta United at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, June 12. Atlanta has yet to win an away game this season, and their four wins in total include the 4-3 defeat of New York City on March 29. Which version of NYCFC will we see next Thursday?
9. 29 Yellow cards
That's the seventh-fewest in the league. Is NYCFC disciplined, or too soft?
New York City FC | 2025 Matches with Most Cards*
| Opponent | MD | Yellow Cards | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | MD 15 | 4 | W |
| Cincinnati | MD 11 | 3 | W |
| Toronto | MD 10 | 3 | W |
| Orlando | MD 3 | 3 | W |
| Nashville | MD 17 | 3 | D |
* Through 17 Games
This could be correlation, not causation. But we'll keep an eye on it.
10. 6-0-3 Record at home, 3-0-3 at Yankee Stadium
NYCFC has three wins, four goals, and three clean sheets in three appearances at Citi Field. But over in The Bronx, NYCFC has conceded more goals than they have scored.
New York City FC | 2025 Home Record*
| Venue | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yankee Stadium | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 9 | -1 |
| Citi Field | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 |
* Through 17 Games
New York City has one of the strongest home records in MLS through 17 games, but that's because of the exceptional performances at Citi Field, and in spite of the stumbles at Yankee Stadium.
