Cincinnati Draws Again While NYCFC Desperately Chases Its First Win in Four Games

New York City FC is stuck in the mud right now. Four matches without a win in league play, and they're desperate to break the curse Wednesday night when Cincinnati comes to Yankee Stadium. NYCFC sits at 3-3-2 with 11 points, but a 2-1 loss to Charlotte FC last Saturday has the alarm bells ringing across the Bronx.

Here's the thing though: head coach Pascal Jansen isn't panicking. Two days after the Charlotte defeat, he told reporters the team's actual play was solid, even if the scoreboard told a different story. "We played a good game. It was a tough result, but game-wise, strategy-wise, play style-wise, it was a good game from our side, but unfortunately not good enough," Jansen said. "But it's something that helps you go forward into the next sequence of games." That's coach-speak for "we're still in this," and maybe he has a point. The effort is there, but results have to follow eventually.

Fernandez Is Carrying the Offensive Load

Nicolas Fernandez scored again against Charlotte, netting one in the 93rd minute of stoppage time. That sixth goal in eight matches this season is the real bright spot for NYCFC. Last year, he finished with just three league goals in 11 appearances. The turnaround is real, and Fernandez knows it. "Every year, I set myself a target of what I want to achieve. Luckily, it's been happening this season," he said Monday. "Just have to continue on that streak." If NYCFC is going to end this winless skid, they need Fernandez staying hot.

Cincinnati Searching for Wins, Not Just Draws

Cincinnati (2-4-2, 8 points) rolled into this matchup on the back of their second straight draw, fighting back from a 3-1 halftime hole to tie the Chicago Fire 3-3 on Saturday. Evander buried a penalty in the 79th minute, and an own goal seven minutes later completed the comeback. Good news for the Reds: they're showing fight. Bad news: they're 0-3-1 on the road this season, meaning results in unfamiliar territory have been brutal.

Head coach Pat Noonan sees progress in the performance even if the wins aren't coming yet. "Play-wise, there's been a lot of positives, but now that needs to translate into the wins," Noonan said Tuesday. Both teams are chasing momentum going into Wednesday. NYCFC has history on their side though, posting a pair of 1-0 victories over Cincinnati last season.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.