A depleted New York City FC pulled off a major road upset, downing Supporters' Shield winners Philadelphia Union 1-0 to win their Eastern Conference Semifinal at Subaru Park.
Maxi Moralez reprised the role of playoff hero, finishing off a silky five-pass team move to score yet another dagger goal on the Union in front of their home fans in the postseason.
That goal came in the 27th minute and chances were almost nonexistent for New York City from that point on, with the Union throwing everything forward in search of an equalizer. New York City's best other scoring chance came when Nico Fernández Mercau nearly pulled a 2017 David Villa and caught Andre Blake way out of the Philadelphia goal with a shot from behind the halfway line, though this time Blake made a miraculous save that in the process cost him a hamstring and forced his removal from the match in the 60th minute.
Blake's former protege now in net for New York City, meanwhile, delivered a playoff performance for the ages. Philadelphia created multiple clear and quality chances in each half, but Matt Freese stood tall against his former Union team, making five saves and many of them highlight-reel-worthy ones en route to his third clean sheet of the MLS Cup Playoffs and his 12th in all competitions for New York City this season.
Matthew Mangam
Most dramatic and spectacular of Freese's five saves was a sprawling stop made on a driven strike by Philadelphia forward Milan Iloski in the 92nd minute, with Freese just getting a hand on the powerful shot to put it out for a corner kick, a game-saving play in the second of six minutes added to the 90 by referee Guido Gonzales Jr.
The single first-half moment of attacking brilliance capped off by Moralez, plus the lockdown work done by Freese in goal and by the defenders in front of him were enough to set up a trip to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to face Inter Miami CF in the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday, November 29 at 6:00 pm ET.
New York City: 1.01 xG, 6 shots, 4 shots on target, 50% possession, 428 passes, 77% pass accuracy, 9 fouls, 3 corners, 5 saves
Philadelphia: 2.35 xG, 20 shots, 5 shots on target, 50% possession, 421 passes, 74% pass accuracy, 18 fouls, 8 corners, 3 saves
Goals:
• New York City, Maxi Moralez, 27'
Attendance: 19,210
Makeshift lineup makes it work
Pascal Jansen had big lineup decisions to make while playing without Alonso Martínez, Andrés Perea, and Aiden O’Neill.
