Alonso Martínez, Thiago Martins help NYCFC force deciding match with 3-1 victory over Cincinnati

NEW YORK (AP) — Alonso Martínez and defender Thiago Martins scored first-half goals and New York City FC forced a deciding match with a 3-1 victory over FC Cincinnati at Citi Field on Saturday.

Santiago Rodríguez scored on a penalty kick in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time to help No. 6 seed NYCFC even the best-of-three first-round series with third-seed Cincinnati.

Cincinnati, which had won six of the last seven matchups with a plus-9 goal differential entering play, will host the finale on Saturday.

NYCFC grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute when Martínez took a pass from 19-year-old defender Mitja Ilenic and scored his first postseason goal in his second career appearance and start. Ilenic's assist was his first in his first playoff appearance.

Martins sent NYCFC into halftime with a 2-0 lead when he scored unassisted in the 40th minute. It was his first postseason goal in five appearances — all starts.

Cincinnati cut its deficit in half in the 65th minute on a goal by rookie Luca Orellano — his first in the postseason — with assists from Sergio Santos and Luciano Acosta. Santos, who subbed into the match in the 57th minute, notched his third helper in 13 career postseason appearances. Acosta tallied his second this postseason and his fourth in 11 appearances with 10 starts.

Rodríguez's PK came in the seventh minute of stoppage time after he drew a foul on Cincinnati defender Chidozie Awaziem. It was his second goal in nine career playoff appearances — all starts.

Matt Freese saved four shots in his second postseason start for NYCFC.

Roman Celentano finished with one save in his eighth career playoff start for Cincinnati.

Cincinnati last played at Citi Field — home of MLB's New York Mets — in September of 2022 and had never played a playoff match there. The pitch is narrower than most other stadiums.

AP MLS: https://apnews.com/hub/major-league-soccer

New York City FC Mitja Ilenič (35) heads the ball during a soccer match against FC Cincinnati in the MLS Cup playoffs, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kena Betancur)

The New York City FC team pose for a photo prior to a soccer match against FC Cincinnati in the MLS Cup playoffs Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kena Betancur)

New York City FC Andres Perea (8) fights for the ball with FC Cincinnati's Yuya Kubo (7) during a soccer match of the MLS Cup playoffs, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kena Betancur)

New York City FC Keaton Parks (55) fights for the ball with FC Cincinnati's Miles Robinson (12) and Obinna Nwobodo (5) during Game 2 in the first round of the MLS Cup soccer playoffs, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kena Betancur)

New York City FC's Keaton Parks (55) reacts after they defeated FC Cincinnati in Game 2 in the first round of the MLS Cup soccer playoffs, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kena Betancur)

New York City FC's Santiago Rodriguez (10) embraces Justin Haak (80) after they defeated FC Cincinnati in Game 2 in the first round of the MLS Cup soccer playoffs, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kena Betancur)

New York City FC's Thiago Martins (13), third from right, scores a goal against FC Cincinnati during the first half in Game 2 in the first round of the MLS Cup soccer playoffs, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kena Betancur)

New York City FC's Adrian Martinez (16) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal against FC Cincinnati during the first half in Game 2 in the first round of the MLS Cup soccer playoffs, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kena Betancur)

New York City FC's Kevin o"Toole (22) heads the ball over FC Cincinnati's DeAndre Yedlin (91) during the first half in Game 2 in the first round of the MLS Cup soccer playoffs, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kena Betancur)

New York City FC's Keaton Parks, right, and FC Cincinnati's Luca Orellano battle for the ball during Game 2 in the first round of the MLS Cup soccer playoffs, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Kena Betancur)

Azerbaijan on Thursday observed a nationwide day of mourning for the victims of the air crash that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured as speculation mounted about a possible cause of the crash that remained unknown.

Azerbaijan Airlines' Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan's capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons yet unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan after flying east across the Caspian Sea.

The plane went down about 3 kilometers (around 2 miles) from Aktau. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Other footage showed part of its fuselage ripped away from the wings and the rest of the aircraft lying upside in the grass.

On Thursday, national flags were lowered across Azerbaijan, traffic across the country stopped at noon, and signals were sounded from ships and trains as the country observed a nationwide moment of silence.

Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that it was too soon to speculate on the reasons behind the crash, but said that the weather had forced the plane to change from its planned course.

“The information provided to me is that the plane changed its course between Baku and Grozny due to worsening weather conditions and headed to Aktau airport, where it crashed upon landing,” he said.

Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said that preliminary information indicated that the pilots diverted to Aktau after a bird strike led to an emergency on board.

According to Kazakh officials, those aboard the plane included 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian nationals, six Kazakhs and three Kyrgyzstan nationals.

As the official crash investigation started, theories abounded about a possible cause, with some commentators alleging that holes seen in the plane's tail section possibly indicate that it could have come under fire from Russian air defense systems fending off a Ukrainian drone attack.

Ukrainian drones had previously attacked Grozny, the provincial capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, and other regions in the country's North Caucasus. Some Russian media claimed that another drone attack on Chechnya happened on Wednesday, although it wasn't officially confirmed.

Osprey Flight Solutions, an aviation security firm based in the United Kingdom, warned its clients that the “Azerbaijan Airlines flight was likely shot down by a Russian military air-defense system.” Osprey provides analysis for carriers still flying into Russia after Western airlines halted their flights during the war.

Osprey CEO Andrew Nicholson said that the company had issued more than 200 alerts regarding drone attacks and air defense systems in Russia during the war.

“This incident is a stark reminder of why we do what we do,” Nicholson wrote online. “It is painful to know that despite our efforts, lives were lost in a way that could have been avoided.”

Asked about the claims that the plane had been fired upon by air defense assets, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “it would be wrong to make hypotheses before investigators make their verdict.”

Officials in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have similarly avoided comment on a possible cause of the crash, saying it will be up to investigators to determine it.

Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Aida Sultanova in London, contributed to this report.

In this image taken from video released by the Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service, rescuers transport wounded passengers from a medical plane after the Azerbaijani Airline crashed, near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, upon their arrival at the Zhukovsky airport outside Moscow, Russia, on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo taken from a video released by the administration of Mangystau region, rescuers prepare to carry a wounded passenger near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, Thursday, Dec. 26 , 2024, after a plane of Azerbaijani Airline crashed. (The Administration of Mangystau Region via AP)

In this photo provided by Azerbaijan's Presidential Press Office, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, center, holds a meeting following an Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 plane crash, in Baku, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (Azerbaijani Presidential Press Office via AP)

In this image released by the Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service, rescuers carry a wounded passenger near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, Thursday, Dec. 26 , 2024, after a plane of Azerbaijani Airline crashed. (Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this image released by the Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service, rescuers prepare to carry a wounded passenger near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, Thursday, Dec. 26 , 2024, after a plane of Azerbaijani Airline crashed. (Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo released by Kazakhstan's Emergency Ministry Press Service, rescuers work at the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lays on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Kazakhstan's Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo released by Kazakhstan's Emergency Ministry Press Service, rescuers work at the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lies on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (Kazakhstan's Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)

The wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lays on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Azamat Sarsenbayev)

In this photo taken from a video released by the administration of Mangystau region, the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lies on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (The Administration of Mangystau Region via AP)

In this photo taken from a video released by the administration of Mangystau region, the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lies on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (The Administration of Mangystau Region via AP)