Inter Miami are off to the Eastern Conference final of the MLS Cup playoffs for the first time in club history after defeating FC Cincinnati 4–0 on Sunday night.
While the No. 3-seed Herons were unlikely to host a playoff match at this stage of the bracket, they will get at least one more game at Chase Stadium, as they welcome No. 5-seed New York City FC on either Nov. 29 or 30.
In the hours after Miami punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference final, New York City FC did the same, upsetting the Supporters’ Shield-winning Philadelphia Union with a 1–0 win on the road at Subaru Park in Chester, PA.
Maxi Moralez, who turns 39 in February, scored the winning goal for NYCFC in the 27th minute and U.S. men’s national team goaltender Matt Freese stood tall with five saves, securing the clean sheet and sending manager Pascal Jansen’s side through to the conference final.
As unlikely as it was for NYCFC to reach the conference final this season as the No. 5-seed, the club has experience at this stage, especially with Moralez.
They last qualified for the conference final in 2022, where they lost to Philadelphia. The year prior, they won MLS Cup, beating the Portland Timbers in the final after defeating the same Philadelphia side for the Eastern Conference crown.
Moralez played a key role on both those runs and was the difference maker for his side once again on Sunday night, with NYCFC pulling off the tremendous upset after previously upsetting No. 4-seed Charlotte FC in the first round best-of-three series.
The Eastern Conference final is a single-elimination match, with the winner advancing to MLS Cup against the Western Conference champion.
