New York City FC pushes for MLS Cup final by treating every game like one

Forget getting into the playoffs. Jansen's all-or-nothing approach has brought his once-beleaguered NYCFC side within touching distance of winning the Eastern Conference outright.

But how has Jansen managed it — and what's next for his high-flying side?

Resilience under pressure

Treating every game like a final means refusing to crumble when things go wrong, and that's exactly what Jansen's NYCFC has focused on during its impressive fall run. While it frequently concedes early goals, it has come back to win a whopping 23 points from losing positions this season. That's nearly half of its total points haul in the league.

NYCFC's recent game against fellow Eastern Conference playoff contender Columbus was a perfect example of its unwavering drive to win. The team fought back twice — first from a soft early penalty, then from a defensive error — to win the match 3-2.

"I told my guys that was so proud of them because the response after the penalty was huge," Jansen said after the match. "We were playing a good game, a good game to watch as well from both sides, and to have a penalty decision like that, that was very harsh. 

"They stayed composed, even they went 2-1 down after a small error, and going for the win like they did, that makes me happy."

Consistency in key positions

Jansen's NYCFC isn't as star-studded as previous vintages of the squad; there's no David Villa or Andrea Pirlo here. But what this team lacks in name recognition, it more than makes up for in reliability. Costa Rican striker Alonso Martinez has delivered for the team for two straight seasons; he's brought goals by the bucketful to NYCFC, including three crucial ones during this 2025 playoff stretch.

No one has done more on the field for NYCFC's trophy hopes, though, than goalkeeper Matt Freese. The unassuming American keeper arrived from Philadelphia in 2023 without much fanfare and quickly became the beating heart of the team's impressive defense. Freese has gone from strength to strength under Jansen in 2025 — so much so that he and the club recently agreed to a four-year contract extension that will keep him in New York through 2030.

"After meeting Jansen in preseason and working with him for only one day, I immediately knew that extending my stay and learning under him was the right next step for my career and development," Freese said.

Respect for all opponents

One of MLS's defining characteristics is its competitiveness: any team can beat any other on any given weekend, regardless of where each stands in the league. Jansen knows this intimately and refuses to be swayed by the status of his opponents. Every team, from last-placed Montréal to first-placed Philadelphia, offers a legitimate challenge to NYCFC.

"We don't underestimate any team in this league," said Jansen, "because we simply can't."

This mindset keeps NYCFC from getting overawed by big-name opposition, and that's been the key to its success in the final stretch of the 2025 season. It's already faced and beaten the likes of Nashville, Columbus and Cincinnati; it still has high-flying Charlotte, star-spangled Miami and Shield-leading Philadelphia to come. None of it matters to Jansen. 

"That’s making sure you have the winning mentality always, whatever game you play and whenever you play," he said. "We know what’s at stake, and we know what it takes."

NYCFC will continue its 2025 MLS journey on Saturday, Sept. 20, against third-placed Charlotte FC.