New York City FC will meet Columbus Crew SC in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Fifth-seeded Columbus upended fourth-seeded Atlanta United FC on penalties in the knockout round after playing to a scoreless draw in 120 minutes of regulation and extratime in Atlanta Thursday night. Columbus won the shootout, 3-1, as goalkeeper Zack Steffen was outstanding during the game and the tie-breaker.

City will play the first leg of the series at 8 p.m. ET before returning home for the second leg at Yankee Stadium Nov. 5. No time has been set for that game.

NYCFC and Columbus faced off on Decision Day last Sunday in a 2-2 draw at Citi Field to ensure its first-round playoff bye.

After City fell behind early through an Ola Kamara goal, team captain David Villa scored a first-half brace. He scored off a header from a Maxi Moralez corner kick before slotting another past Steffen just before halftime to up his goal tally to 22.

The all-time series between NYCFC and Columbus is even at 2-2-3.

NYCFC is 1-0-1 vs. Columbus in 2017, which includes a 3-2 victory in April as Jack Harrison tallied twice.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.