In this edition of the Hudson River Blue Roundtable, John Baney, Andrew Leigh, Matthew Mangam, Mark Radigan, Abe Shire, and Oliver Strand look back on New York City FC's run at 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, which saw the fifth-seed team upset Charlotte FC and Philadelphia Union before coming up against the buzzsaw called Inter Miami to lose in the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday.
First, a gut-check
Oliver Strand: Let’s start with a double gut-check. How are you feeling about Saturday’s loss to Miami? And how are you feeling about the 2025 playoff run overall?
Matthew Mangam: Saturday’s loss to Miami wasn’t pretty. NYCFC did a good job in keeping Lionel Messi quiet for the most part, but conceded some sloppy goals against a dangerous offense. Overall, the 2025 playoff run will always be remembered, especially for that huge upset over the Philadelphia Union.
Abe Shire: I was ready for any scoreline, but there were definitely sloppy moments from NYCFC. The team did well to shut down Messi for most of the game, but Tadeo Allende was always going to be dangerous. He’s been on fire these playoffs, and I’m sure he was hungry to chase down that record for most goals in a single playoffs. I agree with Matthew, though, that the win over Philadelphia will not be forgotten. I thought they were going to get revenge?
Andrew Leigh: Hate seeing the season end with that kind of loss, even if it played much closer than the scoreline would indicate. The performance in Philadelphia made it feel like a “team of destiny” run to lifting MLS Cup might happen. Miami is simply too stacked and too in-form, though; they weren’t going to be upset by a shorthanded, imperfect version of NYCFC. The 2025 playoff run was impressive at times and frustrating at others, but it ultimately feels like New York City made it as far as they deserved to go.
Mark Radigan: Saturday was a miserable end to a glorious playoff run and put an unfortunate stain on a remarkable first campaign for Pascal Jansen. Miami is a juggernaut and played like it, picking apart the defense just like they did at Citi Field in September. But overall, winning three of four matches on the road in the playoffs is no easy feat, and caps off an impressive 2025 MLS Season.
John Baney: As bad as that 5-1 scoreline looked, anyone who watched that game live will know that NYCFC played Miami really tough for about 75% of the contest. That last 25% however, was hard to watch. But overall, losing on the road to the most expensive MLS squad ever assembled, with several key NYCFC players missing, is nothing to hang your head over. That was still a phenomenal playoff run from NYCFC - one that fans will remember for a long time.
Was the Inter Miami game winnable?
OS: Do you think the Miami game was winnable for New York City? Or is there no multiverse in which this injury-depleted NYCFC squad can beat a star-packed Miami that totally, absolutely are in compliance with MLS salary cap rules?
AL: It was winnable in that Miami lost 13 other times this season and could be beaten again in a one-off, but I don’t think New York City had any hope of outscoring present-version Miami in this game. Even if Julian Fernández converts, I’m not sure I believe NYCFC had enough to go toe-to-toe with them for up to 120 minutes.
MM: There is a small universe in which NYCFC win that game. If Julián Fernández scored that golden chance to make it 2-2, NYCFC would’ve had the momentum to go on and score the game-winner. But that’s not the reason NYCFC lost: Sloppy defense, bad awareness, and miscommunication were on full display as Miami buried its chances.
MR: Given that Miami strolled into Queens and pumped four goals past Matt Freese barely a month ago, I think there was only a small universe where NYCFC had the best defensive performance of the season and squeaked past Messi & Co. And I agree, if Fernández buries that chance, then we’re talking about a totally different contest.
JB: Call me crazy, but if you gave NYCFC 10 cracks at that game, I bet they'd win two or three of them? What frustrated me about that particular performance was that NYCFC beat themselves as much as anything else. This game was defined by individual defensive errors from NYCFC. They created the same amount of scoring chances they had all playoffs - they just couldn’t take them, and Miami absolutely could.
AS: Against a team that totally, absolutely are in compliance with salary cap rules, winning is difficult. Miami would have found a way.
No Andrés + no Alonso = no bueno
OS: Do you think NYCFC could have gotten it done with Andrés Perea and Alonso Martínez healthy and at the top of their games?
MR: Without question. The playoffs are a different beast following the regular season, and anything is possible. With a fully fit Martínez partnered with Hannes Wolf and Nico up front, and supported by pivot Perea and Aiden O’Neill in midfield, NYCFC can beat any team in the league.
MM: Yes, 100 percent. Miami’s defense has improved, but it still isn’t super strong. Alonso Martínez has scored against Miami before and probably would have done so again. As for Andrés Perea, he would’ve been crucial in winning aerial duels and completing tackles to help win possession for NYCFC.
AL: I don’t think they win even with both Perea and Martínez available. The game might have looked different, maybe it gets leveled at a certain point, but I also don’t think adding both players would have put NYCFC at a clear advantage over Miami.
AS: Yeah, but at least it would have been more competitive. The broadcast mentioned that Maxi Moralez and Nico Fernández preferred to play out wide, and it makes sense given their profiles. Beyond Perea’s height and Martínez’s goalscoring threat, we were missing a proper striker.
