Inter Miami 5-1 NYC FC Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference Final
MIAMI — (November, 29, 2025) — New York City FC fell 5–1 in Inter Miami CF to end their playoff run. Miami took a 2-0 lead in the first half before Justin Haak’s powerful header offered hope. New York City battled all night, but further goals for Miami in the second half confirmed defeat for Pascal Jansen’s side on the night.
After today’s result, New York City FC’s playoff run has come to an end as they lost 5-1 to Inter Miami CF in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Final.
New York City has advanced to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals or further in three of the nine times the Club has qualified for the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
This was achieved in the 2021, 2022, and 2025 seasons.
In 2021, New York City won the MLS Cup.
In 2022, New York City made it to the Eastern Conference Final and lost to Philadelphia Union 3-1.
Over the past five years, New York City FC has reached three Conference Finals, dating back to the Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs. They are the only team to accomplish this over that span.
In the last 10 years, New York City FC is one of four teams to have appeared in three or more Conference Finals over a five-year span.
New York City FC: 2021-2025 (2021, 2022, 2025)
Entering the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs as the fifth seed, the Club has finished fifth or higher in the Eastern Conference in eight of the nine MLS regular seasons in which it has qualified for the postseason. The 2020 campaign marked the only other time New York City entered the playoffs as the fifth seed and remains the sole season in Club history in which it failed to advance past the first round.
As the lower seed in the MLS Cup Playoffs, New York City holds an all-time record of 6-5-4 (W-L-D).
Homegrown Midfielder Justin Haak scored his first Audi MLS Cup Playoff goal in the 37th minute against Inter Miami CF, as he headed the ball into the net.
Haak becomes the second Homegrown player in Club history to have recorded a goal contribution in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Haak is the only Homegrown player in Club history to have scored in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
Tayvon Gray is the only other Homegrown player to have recorded a goal contribution during the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. On November 30, 2021, against the Revolution, Gray recorded one assist. The match resulted in a 2-2 draw and a 5-3 shootout win.
Maxi Moralez has recorded his eighth assist in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs as he assisted Justin Haak’s goal in tonight’s match against Inter Miami CF. Moralez has tallied one goal and two assists in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Moralez has recorded a goal contribution in three consecutive games in the Audi 2025 MLS Playoffs, beginning on November 7 against Charlotte FC in Game 3 in the Round One Best-of-3 Series, where he assisted Alonso Martínez in the 50th minute of a 3-1 victory.
Moralez then recorded a goal on November 23 against the Philadelphia Union in the 27th minute which resulted in a 1-0 clean sheet victory.
At 38 years and 275 days old, Moralez surpasses his own record as the oldest player in Club history to record an assist in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
He previously set the mark on November 7 against Charlotte FC in the Round One Best-of-3 Series, when he registered an assist at 38 years and 253 days old.
All-time in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the Club, Moralez leads the team in both goals scored and assists recorded (6G, 8A).
Overall, in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs, New York City has posted a record of 10-10-5 (W-L-D).
In away matches, New York City’s all-time record in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs is 5-6-4, scoring 18 goals and conceding 25.
This match is the 14th time these two teams faced off in MLS play (including the MLS Regular Season and Audi MLS Cup Playoffs). New York City has an overall record of 7-3-4 (W-L-D) against Miami.
New York City has a 3-2-3 record while on the road against Miami and a 4-1-1 record while at home.
With their starts in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals at Subaru Park on November 23, 2025, Midfielders Justin Haak and Maxi Moralez have started every match for the Club in the 2025 MLS Season (34 in the 2025 MLS Regular Season and five in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs).
With his 34 starts in the 2025 MLS Regular Season, 38-year-old Maxi Moralez is the oldest field player in league history to start in all 34 matches since MLS moved to the 34-game season in 2011. Specifically, as of Decision Day, Moralez was 38 years and 233 days old.
Forward Agustín Ojeda has been featured in every match for the Club in the 2025 MLS season (34 in the 2025 MLS Regular Season and five in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs).
Homegrown Midfielder Justin Haak scored his first Audi MLS Cup Playoff goal in the 37th minute against Inter Miami CF, as he headed the ball into the net.
This marks his third goal for New York City FC. His previous goal came on August 30 against D.C. United earlier this season in a 2–1 loss. His first goal was scored on July 8, 2023, against the Columbus Crew in a match that ended in a 1–1 draw.
With his goal tonight, Haak became the second Homegrown player in Club history to have recorded a goal contribution in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Haak is the only Homegrown player in Club history to have scored in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
Tayvon Gray is the only other Homegrown player to have recorded a goal contribution during the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. On November 30, 2021, against the Revolution, Gray recorded one assist. The match resulted in a 2-2 draw and a 5-3 shootout win.
Haak’s goal snapped the 262-minute Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs shutout streak held by Inter Miami CF, who hadn’t conceded since the 44th minute in Game 2 of the Round One Best-of-3 Series against Nashville SC.
Maxi Moralez has recorded his eighth assist in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs as he assisted Justin Haak’s goal in tonight’s match.
Moralez has tallied one goal and two assists in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Moralez has recorded a goal contribution in three consecutive games in the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, beginning on November 7 against Charlotte FC in Game 3 in the Round One Best-of-3 Series, where he assisted Alonso Martínez in the 50th minute of a 3-1 victory.
Moralez then recorded a goal on November 23 against the Philadelphia Union in the 27th minute which resulted in a 1-0 clean sheet victory.
At 38 years and 275 days old, Moralez surpasses his own record as the oldest player in Club history to record an assist in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
He previously set the mark on November 7 against Charlotte FC in the Round One Best-of-3 Series, when he registered an assist at 38 years and 253 days old.
All-time in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for the Club, Moralez leads the team in both goals scored and assists recorded (6G, 8A).
For appearances in Audi MLS Cup Playoff history for the Club, Moralez ranks first with 23.
NEW YORK CITY FC HEAD COACH PASCAL JANSEN
On whether this experience is something a young team needs to learn from…
“Very much so. I mentioned this when we finished [talking] in the dressing room just now. When I walked in back in January to start this project, one of the things we mentioned was that we had to do better than the previous season. From an objective standpoint, that’s what we did; reaching the [Eastern Conference] Final and having more points at the end of the MLS season. But to finish the season like this tells us we have a few more lessons to learn. With the players that we have, even though we were missing three key players, we shouldn’t be as naive as we showed tonight. There are more lessons to learn, but it is time to rest now, and our full focus is on next season because we have to do better again.”
NEW YORK CITY FC DEFENDER THIAGO MARTINS
On whether a loss like this is necessary for a young team’s growth…
“That’s the reality. We have a young team. We know it’s a process. It’s the first year of [Head Coach] Pascal [Jansen] being here, and we know we can grow…We can be better in some games, but like I said, we need to learn from our minor mistakes, and we need to learn together. I’m never going to come [in] here and point fingers and say, ‘Oh, this guy or that guy.’ No. We as a team have to learn and be better if we want to achieve something. Nobody expected us to be in the [Eastern] Conference Final, but we were here. We lost, but as a team, [we] need to learn from this and be better for next year.”
14’ – MIA – Tadeo Allende [21]
Scored with right footed shot from the right side of the box to the lower right central zone.
23’ – MIA – Tadeo Allende [21]
Scored with header from the center of the box with an xG of 12% to the middle right zone. Assisted by Jordi Alba, second assist by Sergio Busquets.
37’ – NYC – Justin Haak [80]
Scored with header from the center of the box with an xG of 12% to the upper right central zone. Assisted by Maxi Moralez.
67’ – MIA – Mateo Silvetti [24]
Scored with right footed shot from the center of the box with an xG of 9% to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Lionel Messi, second assist by Jordi Alba.
83’ – MIA – Telasco Segovia [8] Scored with right footed shot from the center of the box with an xG of 29% to the lower right zone. Assisted by Jordi Alba.
89’ – MIA – Tadeo Allende [21] Scored with right footed shot from the center of the box with an xG of 31% to the lower right central zone. Assisted by Yannick Bright.
MIA
Yellow Cards (4)
22’ – Marcelo Weigandt [57] – Poor Sportsmanship
33’ – Noah Allen [32] – Bad Foul
70’ – Baltasar Rodríguez [11] – Bad Foul
87’ – Yannick Bright [42] – Bad Foul
Red Cards (0)
NYC
Yellow Cards (4)
20’ – Maxi Moralez [10] – Bad Foul
31’ – Nicolás Fernández [7] – Bad Foul
65’ – Kevin O’Toole [22] – Bad Foul
73’ – Justin Haak [80] – Bad Foul
Red Cards (0)
Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr.
Ast. Referee 1: Nick Uranga
Ast. Referee 2: Ian McKay
Fourth Official: Malik Badawi
VAR: Fotis Bazakos
Ast. VAR: Craig Lowry
The Eastern Conference Final saw New York City FC take on Inter Miami CF on Saturday night.
The visitors had booked their place in the final by beating the Philadelphia Union last time out, while a win over FC Cincinnati earned Miami their spot.
Head Coach Pascal Jansen made one change to the team that took on Philadelphia, as Hannes Wolf was replaced by Aiden O’Neill.
A tense start to the contest saw both teams trying to find their feet and any early advantage they could muster.
Miami registered the first real look at goal in the 13th minute when Mateo Silvetti headed a free kick into the arms of Matt Freese.
The hosts then took a first-half lead a minute later when Tadeo Allende latched onto a chipped ball in behind and finished past Freese.
Things became somewhat feisty between both sets of players in the minutes that followed, as the rhythm of the contest continued to be disjointed. Not long after that, Miami doubled their advantage with Allende’s second goal of the night.
Needing a response, New York City found one from a set piece in the 37th minute. Whipped in dangerously by Maxi Moralez, Brooklyn native Justin Haak rose highest to power a header home.
Miami would push hard for a third heading into halftime, but New York City stood firm and kept the door shut.
Jansen opted to make one change at halftime, as Jonny Shore was replaced by Hannes Wolf.
The Austrian’s introduction gave New York City a fresh injection of energy. A high turnover presented Moralez a half-chance, but he could not get the ball out from under his feet to strike at goal, so he passed it sideways and the move broke down.
Allende then went close to securing his hat-trick after Jordi Alba found him with a dangerous cross. Thankfully for New York City, his header flew wide.
Jansen made a second change on the hour mark, as Agustín Ojeda was replaced by compatriot Julián Fernández.
Fernández nearly pulled New York City level just minutes after entering the match, meeting a low cross from his namesake Fernández Mercau. His first-time effort forced a brilliant fingertip save from Rocco Ríos Novo.
The match then tilted in Miami’s favor moments later when Lionel Messi and Matteo Silvetti combined, with the latter scoring to make it 3–1.
New York City continued to look for a route back into the game, but those hopes were dashed in the 83rd minute when substitute Telasco Segovia finished off a Miami breakaway. Allende then added a fifth for Miami in the 89th minute.
That would prove the last act of note on a disappointing night for New York City FC as they exited the Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs.
