FC Cincinnati and New York City FC kick off their best-of-three playoff series in the 2024 Major League Soccer campaign with a match at TQL Stadium.

After unexpectedly topping the MLS standings last season with 69 points, FC Cincinnati entered this campaign with high expectations. However, under Pat Noonan, they struggled to match their previous success, dropping 12 points in their first eight matches and securing only three wins during that stretch.

Cincinnati will be looking to gain an early advantage over New York City FC ahead of their second meeting on Saturday. They feel confident, having lost only once in the last eight encounters between the two teams. New York City's sole victory against Cincinnati since early 2022 came in their most recent match this month, where they triumphed 3-2, and they’ll aim for a repeat performance on Monday.

After a slow start to the season with just one win in their first seven games, Nick Cushing’s squad rallied to finish sixth in the Eastern Conference, returning to the playoffs after missing out last year. However, they ended the regular season with a 2-0 loss to CF Montreal, despite having secured three wins in their previous matches. New York City ended the season strong, earning 10 points from their last 15 available, trailing only Charlotte, Montreal, and Inter Miami in the East.

Nonetheless, they have struggled on the road lately, managing just one win in their last five away games, with that victory coming against city rivals New York Red Bulls in late September.

Prediction: FC Cincinnati 2-1 New York City FC

FC Cincinnati vs New York City FC stream and TV listing

France：MLS Season Pass

Gambia：MLS Season Pass

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