NYCFC keeping big picture at forefront of long-shot hopes of MLS playoff run

When New York City FC originates its playoff tally connected Monday against FC Cincinnati, yes, a tally astatine nan MLS Cup will beryllium nan goal, but caput coach Nick Cushing has bigger aspirations for nevertheless agelong his nine lasts successful nan postseason. 

NYCFC vanished sixth successful nan Eastern Conference standings — 3 points up of rival New York Red Bulls — but Cushing’s dream is for his squad to usage nan lessons from this postseason tally to decorativeness adjacent nan apical of nan array adjacent year. 

Nick Cushing wants his NYCFC squad to usage this year’s playoff tally arsenic a stepping stone. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

“My dream is to get an Eastern Conference Final successful New York,” Cushing told The Post. 

“This playoff tally will beryllium a awesome stepping chromatic into adjacent season. We cognize that we vanished sixth, but nan reality is we were 1 crippled disconnected of finishing fourth,” Cushing continued. “The purpose is to beryllium [third], [second] aliases [first]. Next twelvemonth is going to beryllium really captious successful putting successful nan adjacent stepping chromatic to that. … Being capable to spell done this postseason and play against nan teams that were supra you, playing against nan teams that were fighting for MLS Cup is simply a really bully opportunity for nan team.” 

New York City FC is making a return to nan postseason aft failing to suffice during nan 2023 run and will person to spell done FC Cincinnati, a nine they’ve seen rather a spot this season. NYCFC faced Cincy arsenic precocious arsenic Oct. 2 and had faced them 2 erstwhile times — erstwhile successful nan regular play and erstwhile successful nan Leagues Cup. 

Cincy, nan third-place finisher during nan regular season, poses a reliable situation for NYCFC a twelvemonth removed from winning nan Supporters’ Shield and being 1 of nan amended violative teams successful Major League Soccer. 

Alonso Martinez led NYCFC successful goals pinch 16. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

Part of that stems from nan play of Luciano Acosta, who is tied for nan MLS assists lead pinch 19 and who Cushing pointed to arsenic 1 of nan biggest threats for FC Cincinnati. 

“I deliberation it’s astir condensing nan space, making judge we don’t let him clip to find nan violative players that they’ve got,” Cushing said. “It’s astir knowing nan bully worldly successful nan performances that we’ve had and astir embracing nan truth we’re a bully team.” 

Cushing reiterated that NYCFC has improved from past season, and that has been peculiarly existent for 26-year-old guardant Alonso Martinez. 

The Costa Rican nationalist has been 1 of nan brightest stars connected NYCFC this season.

Martinez led nan nine successful goals pinch 16, which puts him up location down immoderate of nan champion goal-scorers successful MLS, and he was 1 of nan champion strikers successful MLS pursuing nan Leagues Cup break successful nan mediate of nan summer. 

“Since nan first game, I played pinch nan squad going backmost to preseason it was conscionable a flip of mentality of really I prepared myself and really I was going to attack nan season,” Martinez told The Post. “There was things I needed to amended connected and activity connected and that’s what I’ve been doing passim nan season. It’s much of a intelligence point that’s helped maine to person bully performances successful nan game.” 

NYCFC opens its bid pinch FC Cincinnati astatine TQL Stadium connected Monday earlier returning to play nan 2nd crippled of nan best-of-three bid connected Nov. 2 astatine Citi Field.