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.
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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)
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)
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel unleashed its largest wave of airstrikes across Lebanon since agreeing to a ceasefire with Hezbollah last week, killing at least 11 people on Monday after the Lebanese militant group fired a volley of projectiles as a warning over what it said were Israeli truce violations.
The projectiles were apparently the first time that Hezbollah took aim at Israeli forces after the 60-day ceasefire went into effect last Wednesday. The increasingly fragile truce aimed to end more than a year of war between Hezbollah and Israel — part of a wider regional conflict sparked by the devastating Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
In the United States, President-elect Donald Trump demanded the immediate release of Israeli hostages held by the Palestinian militant Hamas group in Gaza, saying on social media that if they are not freed before he takes office in January there would be “HELL TO PAY.”
It was not immediately clear whether Trump was threatening to directly involve the U.S. military in Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza. The U.S. has given Israel crucial military and diplomatic support throughout the nearly 15-month conflict.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said an Israeli airstrike on the southern village of Haris killed five people and wounded two while another airstrike on the village of Tallousa killed four and also wounded two.
Israel's military carried out a string of airstrikes late Monday against what it said were Hezbollah fighters, infrastructure and rocket launchers across Lebanon, in response to Hezbollah firing two projectiles toward Mount Dov — a disputed Israeli-held territory known as Shebaa Farms in Lebanon where the borders of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel meet. Israel said the projectiles fell in open areas and no injuries were reported.
Hezbollah said in a statement that it fired on an Israeli military position in the area as a “defensive and warning response” after what it called “repeated violations” of the ceasefire deal by Israel. It said complaints to mediators tasked with monitoring the ceasefire “were futile in stopping these violations.”
Before the Hezbollah projectiles, Israeli carried out at least four airstrikes and an artillery barrage in southern Lebanon, including a drone strike that killed a person on a motorcycle, according to Lebanese state media. Another strike killed a corporal in the Lebanese security services.
Israel has said its strikes are in response to unspecified Hezbollah violations, and that under the ceasefire deal it reserves the right to retaliate.
Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, accused Israel of violating the truce more than 50 times in recent days by launching airstrikes, demolishing homes near the border and violating Lebanon's airspace.
Officials in the U.S. — which along with France helped broker the truce and heads a commission meant to monitor adherence to the deal — played down the significance of Israeli strikes. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said, “Largely speaking, the ceasefire is holding.”
“We’ve gone from dozens of strikes down to one a day maybe two a day,” Kirby told reporters, referring to Israeli strikes. “We’re going to keep trying and see what we can do to get it down to zero.”
Under the deal, Iran-backed Hezbollah has 60 days to withdraw its fighters and infrastructure from southern Lebanon. During that time, Israeli troops are also to withdraw to their side of the border.
In a post on his Truth Social site, Trump called for Palestinian militants to free all of the roughly 100 Israeli hostages still held inside Gaza, around two-thirds of whom are believed to be alive.
If not, Trump said, “Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!”
Hours earlier, the Israeli government confirmed the death of Omer Neutra, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, whose body is still believed to be held by Hamas in Gaza, according to the Israeli government. The Biden administration is mounting a last-ditch effort to try to restart talks between Israel and Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office declined to comment on Trump's post though President Isaac Herzog welcomed it.
In Gaza, meanwhile, alarm is mounting over increasing hunger. The amount of food allowed in by Israel has plunged over the past two months, compounded by a decision Sunday by the United Nations to halt aid deliveries from the main crossing into the territory because of the threat of armed gangs looting convoys.
Experts have already warned of famine in the northernmost part of Gaza, which Israeli forces have almost completely isolated since early October, saying they're fighting regrouped Hamas militants there.
Displaced families have set up tents surrounded by piles of garbage on the streets of Gaza City. Bilal Marouf, 55, said he and 11 family members fled the Israeli offensive “barefoot and naked.”
“We had nothing. Hunger and thirst killed us, and we did not have a single shekel, nor clothes, nor a mattress, nor a blanket,” he said, speaking near his tent.
Israel’s campaign in Gaza, triggered by Hamas’ Oct 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel, has driven almost the entire population of the territory from their homes. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians now live in squalid tent camps, relying on international aid.
The Israeli military said it allowed 40 trucks carrying 600 tons of flour for the World Food Program to enter the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday night, as well as 16 other food trucks.
Israel has said it is working to increase the flow of aid. November saw an increase in the average number of humanitarian trucks it let into Gaza, up to 77 daily from 57 the month before, according to official Israeli figures.
But the levels are still nearly the lowest of the entire 15-month war. And the U.N. says less than half of that actually reaches Palestinians because Israeli military restrictions, fighting and robberies make it too dangerous to deliver the aid.
The World Food Program was able to only deliver aid to some 300,000 Palestinians in November across the Gaza Strip due to ongoing Israeli military offensives and the looting of convoys, Carl Skau, WFP’s deputy executive director, said Monday.
In a tent camp in the central Gaza town of Deir al-Balah, Palestinians lined up at makeshift mud ovens trying to buy a few loaves of flatbread for their families.
With the price of flour mounting because of scarcity, the bakers — women displaced from further north — said they could bake less bread, and families could afford far less.
“They divide them to their children, one loaf every day,” said one woman baker, Wafaa al-Attar.
Abou AlJoud reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Fatma Khalid in Cairo contributed to this report.
Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/mideast-wars
A view of a damaged car in the Kibbutz Manara, which is located near to the border with Lebanon, in northern Israel, Monday Dec, 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
A damaged room of a house in the Kibbutz Manara, which is located near to the border with Lebanon, in northern Israel, Monday Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Israeli soldiers patrol the perimeter of the agricultural settlement of Avivim, next to the Lebanese border, in upper Galilee, Israel, Monday Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
A stairwell in Kibbutz Manara, a community badly damaged by Hezbollah is lined with a barbed-wire fence in northern Israel, Monday Dec, 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Inbal Limor, an Israeli displaced by the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, returns to her home in Kibbutz Manara to clean and organize after the ceasefire, in northern Israel, Monday Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Burned-out cars and buildings from Hezbollah rockets are seen in the agricultural settlement of Avivim, near the Lebanese border in the Upper Galilee, Israel, on Monday Dec. 2, 2024. Despite the ceasefire with Hezbollah, Israelis remain wary of returning to the north. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
A view of Lebanese village through a window of a damaged house that was hit by a rocket fired from Lebanon, in the Kibbutz Manara, located in the upper Galilee, northern Israel, Monday Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
A Palestinian woman sorts through fresh bread amid dire food shortages in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
A Palestinian boy carries a tray of baked goods from a clay oven amid dire food shortages in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
A Palestinian woman bakes bread in a clay oven amid dire food shortages in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Destroyed buildings in an area of the village of Kfar Kila in southern Lebanon, located next to the Israeli-Lebanese border, as seen from northern Israel, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
A wall marks the Israeli-Lebanese border near the village of Odaisseh in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Israeli soldiers patrol the perimeter of the agricultural settlement of Avivim, next to the Lebanese border in upper Galilee, Israel, Monday Dec. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)