USL Archives - Cincinnati Soccer Talk https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/tag/usl/ Covering FC Cincinnati and soccer in the Queen City. Mon, 24 Mar 2025 18:46:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 156148459 USL implements pro-rel, but what does this mean locally? https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2025/03/19/usl-implements-pro-rel-but-what-does-this-mean-locally/ Wed, 19 Mar 2025 23:10:41 +0000 https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/?p=45616 In a landmark move, owners of the United Soccer League (USL) voted to implement promotion and relegation (pro-rel). The vote, which was held on Tuesday, ended in a supermajority, meaning that more than 50% came to an agreement. This decision comes just over a month after the announcement that USL would be launching a Division […]

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]]> In a landmark move, owners of the United Soccer League (USL) voted to implement promotion and relegation (pro-rel). The vote, which was held on Tuesday, ended in a supermajority, meaning that more than 50% came to an agreement. This decision comes just over a month after the announcement that USL would be launching a Division One league in 2027-28.

It is expected that pro-rel would not begin until the inaugural season of USL D1. The system will only include its three professional leagues, and not the semi-professional USL League Two that only runs in the summer.

It remains to be seen what exactly the format would be. The Pro League Standards (PLS) that leagues are required to follow will be hard to balance with a system that includes so many clubs moving back and forth in just one offseason. It is likely that USL implements a slightly altered pro-rel system, such as giving franchises the ability to choose if they want to be promoted, etc.

Regardless, this is a huge change on the battlefront of what fans call “the soccer warz.” This tongue-in-cheek term is used to describe the competition between the many leagues in American soccer. There hasn’t been a D1 competitor for MLS since NASL launched in 2011; it folded in 2017, but not without a lawsuit that reached a verdict just a month ago. As for pro-rel, this is the first time that an American professional league has ever actually implemented it. NISA tried, and failed, early this decade.

What does this mean for the local soccer scene?

Pros

USL has millions of fans that attend its matches each season, and the number will only continue to grow. A decent swath of this is concentrated in the tri-state area, with professional clubs like Louisville City, Indy Eleven, Lexington SC, and the newly added USL1 club Fort Wayne FC.

Serious money is being invested into these clubs; all of them have or plan to contruct soccer-specific stadiums to, built competitive rosters, and brought in decent attendance numbers. In theory, pro-rel will give teams more of an incentive to keep spending competitively. If they don’t, it will be reflected in the table.

Aside from the authentic feeling that lower-league soccer has, there was very little that differentiated USL from MLS. From a sporting standpoint, pro-rel makes it a worthy competitor. If local fans become aware of how this format works, it may make USL more entertaining for them.

This could turn USL from little more than a feeder league for MLS with a niche following, to a competitor that draws in larger numbers—which could make the local soccer scene even more bustling.

Cons

There is also a flipside to USL becoming a worthy competitor—it could lose credibility for owners. The league relies on team owners to survive, and these stakeholders might now have to choose between joining MLS or folding if they aren’t rich enough. But why?

In terms of business, promotion and relegation does not suit how American sports work. Owners expect their investment to be returned with a profit. If pro-rel is implemented, they run the risk of losing money if they are relegated; meanwhile, a club that hopes to be promoted doesn’t feel worth the risk of high investment. MLS is a closed league because its owners want to protect their interests.

If USL becomes a worthy competitor, it could still be a con. It would be entirely possible that MLS begins to poach already-existing USL markets, possibly going after two key franchises that happen to be local: Louisville and Indy. There is already speculation that Indy could join as an expansion side, which would surely kill Indy Eleven. There was slight chatter that Louisville could be “promoted” to MLS, but it died down.

MLS choosing to directly combat the USL would be much worse for the latter. The former has already proven itself an attractive business model. It is a league with ever-growing infrastructure, many more fans, and glitz and glamour. For these reasons, USL clubs wouldn’t lose anything by moving to MLS.

In the words of Geoff Tebbetts, the soccer warz have gone nuclear.

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]]> 45616 Soccer In Our Area: Kings Hammer FC (W) https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2024/06/10/soccer-in-our-area-kings-hammer-fc-w/ Mon, 10 Jun 2024 18:49:24 +0000 https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/?p=43987 CLUB BACKGROUND Kings Hammer SC is a nationally-known soccer program which has multiple affiliates throughout the country. They are the only club in Greater Cincinnati to offer a full development pathway for men’s and women’s players. Their goal, as Matt Shisler puts it, is to grow people.  They embody this with their pathway, which includes […]

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]]> CLUB BACKGROUND

Kings Hammer SC is a nationally-known soccer program which has multiple affiliates throughout the country. They are the only club in Greater Cincinnati to offer a full development pathway for men’s and women’s players. Their goal, as Matt Shisler puts it, is to grow people. 

They embody this with their pathway, which includes Kings Hammer FC: a club that has a men’s team in USL League Two and a women’s team in the USL W League. They were founded in 2020.

This year, the team plays at NKU’s Scudamore Stadium, a 1,000-seat capacity soccer-specific stadium. Their goal in 2024 is to make the playoffs and develop their players for both professional and collegiate soccer.

The Kings Hammer FC’s women’s team boasts a roster of players from top local clubs and high-level colleges alike. Kylee Simmons and Taylor White were both standout players from Missouri and West Virginia respectively, and players like Lilly Yordy and Natalie Bain are from the Cincinnati area.

They are led by first-year head coach Jacob Morrison and assistant coach Bronson Gambale, who is also the National Technical Director for Kings Hammer SC (the youth part of their development pathway). 

KHFC has a record of 3-1-1 and is in second place in the Valley Division. Indy Eleven is six points ahead of them, but they’ve played one more match.

THE ATMOSPHERE

The team has the feeling of lower league soccer. When you go to a match, you are uniquely close to the players, the coaches and the game itself. You feel a sense of involvement. And yet, being there still has a sense of professionalism to it.

The youth players are very involved with the team, often engaging in pre-match walkouts with players and in pickup matches at halftime.

Overall, it is an involving and unique atmosphere. Most of those who come to watch are passionate about the team, and all kinds of people are able to attend due to tickets being $5.

Also, the hot dogs are fantastic. Just those alone are worth going to the match for.

MATCH REVIEW

KHFC played St. Charles FC on Saturday. Their opposition, sitting last in the division, had lost all six of their matches this season going into Saturday’s affair. KHFC had won their last two, including a 4-1 win away to STFC last week. Morrison was away for the match, leaving Gambale to be the coach.

The match started in a dominant fashion for KHFC. They had a majority of possession and were creating chances in the opposition’s half of the pitch. It was, however, quickly looking like an uneven match.

(7’) GOAL: Kylee Simmons — Ava Arengo was on the attack and took a good shot, but it didn’t cross the line. It was eventually turned in by Simmons after a pile-up in the box with multiple players vying for the shot.

Nothing had changed just minutes later. There was another good chance for KHFC, while St. Charles had just been defending.

(19’) OWN GOAL: Natalie Gum — KHFC were attacking again, as they had done for the entire match. Their dangerous cross into the box was accidentally turned into the goal by STFC defender Natalie Gum.

Two minutes later, she redeemed herself when she heroically blocked Simmons’ header off the goal line. 

Taylor White subbed on minutes later for Elle Britt, who came off with a slight injury. She was instantly a threat to STFC and KHFC only continued to attack well and earn corners.

(40’) GOAL: Kylee Simmons — As STFC was building out from the back, the ball was misplayed to Simmons, who was right inside the box. She finished the goal in a 1v1 against the keeper and got a brace.

As the halftime whistle was blown, Kings Hammer FC had all eight shots in the match, all six corners and already three goals. It was quickly becoming a blowout.

Maddie Murphy, Lauren Flax, and Nat Bain subbed in for Yordy, Reed, and Arengo, and there was a goalkeeper substitution with Galley coming off for Taylor Spiller.

(59’) GOAL: Kylee Simmons — The second half was the same as the first. The ball was crossed into a dangerous area, and Simmons scored a point-blank header to complete her hat trick.

Simmons and Lauren Donovan then subbed off for Shannon Crogan and Rose Vigran respectively.

(66’) GOAL: Taylor White — Once again, KHFC found themselves in the opposition’s box. A penalty was awarded after a rough tackle on Lauren Flax. White took the penalty, calmly slotting it in the bottom corner. The goalkeeper didn’t even move.

An STFC player went down with what sounded like a painful injury in the 68th minute. Due to only having one sub that was already in the match, they continued playing with 10 for the rest of the match. Flax received a red card for the rough challenge on the injured player, so both teams continued playing with 10.

The full-time whistle was blown. KHFC completely dominated, with a large majority of possession, all 18 shots in the match and all the corners. 

FINAL SCORE: Kings Hammer FC (5-0) St. Charles FC

—

After the match, Simmons and Gambale commented on the result, with the former saying it was a “good dominant performance.” 

“I feel great. Look, the ladies have worked really hard this week… Could we get a mixture of different girls in? Could we get different ladies’ minutes? And I felt the girls executed both going with the ball in possession and how we defended… But also, we left a lot of meat on the bones,” Gambale said. “And we’re really excited to go to work on Monday and Tuesday in preparation for a rematch with Indiana.”

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]]> 43987 Soccer In Our Area: Indy Eleven https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2024/04/01/soccer-in-our-area-indy-eleven/ Mon, 01 Apr 2024 13:40:39 +0000 https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/?p=43396 Club Background Indy Eleven was founded in the early winter of 2013. The club played its first few seasons in the North American Soccer League where it won its only trophy to date with the 2016 NASL Spring Championship. In January of 2018, the club announced it was leaving the NASL for the USL. A […]

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]]> Club Background

Indy Eleven was founded in the early winter of 2013. The club played its first few seasons in the North American Soccer League where it won its only trophy to date with the 2016 NASL Spring Championship. In January of 2018, the club announced it was leaving the NASL for the USL. A year later, Indy Eleven hit its USL high watermark by finishing third place on the table and getting a semifinal appearance.

The club is owned by Ersal Ozdemir, CEO of Keystone Group LLC. In 2019, Ozdemir made international headlines with an ambitious announcement to build a state-of-the-art soccer-specific stadium in the Indianapolis downtown area. This 20,000-seat stadium was aptly named Eleven Park and construction broke ground in the spring of 2023 with plans to be completed by spring of 2025. For now, Indy Eleven plays its home games at Carroll Stadium on the campus of Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).

The Eleven are led by first-year skipper Sean McAuley who was an assistant/interim head coach at Minnesota United under Adrian Heath. Players of note on the roster include two of USL’s all-time top regular season goal scorers in Sebastian Guenzatti (7th, 70 goals) and Augi Williams (9th, 67 goals). Filling out the remaining roster are a pair of 2023 All-USL Championship selections in center back Adrian Diaz and center midfielder Cam Lindley. Indy has started the 2024 campaign with a 1-1-1 record at the time of kickoff and is seventh on the USL Championship Eastern Conference table.

The Atmosphere

Carroll Stadium sits at the edge of IUPUI’s campus and provides a wonderful venue for fans to attend. The parking for Carroll Stadium is super convenient for fans entering and exiting the match. Carroll Stadium is a multiple-purpose stadium that hosts many Jaguar varsity sports. On matchdays, food trucks and a fan zone are erected to create a wonderfully festive soccer experience. After grabbing a beer and some grub, fans can check out the team stores located on either end of the inner stadium grounds. The only drawback to the venue in my experience was the location of the restrooms, but this is only observable for small children or your less-than-casual beverage drinker. At the western end of the pitch, you will find the supporter section Brickyard Battalion. The name is a play on the two hallmarks of Indy Eleven with the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Civil War Indiana’s 11th Regiment Indiana Infantry. The stadium gets surprisingly loud when Indy free kick attempts beckon the stomping on the metal bleachers.

 

Match Recap

Indy Eleven hosted a red-hot Detroit City FC club vying to take the top spot in the USLC Eastern Conference table. After a warm beautiful day in Indianapolis turned into a chilly windy night, the Motor City visitors stole three road points with a 2-1 victory.

The match began with a typical slower-paced tempo as both sides were learning tendencies and testing weaknesses. In the 18th minute, Indy had the first opportunity of the match when a careless tackle from DCFC’s Devon Amoo-Mensah on Sebastian Guenzatti led to an Indy free kick from the edge of the box. The attempt was poor and failed to clear the DCFC wall. Moments later, in the 22nd minute, a Jack Blake foul led to a similarly dangerous free kick attempt for DCFC. The cross was punched out by Indy goalkeeper Yannik Oetti before it fell directly at the feet of Maxi Rodriguez, whose shot was blocked in the scramble.

The first scoring breakthrough came in the 24th minute when Younes Boudadi of the Indy Eleven navigated his way into the box before finding Guenzatti. Guenzatti left no doubt with his shot and gave the home side the early lead.

The first half ended with a pair of penalty appeals from both clubs, but neither club was able to get the call they wanted from the referee. 

The second half was a story of chances created but foiled by Indy Eleven. In the 52nd minute, Tega Ikokba got free after a missed tackle by Amoo-Mensah. The three-on-two break’s timing was disrupted when Ikokba’s pass into the central area of DCFC’s box was poorly attempted. The fumbled ball resulted in a routine save by Nathan Steinwascher.

In the 55th minute, DCFC made Indy pay for its missed chance when Ali Coote made a run into the box and beat Oetti to the far post.

After the tying goal from DCFC, the match opened up. In the 63rd minute, a dangerous free-run cross from the right side required Indy’s Tyler Gibson to make a near-perfect clearance. In the 65th minute, Indy’s Williams got free in the box, but the ball got caught between his legs and he was unable to get a clean shot off. Moments later, DCFC had two consecutive shots blocked and it led to an Indy counterattack resulting in a corner.

Play cooled off with a ten-minute period of exchanging substitutions. But only DCFC was able to bounce back and rachet up the press again.

In the 83rd minute, Indy’s Aedan Stanley had nothing left to do but throw his body into the ball to prevent a beautiful cross from finding DCFC’s Rhys Williams. The thin rope Indy was balancing on finally broke in the 88th minute when a poor foul by Adrian Diz led to a freekick at the edge of Indy’s box. The ball fell to Rodriguez, but unlike the first half, Rodriguez buried his attempt into the back of the net.

The 2-1 advantage for Detroit City held through stoppage and on to the final whistle.

Goals:

Indy- Guenzatti 24th

DCFC- Coote 55th, Rodriguez 88th

Next Match:

at Louisville City FC – Saturday, April 6th – 4:00 p.m. EST – CBS

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]]> 43396 Soccer In Our Area: Louisville City FC https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2024/03/25/soccer-in-our-area-louisville-city-fc/ Mon, 25 Mar 2024 13:02:33 +0000 https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/?p=43357 Club Background Louisville City Football Club was founded in the summer of 2014. They played their first USL match in 2015 at the Triple-A baseball stadium Louisville Slugger Field. In that stadium, Lou City became one of the most decorated clubs in the USL lifting back-to-back USL Cups in 2017 and 2018, along with several […]

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]]> Club Background

Louisville City Football Club was founded in the summer of 2014. They played their first USL match in 2015 at the Triple-A baseball stadium Louisville Slugger Field. In that stadium, Lou City became one of the most decorated clubs in the USL lifting back-to-back USL Cups in 2017 and 2018, along with several other deep runs in the USL playoffs. James O’Connor was the club’s first skipper and is credited for many of the club’s early successes in the USL. O’Conner left the club in 2018 to take the vacant MLS head coaching position with Orlando City SC. O’Connor has since returned as president of the ownership group Soccer Holdings LLC. In 2020, under COVID-19 restrictions, Lou City opened its grand soccer-specific stadium Lynn Family Stadium. The 15,000-plus capacity stadium saw its first sellout crowd the following summer once the restrictions were lifted. In 2021, interim, now current head coach Danny Cruz was selected to lead Lou City. Cruz has had early success leading Lou City to an Eastern Conference championship in 2022. In 2023, Lou City finished fifth in the USL Eastern Conference regular season but reached the Eastern Conference playoff final before falling to Charleston Battery 1-2 on the road. The notable club talisman for Lou City is Camereon Lancaster who leads the USL Championship division in career goals at 88 goals across all competitions.

Lynn Family Stadium – PHOTO: Louisville City FC

The Atmosphere

Lynn Family Stadium is the premier stadium in the USL and would rival several stadiums in the MLS for matchday atmosphere. Located just off the banks of the Ohio River and off several major highways, Lynn Family Stadium is an easy venue to get to. The matchday atmosphere includes tailgating in the multiple parking lots around the stadium. Fans can get in 90 minutes before kickoff to check out the BlueOval SK Fan Zone where family-friendly activities such as inflatables, lawn games, and mini-pitch soccer can be enjoyed. Happy hour specials of two-dollar beers can be enjoyed up until 30 minutes before kickoff. Inside the stadium, fans can expect a ruckus atmosphere led by The Coopers supporters’ group. For a premium experience, fans can purchase tickets in the swanky club sections. LED lights adorn the stadium lights and shower spectators in the club’s infamous purple and white. Fans can also line the area off the main concourse where players enter and exit their respective locker rooms.

Match Recap

Louisville City FC entered the match off an away win at El Paso Locomotive in matchday one. Lou City played host USL Eastern Conference foe Pittsburgh Riverhounds. When it was all said and done, Lou City walked away with three points and on top of the USL Eastern Conference standings after a convincing 3-1 victory.

The match opened with Lou City on the front foot. In the sixth minute, a Ray Serrano shot from outside the box forced a diving save from Riverhounds’ keeper Eric Dick. In the tenth minute, Dick was found in no man’s land but was able to get a paw on Wilson Harris’ shot from just inside the box.

Both clubs settled into the match for the remainder of the first half. But in the 40th minute, Pittsburgh almost came away with the match’s first goal. A run on the right side played the ball back into the box where Babacar Diene got a clean shot at goal only for Lou City’s veteran center back Sean Totsch had a fantastic goal-line block.

The scoring breakthrough came in stoppage time of the first half. In the fifth minute of stoppage time, a through ball by Serrano took a fortunate deflection and fell to the feet of Harris. Harris’ shot beats Dick and the crowd erupted. Lou City took the 1-0 advantage into halftime.

Lou City would have to absorb pressure early in the second half. A pair of clean headers in the box were a precursor to what was about to come. In the 59th minute, Edward Kizza got free in the box after a sloppy turnover for Lou City in their defending third. It was an easy finish and the Riverhounds leveled the match at a goal apiece.

The even scoreline didn’t last long, however. In the 64th minute, Serrano beat his defender and drew a penalty. Totsch stepped up to the spot and buried his attempt.

After a heavy rotation of players from both clubs, the match score appeared to be what the final result would be. But after Serrano’s great match, he added his name to the score sheet. In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Evan Davila delivered a cross into the box. The ball eventually found Serrano who made a fake and put Dick on the ground before uncorking a left-footed shot into the back of the net.

The final whistle sounded and Louisville City had an impressive win in its home opener.

Goals:

LOU- 45+5’ Harris, 65’ (P) Totsch, 90+6’ Serrano

PIT- 59’ Kizza

Next Match:

USL Regular Season – vs Birmingham Legion – Saturday, March 30th – 4 p.m. EST – ESPN+

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]]> 43357 Soccer In Our Area: Lexington Sporting Club https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2024/03/16/soccer-in-our-area-lexington-sporting-club/ Sat, 16 Mar 2024 15:04:48 +0000 https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/?p=43275 Club Background Lexington Sporting Club is in the second season of their young history. The USL League One club was announced in the fall of 2021. Due to an ambitious plan to create a world-class stadium in the Lexington-Fayette area, the club found a temporary home at Toyota Stadium on the campus of Georgetown College. […]

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Lexington Sporting Club is in the second season of their young history. The USL League One club was announced in the fall of 2021. Due to an ambitious plan to create a world-class stadium in the Lexington-Fayette area, the club found a temporary home at Toyota Stadium on the campus of Georgetown College. Cincinnati Bengals fans might remember this stadium, as it was home to the Bengals summer training camp from 1997 to 2012.

Lexington SC finished in ninth place in USL League in their inaugural season with a record of 7-11-14. LSC was coached by former English footballer Sam Stockley in 2023, who has since assumed the sporting director position full-time in 2024. Stockley filled the vacated head coaching position with Darren Powell. Powell has a long coaching resume with US soccer from the collegiate ranks to MLS from 1998 to present day.

The roster is loaded with experienced USL Championship talent. Returning stars for the club are Jamaican international goalkeeper Amal Knight formerly of the San Diego Loyal and 2023 USL League One All-League midfielder Ates Diouf formerly from San Antonio FC. Lexington SC also signed some big stars in the offseason. No signing bigger than former Louisville City forward Cameron Lancaster. Lancaster helped lead Louisville City to back-to-back USL Cup wins in 2017 and 2018. Lancaster is the all-time single-season goal scorer in the USL Championship. Other notable offseason signings include Jayden Onen, Ebenezer Ackon and Jorge Corrales. With the added firepower, it’s no wonder why Lexington SC is the odds-on favorite to win USL League One in 2024.

Planned new stadium off of I-75 exit 104 – PHOTO: Lexington Sporting Club

The Atmosphere

A matchday at Toyota Stadium is a fun, energetic atmosphere. The fans tailgate in the parking lots around the college campus. Gathering around and talking ball with one another can paint a scene quite similar to a Southern college football Saturday. Outside the stadium, street vendors are parked serving up tacos and snow cones. Inside the stadium, there is an impressive team shop where fans can purchase all kinds of LSC-clad Nike apparel. One drawback to the in-stadium atmosphere is the absence of the sale of alcohol, something most Cincinnatians and soccer fans have been accustomed to at typical sporting events. In the stands, you can find a family-friendly lively environment. For this particular match day, the ever-popular University of Kentucky Wildcat basketball team was competing in their conference tournament at the same time as the match kickoff. Coupled with a chilly, misty forecast, you’d excuse a dip in attendance. But there still was a good showing from the LSC fans. The official support group of Lexington SC, the Railbirds, were drumming and waving their flags in their 109 section appropriately nicknamed “The Stables.” 

The Match

Coming off their season-opening 0-0 draw to Northern Colorado Hailstorm, Lexington SC was hungry to secure the first win of the season. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC did not play in Matchday One and was looking to still three points on the road to start their 2024 campaign. But after a thrilling ending, Lexington SC walked out with a 1-0 victory.

The match started off with a considerable amount of stoppage in play. The rainy conditions created a slick playing surface on the turf field, leading to several unplayable passes. The physical nature of both sides was evident early as multiple players hit the deck on hard tackles.

The match opened up in the 18th minute when a Red Wolves’ corner led to Ualefi Dos Reis unleashing a shot from outside the box, requiring Knight to make a save. Shortly after, Red Wolves’ Jonny Filipe tested his luck with a shot but Knight was there again for the save.

Lexington SC’s Jayden Onen made several runs into the box from the left wing between the 31st and 37th minute before moving in centrally for the match’s first best chance. Onen split the defenders and entered the box before delivering a pacing shot that Chattanooga’s keeper TJ Bush did well to save.

The match paused in the 41st minute in observation of Ramadan before play resumed two minutes later. The clubs went to the locker rooms at the half still level 0-0.

Much of the start of the second half was like the first with physical play. In the 55th minute, Chattanooga’s Filipe picked up an injury to his right leg and had to leave the match. An important goal-line intervention was required of LSC center back Kaelon Fox as Ricky Ruiz was able to find space and shoot a low shot at goal in the 66th minute.

The young hometown star Issac Cano made his club debut for Lexington SC in the 72nd minute. Cano was a state champion for Paul Laurence Dunbar HS in 2021. He had previously made Louisville City’s roster before coming back to Lexington on a one-year loan deal.

The scoring breakthrough of the match came in the 79th minute when a set piece lob eventually found Maltese international midfielder Yannick Yankam in the middle of the box. Yankam unleashed a laser shot into the net, giving Bush no chance to make a save.

 

One of the biggest weaknesses for Lexington SC in 2023 was seeing out results late in matches. With a 1-0 lead LSC, would have to prove the lesson was learned ahead of the 2024 season. In the 87th minute, Knight made a spectacular save off a driving header from the Red Wolves’ Ruiz. In the 95th minute, a nervy session of shots hit the crossbar but still, the Lexington defense did not waver.

“Last season we wouldn’t close out the games properly,” Knight said. “So this season we’ve been working hard defensively. You can see everyone is on point, everyone is working together as a unit. For me and for the team, we just have to keep progressing.”

The final whistle sounded,and Lexington SC collected the home three points. It was all smiles on the field after the match. Russell shared his thoughts after his first win as Lexington SC manager.

“I’m super proud of the players, proud of everybody,” Russell said. “Really happy for everybody involved with the organization. From the fans to the players to the staff that show up and work every day. Hopefully we build on this. I think we can play better than maybe we showed tonight but we managed to get our first win in our second shift of the year.”

Goals:

Lexington SC: Yankam 79’

Next Match:

US Open Cup – at Vermont Green FC – Tuesday 3/19 7:00p.m. EST – ussoccer.com

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]]> 43275 New Season, New Players – Part 1 https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2023/01/10/new-season-new-players-part-1/ Tue, 10 Jan 2023 06:27:05 +0000 https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/?p=40820 Highlights from this week’s show. This week Coach Gough interviews Coach Eric Nichols from Bowling Green State University about FC Cincinnati’s #1 draft pick Joey Akpunonu. Hear Joey’s interesting nickname, what he’s like in the locker room, and what he does well that will translate to the next level. Then, Coach is joined by Nate […]

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Highlights from this week’s show.

This week Coach Gough interviews Coach Eric Nichols from Bowling Green State University about FC Cincinnati’s #1 draft pick Joey Akpunonu. Hear Joey’s interesting nickname, what he’s like in the locker room, and what he does well that will translate to the next level.

Then, Coach is joined by Nate Gilman to give a full scouting report on Marco Angulo and Isaiah Foster. They talk strengths and weaknesses, players comps, and if these players could crack the starting XI.

Follow Coach and Justin

Coach is @FCCincyTacTalk and Justin is @JustinHoyte32

Support Talking Tactics and CST!

Want to help the Talking Tactics Podcast grow? Leave a rating and a review! Want to help support Cincinnati Soccer Talk? Want to become an episode captain? Become a supporter today!

Subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk

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]]> 40820 FC Cincinnati: Stop trying to reinvent the wheel https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2021/06/21/fc-cincinnati-stop-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel/ Mon, 21 Jun 2021 17:58:12 +0000 https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/?p=37247 FC Cincinnati loves paying its way out of messes it created. It is time to pay the way into acquiring the best MLS coaches and general managers.

The post FC Cincinnati: Stop trying to reinvent the wheel appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

]]> Going against the grain has been the FC Cincinnati theme. A USL club that from its conception wanted to be bigger than a USL club. Other teams played in colleges or borrowed stadiums and drew only the most passionate in the city. Cincinnati won over families and eventually the city. Other clubs struggled to get news coverage. TV stations showed up whenever Cincy called a press conference. Other cities struggled to spend money. FCC believed every dollar spent would be another dollar earned. Merchandise? Cincinnati blew sales out of the water and then partnered locally, and now you can’t go a day in the city without seeing a winged lion.

You get the point, different was good!

Until it wasn’t.

Cincinnati took that same “we are different” approach into MLS. While it also worked in areas like building beautiful stadiums (that are not missing their corners), it has not worked on the pitch. FCC arrogantly thought they could do something no one has. Take a USL coach, a USL squad and an NASL general manager into a league and compete. They failed. The mistake was revealed and it was obvious. MLS has a clear style, and while it varies from club to club it is clear. You need people that understand the league in the front office.

It was only Year One though — mistakes happen. Fans were eager to forgive after all the prior success and quick pace. They accepted the short runway excuse and trusted FC Cincinnati would deliver on the promise that was made to them. That promise came in a full-page thank you ad in the Cincinnati Enquirer.  Lindner said. “My commitment — and that of our entire ownership group — is that we will do everything in our power to never have a season like this again.

That season was followed up by another in last place.

Instead of identifying the problem of lack of MLS experience, FC Cincinnati tried to re-invent the wheel again. They hired a Dutch GM and now two Dutch coaches to bring in their own players and their own system. They could do what Atlanta United failed to do, make the Dutch way work in America. It is time to admit that is failing. Again, fans have been patient. They just sold out the stadium, and the majority of those fans walked into TQL Stadium knowing they were going to watch a loss. In the last three years, most matches have been over before they even were played. FC Cincinnati is straight bullied on the pitch. While the losses in 2021 no longer come at a seven-goal against spread, they still punch the little momentum the club has left from USL and building a stadium.

New England turned its club around with one hire. Columbus Crew won the MLS Cup with one hire. Both teams did not swap their entire lineups. Both clubs took what they had and made it work. FC Cincinnati has the players to make this work. Fans no longer will accept that excuse. This is a front office and coaching problem, and there are no fingers left to point elsewhere.

The real kicker is ownership is committed. Ownership has spent and set wallets on fire to try and fix a mess for the fans and it isn’t working. In the USL, FC Cincinnati could buy wins until the playoffs. Now FC Cincinnati is headed toward a third straight year in last place. That is massively hard to do in MLS. It is an impressive and unprecedented kind of bad. It all stems from FCC’s arrogance in trying to re-invent the wheel. The club cannot forge its own way. It is time to accept it needs MLS experience in the front office. FC Cincinnati loves paying its way out of messes they created. It is time to pay its way into acquiring the best coaches and GMs MLS has to offer and maybe, just maybe, finish a season outside of dead last.

The post FC Cincinnati: Stop trying to reinvent the wheel appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

]]> 37247 Pod Special: Kenney Walker Joins CST to Discuss Signing with Kings Hammer FC https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2021/04/15/pod-special-kenney-walker-joins-cst-to-discuss-signing-with-kings-hammer-fc/ Thu, 15 Apr 2021 13:00:39 +0000 https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/?p=36291 Kings Hammer FC of USL League Two announced this week that former FC Cincinnati Midfielder Kenney Walker would join their club for the 2021 season. Kenney stopped by CST to discuss Kings Hammer FC as well as plans for his future within the game. 

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Kings Hammer FC of USL League Two announced this week that former FC Cincinnati Midfielder Kenney Walker would join their club for the 2021 season. Kenney stopped by CST to discuss Kings Hammer FC as well as plans for his future within the game.

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The post Pod Special: Kenney Walker Joins CST to Discuss Signing with Kings Hammer FC appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

]]> 36291 Cincinnati is back in USL League Two with addition of Kings Hammer https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2021/02/19/cincinnati-is-back-in-usl-league-two-with-addition-of-kings-hammer/ Fri, 19 Feb 2021 17:00:20 +0000 https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/?p=35847 After a one-year dry spell, Cincinnati is getting a new USL League Two club with Kings Hammer announcing today it will be joining the league.

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]]> After a one-year dry spell, Cincinnati is getting a new USL League Two club. Kings Hammer announced today it will join the USL U-23 ranks and field a first team in addition to a previously announced Ohio Valley Premier League side this spring. It is not starting from scratch either — it has hired former Cincinnati Dutch Lions FC general manager Brandon Ponchak and former FC Cincinnati player and Dutch Lions coach Paul Nicholson. The club will play home matches at the Xavier University Soccer Complex starting in May. The new club will play in the Great Lakes Division.

Why add a U-23 side?

Cincinnati Soccer Talk sat down with Ponchak and Nicholson earlier this week to discuss the goals and to find out how Kings Hammer will operate in the Cincinnati ecosphere. We ended up surprised by some of the answers. At first glance, the USL launch looks like a youth club trying to expand and offer new avenues to its players. That is part of it of course, but there is more to it than that. If that was all it wished to achieve, the newly announced OVPL club would do just as well.

“After coaching in this region for a few years now, Brandon and I have realized how underserved the U-23 market is in Cincinnati,” Nicholson said. “There is a lot of talent here, and there isn’t enough for players once they leave club soccer.”

Cincinnati continues to pump out players to the NWSL and to colleges around the country, but the region is far less successful on the men’s side — and not from a lack of talent.

Kings Hammer is looking to develop a top-down approach system similar to one the New York Red Bulls employ. Players in the youth system can attend the USL club matches and see the exact same style/system they are being taught by their coach. Nicholson believes youth players will benefit from seeing the exact same thing they do at training in a finished form.

It is looking for top talent, and it won’t just be inside its own club system. It will be talking to college coaching around the country, looking to field a highly competitive club building off connections they have already made, and continuing their prior success.

What is in it for Cincinnati fans? 

First off, look at the tear the prior USL League Two team was on under Ponchak’s and Nicholson’s leadership. Just this year, Aimé Mabika was drafted in the MLS Super Draft first round by Inter Miami. Mabika was identified at Kentucky and brought in by Nicholson and his team in their last season. That isn’t a one-time thing either. Ponchak and Nicholson have helped 17 players go pro since 2017. Just Wednesday, Zeus de la Paz was announced as the newest signing of Oakland Roots after being the starting goalkeeper in Cincinnati just a few years ago. This is a trend that has grown over the past few years, but the COVID-19 pandemic provided some worries.

FC Cincinnati has its own academy, and it may launch its own second team someday. Kings Hammer isn’t competing with it, however. It views this new club as part of expanding the soccer ecosphere in Cincinnati, giving fans additional options to come check out the next generation of talent. Nicholson isn’t going after the same type of players that FC Cincinnati is. He hopes FC Cincinnati and other clubs draft the players coming out of their system. More options are not a bad thing.

Matches will be cheap and local. Playing at Xavier puts the newly founded club right in the heart of the city. You don’t need to drive out of state or way up in a suburb to watch the next generation. You will only need to head over to Xavier and check them out. The more fans that come out, the more leverage this club will have in recruiting players. The better players they recruit, the more talent comes out of Cincinnati. Fans have a lot of impact at this level.

Things to Look out for:

Chief Operating Officer Kevin McCloskey said in today’s press release, “We are committed to providing a high-level adult team as part of our pathway and will have some more developments to announce shortly regarding our competitive women’s team for the 2021 season.”

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]]> 35847 FC Cincinnati gets another chance to snuff the Fire https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/2020/08/31/fc-cincinnati-gets-another-chance-to-snuff-the-fire/ Mon, 31 Aug 2020 21:18:23 +0000 https://cincinnatisoccertalk.com/?p=34542 After FC Cincinnati's lackluster performance at Chicago last week, the two teams meet again Wednesday in front of the virtual home crowd.

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]]> After a lackluster performance at the Chicago Fire last week, FC Cincinnati rebounded and held the top team in the Eastern Conference to a scoreless draw. Chicago, on the other hand, did not ride its win for long, falling 3-1 to New York City FC last weekend.

And now, a week later, the two teams meet again — this time at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Cincinnati, where FCC would like to carve out a different result in front of the virtual home crowd.

WHAT TO WATCH

In their previous match, Chicago pressured early, and FC Cincinnati started the game flat. Two quick goals left FC Cincinnati chasing the game and put Chicago firmly in the driver’s seat for the entire 90 minutes. FC Cincinnati is set up currently to defend and counter. It is critical that it weather the early press from teams hoping to get an early goal and force FC Cincinnati to open up the game. The longer FC Cincinnati keeps an opponent scoreless, the more confident it gets and the more frustrated the opponent becomes. FC Cincinnati is looking for small mistakes to capitalize on.

FC Cincinnati’s midfield struggled in its previous encounter with Chicago. It tended to drop deep and didn’t apply pressure, giving Gaston Claudio Gimenez and Álvaro Medrán too much space and time to break down the backline with dangerous passes. Brad Gough covered this in How They Happened. FC Cincinnati’s midfield needs to close down Gimenez and Medrán when they get possession to make it difficult for them to make probing passes thru the FC Cincinnati defenders.

Coach Jaap Stam needs to be careful with his players’ health and fitness. The roster is already fairly light with players transferred and loaned out to make room for players to be brought in during the current transfer window. This is putting a lot of pressure physically and mentally on the starting lineup for FC Cincinnati. In two of the last three games, Stam left three potential substitutes on the bench. The only game in which he used all five subs was the previous match against Chicago, where Allan Cruz picked up an early knock and the early goals from Chicago forced Stam to adjust his tactics.

STANDINGS

FC Cincinnati currently sits in the 10th position in the East. Chicago occupies the 12th position. They both have a goal differential of -6 and only one point separates them.

We know that MLS will take 18 teams into the Playoffs, and according to The Athletic, 10 teams will come from the Eastern Conference. If true, Cincinnati is sitting in the last playoff spot, and Chicago is outside looking in.

FC Cincinnati: 2-4-2, 8 pts.
Chicago Fire FC: 2-5-1, 7 pts.

PREVIOUS CONTESTS

Chicago and FC Cincinnati have only had three MLS matches in their history — one win for each team and a draw. Chicago has never won or even scored during regulation play in Nippert Stadium, including the 2017 U.S. Open Cup match when FC Cincinnati was still in the USL. That game went scoreless and ended with a penalty shootout.

Aug. 25, 2020 3-0 Chicago win
Sept. 21, 2019 0-0 draw
July 13, 2019 1-2 FC Cincinnati win

AVAILABILITY

Jimmy McLaughlin and Spencer Richey are both not medically cleared to play according to club game notes. Newest signing Kamohelo Mokotjo is still unavailable awaiting immigration.

Frankie Amaya is the only FC Cincinnati player with four accumulated yellow cards. He needs to be careful to avoid another yellow card which would result in a one-game suspension.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Game 9
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nippert Stadium

TV: WSTR Star64

In-Region Video Stream: fccincinnati.com/stream
Out-of-Region Video Stream: ESPN+ 

Local Radio: WDJO (99.5 FM | 107.9 FM | 1480 AM)
Audio Stream: TuneIn App, fccincinnati.com

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