After playing to a scoreless draw in the third game of the best-of-three series, No. 6-seed NYCFC prevailed over third-seeded Cincinnati in a nine-round penalty kick shootout to claim a decisive victory.

FC Cincinnati has fallen to New York City FC in the first round of the MLS Cup. The two teams went 0-0 in regular time, before moving on to penalty kicks. There, New York narrowly squeezed out a win with a 5-6 score. This was the third game between the two teams in a best-of-three series, with each team having won one game already.

FC Cincinnati and New York City FC couldn't decide a winner after neither side scored over 90 minutes, but Matt Freese moved NYCFC on to the MLS conference semifinal after making three saves in the penalty shootout in which NYCFC had a 6-5 edge