NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 21: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF laughs while talking with Maxi Moralez #27 of New York City FC in the first half at Yankee Stadium on September 21, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Vincent Carchietta/Getty Images)
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New York City FC defeated MLS regular season champion Philadelphia Union in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday, setting up a conference final against Inter Miami and Lionel Messi.
It will be a highly anticipated meeting between a former MLS Cup winner from one of the country’s biggest sports markets, and the highest-profile team in American soccer, which also happens to be the 2025 MLS Cup favorite.
The key players for the respective teams are both 38-year-old Argentines. The importance of Maxi Moralez to NYCFC’s chances of success increased following a season-ending injury to star striker Alonso Martínez.
Born just five months earlier than Messi in February 1987, Moralez scored the only goal in the game against the Philadelphia Union, which was enough to see his team progress.
New York City is the only former winner remaining in this year’s playoffs, while Inter Miami has reached the conference final for the first time, having previously never made it past round one.
NYCFC’s win against Charlotte FC in the round one best-of-three series was deemed an upset. In truth, there was little between the two teams in the regular season, at the end of which Charlotte finished just three points ahead of NYCFC in the table.
City’s win in Pennsylvania, however, can be considered more of a genuine upset. Pascal Jansen’s NYCFC team went into this conference semifinal as underdogs, not only because the Union was the best team in the 2025 regular season, but also because NYCFC was missing Martínez.
Union had the best defensive record in the league in 2025, which played a big part in its Supporters’ Shield-winning campaign, but NYCFC managed to break it down with one scything move.
Matt Freese and the defense played their part at the other end to prevent the Union from scoring.
A Team Goal Wins The Game
CHESTER, PA – NOVEMBER 23: NYCFC players celebrate winning after the Audi Cup playoff game between the Philadelphia Union and New York City FC on November 23rd, 2025 at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. (Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Moralez’s finish for the goal was clinical and composed, a touch of class from a player who has delivered many such touches throughout his career, but all parts of this move were important to the end result.
Tayvon Gray put two opposition players behind the play from the start with his touch and ball-carrying, before releasing the pass that put Agustín Ojeda in an advantageous position down the right.
Ojeda’s neat touch and agility allowed him to check inside quickly, taking another opposition player out of the game with a nutmeg, before finding Nicolás Fernández Mercau in the middle.
By this time, Moralez was already making his run; he just needed Fernández Mercau to be on the same wavelength, and he was, letting the ball run in front of him before playing the perfect pass first-time at the right time onto Moralez’s run behind the defense, and the finish was then applied.
USMNT Goalkeeper Stars
CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA – NOVEMBER 23: Matt Freese #49 of New York City catches a cross during a game against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park on November 23, 2025 in Chester, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Roger Wimmer/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
ISI Photos via Getty Images
When a new goalkeeper comes into a national team setup, as New York City’s Matt Freese has done with the United States, there is a microscopic search for potential flaws and errors.
Goalkeepers will make errors; it’s part of the job, but the key is the response. Men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino clearly admires Freese’s mentality, as the NYCFC goalie has now started the last 12 games for his country.
While Pochettino experiments elsewhere, it appears he is giving Freese the game to build him up to be the starting goalkeeper at the 2026 World Cup on North American soil next year.
Back at his club, Freese proves weekly why he got a chance with the national team in the first place.
Though Moralez was understandably named Man of the Match in the conference semifinal against the Union, having scored the all-important goal, FotMob’s player ratings ranked Freese as the best player against the Union.
He made two outstanding saves towards the end of the game from Frankie Westfield and Milan Iloski, and made sure the one goal from Moralez was enough to see NYCFC progress in the playoffs.
Next up is Messi at Inter Miami’s home stadium in Fort Lauderdale. If New York City were to win that one too, it would certainly be an upset, but within its own setup the 2021 champion will have the belief it can win the game. After all, it has just knocked out the team with the best regular season record.