NYC’s MLS playoff opener shifted to Mets’ Citi Field

Seattle Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Defending Major League Soccer champion New York City is shifting its postseason opener from one second home to another.

Unable to use its regular home venue of Yankee Stadium because of the baseball postseason, NYC on Wednesday rescheduled its Oct. 17 match against Miami to the Mets’ Citi Field.

The game originally had been set for Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, home of NYC’s MLS rival. Citi Field became available when the Mets lost their wild card series to San Diego last weekend.

NYC played 10 of 17 league home matches this season at Yankee Stadium, four at Citi Field and three at Red Bull Arena.

In addition, NYC played two U.S. Open Cup home games at Belson Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University, one CONCACAF Champions League match at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles and a CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut.

Owned by City Football Group, the parent company of Manchester City, NYC has been seeking to build its own stadium since the team was founded in 2013.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports