NYCFC just one win away from advancing to Eastern Conference Semifinals

New York Post

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00:00NYCFC host Charlotte FC at Yankee Stadium in the Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 2.

00:06Well, that's all going down on Saturday.

00:08The City Boys snuck out a 1-0 road win in Game 1 thanks to a sick solo finish from Alonzo Martinez.

00:15Let's bring in Roberto Abramowitz so we can talk all things NYCFC.

00:20Roberto, how you doing, sir?

00:22You ready for some playoff action at Yankee Stadium?

00:26Absolutely.

00:26I think it's going to be lit tomorrow at Yankee Stadium.

00:30They're expecting a pretty big crowd, way over 20,000.

00:34So, you know, New York City fans are going to show up and show out for this game

00:38because the support that the City Boys have had throughout the year

00:44and throughout their existence from their fan base has been fantastic.

00:48So I expect nothing less tomorrow.

00:50I will raise your lit.

00:52I will see your lit and raise you with an aura.

00:55So I'm going to try and use aura in this next one as the kids say.

00:59How much of this game 2 at Yankee Stadium is about riding the momentum

01:04and the scoring early to create the aura type atmosphere?

01:09I hope I got that one right.

01:12Oh, look, the atmosphere, obviously it helps.

01:18New York City has a record of 11-2-1 when they score first.

01:22I remember last year in the playoffs when they wound up losing to the Red Bulls

01:26and the Red Bulls scored first and it sort of took the air out of the New York City fans

01:31and then the Red Bull fans were making all the noise.

01:34But, you know, there's no Red Bull fans here this season

01:37and I don't know how many Charlotte fans are going to show up.

01:41But, you know, the last two games that New York City has played against Charlotte,

01:45either at Yankee Stadium or Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte hasn't scored.

01:50So they've shut them out in the last two games,

01:52which is a pretty remarkable stat considering that they had only been shut out.

01:57The only two shutouts they've suffered in the last 30 have been to New York City FC.

02:01So, defensively, New York City FC seemed to have their number.

02:05Obviously, they were helped by the fact that Wilfred Saha didn't play

02:10because he got himself suspended in the last game of the year against Philadelphia.

02:14And so he didn't play and it sort of really helped the New York City backline

02:19and not having to deal with him.

02:20So, but this time they will have to deal with him,

02:22but he has to deal with Yankee Stadium.

02:24And the last time that he was there,

02:26he spent the entire game complaining about the surface, the dimensions,

02:32everything you could imagine about Yankee Stadium was absolutely in his head.

02:38And so it's going to be interesting to see how he comes out in this game.

02:43But he obviously, the quality that he has adds another dimension offensively to Charlotte.

02:49And I can only imagine that the home crowd is going to be all over Saha this game.

02:54So, on the city side, which player, or I guess players,

02:59do you think have to set the tone with their energy and the production for the home crowd?

03:04Well, obviously, Alonso Martinez has to.

03:07The goal that he scored, you described it as a wonder goal.

03:10My partner, Ariel Hulas on the radio, described it as Maradona-esque, what he did.

03:17I mean, for him to dance between five defenders, pass the ball around one defender,

03:22and then catch it and take it in and score is really, truly a remarkable goal.

03:27And if he's able to do something early in the game,

03:31then I think that that's going to be fantastic.

03:33But the guy that I really want you to watch is one of the new signings,

03:36their new DP, which is Nicolás Fernández-Mercão.

03:39You can't go by the stats that he has as far as goals and assists so far this season

03:43of the value that he has brought to this team.

03:47One of the stats that stood out to me in the game against Charlotte was recoveries.

03:51He had eight recoveries, and he's playing right wing for New York City.

03:56His real position is to be, you know, the quarterback of the team, playing from the 10.

04:01But, you know, when you have Maxi Morales there, even at his 38 years old,

04:05he started all 34 games this regular season, you know, you can't take him out of the lineup.

04:10So he has changed his position to play on the wing and being able to contribute from there.

04:17And he has just been absolutely fantastic.

04:19And one of the great advantages that New York City has in this game is their bench.

04:24Their bench is strong.

04:25It's solid.

04:26You can bring dynamic, offensive game changers into the game when Pascal Janssen has to go to his bench,

04:34be it Trapito Ojeda, be it Julian Fernández.

04:37In this case, it was Hannes Wolfe who came in because they played with a slightly different lineup.

04:43And so there's a lot of offensive talent on this team on the bench that can help them in a pinch if they need it.

04:50When you talk about Pascal Janssen, you feel like there's pressure on him to get the tactics right.

04:56And do you feel like there's pressure on the City boys to close this thing out at home?

05:01I don't know if there's pressure.

05:03I don't think I'd say it that way.

05:04I mean, obviously, they would love to be able to win in front of their fans, get this series over,

05:09and then concentrate on Philadelphia or Chicago, who's going to be the next rival if New York City is able to advance.

05:15So that's what they want to do.

05:17He has said from day one that this team has to have a bulletproof mentality.

05:26And that's something that this team now actually has.

05:28And from the top player on the team to the last guy who rarely gets in, everybody's on the same boat.

05:36And they're all, you know, they're all doing the same thing.

05:39You know, everybody is being very, very positive and supportive and helping.

05:43And it's a great mentality to have.

05:45It's a fantastic dressing room.

05:47There's more than enough talent there to make a very, very deep run for New York City FC in this postseason.

05:53Roberto, thank you for hopping on with us.

05:55And I'll see you out there tomorrow, sir.

05:57All right.

05:58Take care.

05:59Enjoy.

05:59And everybody, come to Yankee Stadium tomorrow.

06:02Tickets I saw were like around $35.

06:04So it's definitely not expensive.

06:06It's worth your time.

06:07If you've never been to a game, this is the one you've got to come to.

06:10It's going to be lit.

06:12There you go.

06:14Dahlia, New York.

06:15Dahlia, New York.

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