Oliver Strand from Hudson River Blue Read More [[{“value”:”
New York City FC player ratings are determined by you, the Hudson River Blue readers: Here are your NYCFC player ratings after the team overcame Charlotte FC 3-1 in Round One of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs to advance to the Conference Semifinals.
NYCFC’s biggest win of the year earned the highest ratings of the year, with the Starting XI averaging a stellar 7.9 — that beats out the 7.6 average rating you awarded after the 1-0 road win over FC Cincinnati in August. Five starters earned season highs: Tayvon Gray, Justin Haak, Andrés Perea, and Thiago Martins all earned 8s, while Nico Fernández Mercau’s 9.5 the best rating handed out to any player this year. Nico is also the runaway winner of this game’s Player of the Match, taking 70% of the vote.
These numbers reflect not just the scoreline, but NYCFC’s grit and determination. Charlotte started this game on the front foot, dominating the run of play through the first 25 minutes — It was hard to watch if you were a New York City fan, and it looked like it was just a matter of time before the hosts found a way to score and prove the oddsmakers right with a win. Still, NYCFC bent but didn’t break, absorbing the pressure of a Charlotte that looked ready to break the game open in the first half.
Statistically, this was a game that New York City should have lost. Charlotte finished the game with an xG of 2.61, creating four big chances and outshooting NYCFC 15 to six. But it was New York City who did the impossible by beating Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium for the second time in 10 days, limiting the hosts to just one goal over 270 minutes to become the only lower-seeded team to advance in the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Note: FotMob ratings are in parentheses.
Alonso Martínez, off 90′ (7.7) – 8.2
Nico Fernández Mercau, off 90′ (9.2) – 9.5
Hannes Wolf (8.0) – 7.8
Andrés Perea, off 76′ (7.7) – 8.2
Maxi Moralez, off 90′ (7.8) – 7.6
Aiden O’Neill (7.1) – 6.7
Kevin O’Toole (6.5) – 6.9
Tayvon Gray (6.6) – 8.0
Justin Haak (7.2) – 8.1
Thiago Martins (7.7) – 8.2
Matt Freese (7.1) – 7.9
Raul Gustavo, on 76′ (6.5) – 6.6
Julián Fernández, on 90′ (N/A) – N/A
Agustín Ojeda, on 90′ (N/A) – N/A
Strahinja Tanasijević, on 90′ (N/A) – N/A
Player Spotlight
Andrés Perea
There is still no official word on the horrific injury that forced Andrés Perea to leave the game, but it doesn’t look good to judge by what the cameras picked up on Friday night. All 34,000 fans in attendance in Charlotte were shocked into silence by what they saw. Perea will more than likely miss the rest of the playoffs, and New York City will be without an instrumental member of the attack.
Let’s be honest: Perea is an underrated player who logs the miles but doesn’t always get the credit he deserves. Matthew Mangam’s recent profile of Perea looked at how the midfielder stepped in for the injured Keaton Parks, and “hasn’t looked back.” Still, Perea has just three goals and two assists this season, which makes him easy to overlook in a sport fixated on celebrating goals. But New York City are a better team when he’s on the field, winning 11 of the 20 games that saw the 24-year-old in the Starting XI.
Saturday’s game was no different. Perea was solid on both sides of the ball, making six passes into the final third and six defensive actions. He had seven recoveries and one headed clearance — which was picked up by Nico, who dribbled upfield to score the game’s first goal.
First, New York City will need to figure out how to replace Perea when they face Philadelphia Union in the Eastern Conference Semifinal in a little less than two weeks. Then, they will hope that he will make a full and speedy recovery, and will be ready to play again when the 2026 season gets underway.
Pascal Jansen – 8.0
Talk about whiplash: Pascal Jansen went from genius to out-coached to genus again over the course of these three Round One games, earning ratings of 8.1, 4.8, and now 8.0 as New York City become the only lower-seeded team to advance in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
It wasn’t just his tactics that carried the day, it was the season-long project to instill a “bulletproof mindset” in this team. You saw it in the first half, when Charlotte looked ready to roll over a New York City who couldn’t catch their breath. But it was NYCFC who scored first, then scored again, then recovered from the shock of losing Perea to injury then giving up their first goal to Charlotte this series by scoring one of the most exquisite goals we’ve seen this season.
A performance like this one is as mental as it is physical: Training and conditioning will give you the tools to win, but to do it on the road in front of 34,000 hostile fans takes a bulletproof mindset.
Pierre-Luc Lauziere – 5.0
A generous rating for a referee who lost control of the game, and who was completely bewitched by Wilfried Zaha’s flopping.
Player of the Match
Nico Fernández Mercau
Let’s put aside the first goal, the one that Nico scored in first-half stoppage time to quiet a Bank of America Stadium that had been playing the role of 12th man all night. Instead, let’s look at the second goal, the one that he scored deep into second-half stoppage time to drive a stake through the collective heart of the Queen City.
Here it is:
0:00
Nico Fernández Mercau scores his second goal of then night against Charlotte FC | Courtesy MLS and Apple TV
Now, a question for our readers. How did he do it?
Seriously, can somebody please explain the physics of this shot? Watching it in real time, it looked like another one of those Hail Marys that seemed closer than they actually are, and that are revealed to be far off the mark when viewed from another angle. Instead, Nico chipped a ball that improbably rose over the onrushing Kristijan Kahlina, then spun into the net from a ridiculous angle.
Nico put some English on the ball, launching it about six feet from the endline but sending it about 20 feet to his right. That works out to an 81˚change in direction, all done at full speed and with a velvety touch. No wonder you gave him a 9.5, the highest rating for any player this year, and awarded him the POTM with 70% of the vote.
“}]]