The road does not get easier for FCC (2-1-2) this Saturday. The team travels to the Music City for a showdown against Nashville SC (3-1-1), a squad who have rebounded from a disappointing 2024 campaign with a strong start this season. Whether you want to call it a “rivalry” or not, there has been no shortage of intensity in these matchups over the past few seasons. Throw in the fact that there’s some palpable mutual disdain between the two fanbases, and there will likely be a little extra electricity in the crowd at GEODIS Park.

All of this to say, if FC Cincinnati wants a win to end their woes on the road, they’ll have to survive an absolute battle to earn it.

TIDE TURNING FOR THE ORANGE AND BLUE?

It hasn’t been an easy start to the season for FC Cincinnati for a variety of reasons, but there’s a hint of optimism heading into Saturday’s matchup. The second half of last week’s 2-2 draw against Atlanta United was arguably the most polished the team has looked this season. A strong attack, sparked by a “takeover” performance from Evander, finally reminded us of the dominant offense FCC fans have come to expect in recent years. And while a couple of key mistakes on the back end resulted in dropped points, there were still signs of the team finally finding some chemistry.

That chemistry should also be bolstered with a more consistent lineup. Injuries, international call-ups, and a packed early-season schedule have forced Pat Noonan to roll out five vastly different starting XIs in each of FCC’s first five MLS matches this season. As reported by Laurel Pfahler this week, however, Noonan expects more consistency moving forward. This week, the lineup will get a boost from Kévin Denkey’s return from international duty, Miles Robinson’s return from illness, and Gilberto Flores’ return from suspension. While it seems FCC could be without Teenage Hadebe and Yuya Kubo this week, there are still enough pieces to roll out a somewhat normal XI against Nashville.

RED HOT IN MUSIC CITY

On the other side, it’s been a completely different situation for Nashville SC, who have been able to roll out virtually the same back line and forward combo in each of their five games this season. BJ Callaghan’s squad has ridden that chemistry to three consecutive wins, all by a margin of two goals or more. That includes an impressive 3-1 win on the road against current league leaders Philadelphia Union, making Nashville SC the only team to defeat the Zolos this season.

Nashville’s strength, as it’s always been, is their stinginess. Led by captain Walker Zimmerman and rising star Jack Maher, Nashville has conceded the third-fewest shots among Eastern Conference teams this season, and their three goals allowed are tied for second-fewest across the entire MLS. Up front, Nashville’s scoring has come by committee, with seven different players finding the scoresheet this season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Last Saturday gave FC Cincinnati fans a glimpse of what Evander can do. We saw him “come off of the leash” a bit and become more involved in the play in different areas of the field while being unafraid to push and create chances via dribbling rather than  progressive passing. This led to his first brace in an FCC kit and several other quality chances. It will be interesting to see if Evander’s more aggressive style can open more chances for Denkey and Luca Orellano up front.

For Nashville, keep an eye on Edvard Tagseth. The Norwegian international has been a firecracker for his new team this season, excelling at controlling the pace of play in the midfield. He’s careful with the ball but also isn’t afraid to thread the needle and spring one of his attacking teammates down the pitch for a quality opportunity.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Communication and chemistry continue to be the biggest X factor in these early season matches. FC Cincinnati’s overall play has been solid this season; it’s just been those one or two breakdowns in key moments that have been their undoing.

Ideally, those are the kind of mishaps that go away with more practice and more lineup consistency, both of which should be happening shortly. Whether there is improvement by this Saturday remains to be seen.

Nashville’s not the flashiest team, but they’re incredibly disciplined and capable of pouncing on opponent’s mistakes. If Cincinnati can limit those and keep communication sharp, they have a squad that can win tough games like these on the road. If we see the type of miscommunications we saw in the previous road games against Charlotte, Tigres, and Philadelphia, it could be a long night.

The post FC Cincinnati looks to end road woes against surging Nashville SC squad appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

“Happy that the guys could find a goal and see the game out, but in a lot of ways what you expect,” head coach Pat Noonan mentioned afterwards. “New York made it very difficult on us and the ability to move the ball quickly was challenged tonight for both teams with just the dry surface, which is unfortunate just because of the temperatures, not be able to wet the field. But that’s part of it. You have to deal with the elements, and I thought the guys adjusted in a good way.”

The Orange & Blue (1-0-0, 3 pts.) entered the main MLS season after a 4-1 win on the road against FC Motagua in Honduras that started their CONCACAF Champions Cup quest. In that game, Pavel Bucha’s brace pushed FCC to victory, while debutantes Evander and Denkey scored their first official goals for Cincinnati.

FCC came into the coldest match ever at TQL Stadium with a surprising list of injuries. Matt Miazga (leg), Nick Hagglund (ankle), and Alec Kann (hip) are still working towards full health after their season-ending injuries from last year. Meanwhile, Luca Orellano, Sergio Santos, and Dado Valenzuela were all shelved due to leg issues.

Despite their loss to the LA Galaxy in the 2024 MLS Cup final, the Red Bulls (0-0-1, 0 pts.) came into their debut match without any CCC participation. However, New York also had their laundry list of injury concerns. New U22 transfer Wictor Bogacz sat with a back issue, while multiple bench players were rested due to knee injuries.

First Half

Cincinnati dictated much of the possession in the first 20 minutes, while New York opted to wait for chances. The Orange & Blue’s first legitimate chance came in the 16th minute when Denkey’s shot atop the box clanked off the post, only for the offside flag to fly.

As play slowed during the next 20 minutes, the Red Bulls had their own chances clang off the woodwork. During a scrum in the Cincinnati box, forward Lewis Morgan attempted a shot while on his side in the 41st minute, only for the FCC defense to clog the goal. Emil Forsberg’s follow-up hit off the top of the goal, but play was flagged due to Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting playing in an offside position.

The first half ended with Cincinnati’s best chance in extra time. Evander and DeAndre Yedlin played a give-and-go in the box, only for the final shot from Pavel Bucha to be blocked. The whistle at halftime kept the score blank.

Possession was primarily split between both teams, but New York enjoyed more of the attack with six shots to Cincinnati’s one. Neither team had an effort on goal that counted.

Second Half

The firm halftime reset gave the Orange & Blue solid opportunities. Both Yuya Kubo and DeAndre Yedlin had opportunities on the same pass from Lukas Engel in the 56th minute, only to be a step behind in their sliding efforts.

The deciding goal came from distance in the 70th minute. Yedlin played a long pass from midfield to the New York box, allowing Denkey to beat his defender. The new Togolese striker played the high bounce and popped a header past goalkeeper Carlos Coronel for the game’s first and only goal.

“It was that time and space, and we locked eyes,” Yedlin said about the goal after the match. “[Denkey] is obviously quick and good at getting behind. We took that opportunity, especially on the dry field, and it makes it tough on the defense. Fortunately, it was a goal, and we got the win.”

Noonan admitted he missed the lead-up to the goal but spoke well on Denkey’s play. “You can see there are moments where, even when [Kevin’s] up against a physical center back or he has a midfielder closing in on him or he’s getting doubled, he has great footwork to get out of that pressure. That’s the difference of a transition moment and us defending or us moving up into the attack.

“There’s a lot more out there for him, and that’s pretty scary because he’s got a couple goals in the last two games, and he’s done a lot of good things. He knows he can be better, and that’s a good thing.”

Much of the second half saw Cincinnati locking into a solid defensive mode, but the team almost put the game away completely minutes later. In the 78th minute, Denkey fed a streaking Engel in the box, but the Danish left back’s shot just missed the left post.

New York’s best effort to equalize came off a Choupo-Moting shot outside the box in the 82nd minute, only for Roman Celentano to easily handle the attempt. Celentano made three saves for his 29th clean sheet of his MLS career.

“It wasn’t the easiest condition out there,” Celentano mentioned after the match. “Cold and dry field, all of these excuses—we could have come out here flat-footed, but I think we had a great mindset coming in, thinking that we needed to battle for these balls and find a way to get a goal, and these guys did. I’m proud of the group, and I think we have a lot to prove this year.”

FC Cincinnati quickly turn their attention towards finishing the home leg for the CONCACAF Champions Cup matchup against FC Motagua this Wednesday. The Red Bulls head back to New Jersey for their home opener against Nashville SC on Saturday.

Match #1

FC Cincinnati vs. New York Red Bulls
TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Attendance: 22,747
Result: FC Cincinnati 1, New York Red Bulls 0

BOX SCORE

FC Cincinnati Starting XI (5-2-2-1):

Roman Celentano (GK); DeAndre Yedlin, Gilberto Flores (Alvas Powel 85′), Miles Robinson (c), Teenage Hadebe, Lukas Engel; Pavel Bucha (Stefan Chirila 90+5′), Obinna Nwobodo; Evander (Brian Anunga 72′); Yuya Kubo (Corey Baird 72′); Kevin Denkey.

Bench: Evan Louro, Bret Halsey, Noah Adnan, Stiven Jimenez.

New York Red Bulls Starting XI (4-4-2):

Carlos Coronel (GK); Noah Elie, Sean Nealis, Alexander Hack (Julain Hall 79′), Omar Valencia; Cameron Harper, Daniel Edelman (Wikelman Carmona 84′), Peter Stroud (Felipe Carballo 79′), Emil Forsberg (c); Eric Maxim Choup-Moting, Lewis Morgan.

Bench: Anthony Macucci, Dylan Nealis, Dennis Gjengaar, Tim Parker, Mohammed Sofo, Raheem Edwards.

Scoring Summary:

CIN – Kevin Denkey 70′ (Yedlin)

Discipline:

YC – Alexander Hack 59′ (RBNY, foul)
YC – Obinna Nwobodo 61’ (CIN, foul)
YC – Corey Baird 88′ (CIN, poor sportsmanship)

Next up:

vs. FC Motagua, 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 26th, TQL Stadium (Cincinnati, OH)

The post Cincinnati Chilly: FC Cincinnati fends off New York Red Bulls in cold home opener, 1-0 appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Preseason in every sport is notorious for sending fans into over-reaction mode. Whether our teams are winning or losing, we want real data from preseason performances that just doesn’t exist. FC Cincinnati handled the Union pretty easily in the end, winning  4-1 after 120 minutes of play. However, I would preach caution when reading anything into the results of the match. Instead, here are some tactical observations  that just might turn out to be true as we head into the season…maybe.

*Note: I’m writing this assuming that Lucho Acosta will not be on the roster for the 2025 season.

Kévin Denkey will get off to a slow start in 2025.

There is a truckload of caveats that needs to be dumped all over this take:

• Denkey hasn’t had much of a chance to play with important players like Yuya Kubo or Luca Orellano  due to their late arrival to camp.
• Denkey is a super-star designated player, and it wouldn’t be odd if he was just trying to get his fitness up while not getting hurt during the preseason.

Denkey’s strength and tenacity will probably allow him to get better as games progress and defenses wear down, yet we only saw him for around 30 minutes on Friday.

All of that said, I fully expect  Kévin Denkey to get off to a slow start this season, and not just because he is a young guy trying to get settled on a new team in a new country. FC Cincinnati seemed to have a very difficult time progressing the ball through the center of the pitch in this preseason match, and I think that will continue as the team tries to figure out life post-Lucho Acosta.

Acosta led the team in both progressive pass receptions (237) and progressive passes (250). That means if he wasn’t the one passing the ball forward and starting the attack, he was typically the one receiving the pass. On Friday, that presence was sorely missed. The team relied heavily on playing short passes to the wing backs and asking them to find an entry pass into the midfield or the forward line. When that wasn’t available, the team seemed to dump a ball in Kévin Denkey’s direction and ask him to battle a center back to hold the ball up while the team transitioned forward. All of this meant that Denkey spent a lot of time checking back into midfield to get onto 50/50 balls or to be an option for an under-pressure wingback. It is going to be tough for him to take on that much of the ball progression load and still find opportunities to put the ball into the back of the net.

Even if Evander or another Acosta replacement comes in soon, it will take some time for FC Cincinnati to sort out how they are going to get the ball to Kévin Denkey in dangerous forward positions. I expect him to start slow but build into the season as they do just that.

FC Cincinnati’s press will look the same, but be better, in 2025

I was really interested to see how FC Cincinnati would set up to press the opposition without Lucho Acosta on the pitch this season. Under Pat Noonan, the Orange and Blue has mostly pressed out of a 3-4-2-1 formation with Acosta both triggering and leading the press. That means that he was both indicating when the team should press and when it should drop off, often the furthest player forward when the opposition’s back line had the ball. Consequently, whoever was playing center forward spent a lot of time dropping in as an attacking midfielder in defense.

Without Lucho Acosta on the pitch on Friday, FCC still pressed out of the 3-4-2-1 formation. However, with the starters on the pitch, Kévin Denkey led the press with Luca Orellano and Pavel Bucha dropping in as midfielders. Denkey is not only much more energetic as the spearhead of the press than Acosta, but he will also be more adept at pulling defenders out of position or creating space in the box in transition when the press wins the ball back. Furthermore, new left wingback Lukas Engel is going to be far better defensively than Yamil Asad, Orellano, or any of the cast of characters that filled in at that spot last season.

FC Cincinnati’s first goal came directly off the press, and I expect that to be a feature for the team in 2025.

Yesterday's goals, a thread :

Pavel taking it himself. pic.twitter.com/T4yrtbtVgL

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) February 8, 2025

FC Cincinnati will defend more and look to score in transition in 2025

Last season we would often see FC Cincinnati build patiently from back to front before looking to get Lucho Acosta on the ball in the final third of the field. The team relied on set possession and pinning teams back to generate chances. On Friday, FCC certainly possessed the ball at times,but mostly with their defenders. Once the team made the decision to go forward, they looked to get there quickly.

I don’t think that FCC is going  to dump and chase or turn into the kind of direct team that we’ve seen out of the Red Bulls, St. Louis, or even the Philadelphia Union. However, it sure looked to me like the tactical emphasis in possession during this preseason match was to pass the ball side to side in the back and midfield only as a means to move the ball forward as quickly as possible. Often, the team would lose the ball or find a shot prior to both wingbacks even being able to join the attack.

That sort of frenetic pace will mean the team might spend more time defending, but when they win the ball, they will be more decisive in turning defense into attack.

So, that’s what I saw on Friday. I think these tactics just might give us a glimpse at how FCC will play throughout the coming season…maybe.

The post What I Think We Can Learn from a Preseason Match…Maybe appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Highlights from this week’s show.

As the team heads to Clearwater, Florida to continue preseason training and test out the team chemistry in four friendlies, there are still a few empty seats on the plane. While Luca Orellano arrived on Friday, a few key players are still holding out.

How much will those absences impact how this team prepares for their match this Friday against C.F. Montreal? More importantly, how will those absences impact FCC’s overall style of play and who will be serving the ball into the sixteen-million-dollar man, Kevin Denkey.

Join us at Grainworks Brewing Company in West Chester on Saturday February 1st for their 4th Annual Scarf Release Party. This Family-Friendly event will feature appearances by Gary the Winged Lion, a former FC Cincinnati player, the FCC Street team, Live Music from BOFUS, a Silent Auction, raffle and more! Food from Mama Bears Mac and Root Beer on tap!

The event starts at 4pm with the CST Live Show beginning at 5:30pm. One of our favorite events of the year. Make sure to be there on February 1st!

The post CST Episode 398: FC Cincinnati Flies to Florida for Pre-Season Friendlies appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Luciano Acosta and Luca Orellano were no-shows during attendance in the previous week, and neither were present for morning activities on Friday. Acosta was expected to attend at the start of preseason, but his state with the team has been in limbo since the close of the 2024 season. At the time of reporting, his direction and availability are still unknown, with various media sources reporting possible suitors for a transfer.

While Orellano transferred to FC Cincinnati permanently in the offseason, reports indicated that there were some disputes with his contract. However, as of Friday afternoon,  Orellano was scheduled to return that day to Mercy Health Training Center to undergo his medicals.

Surprisingly, a third member of the team also failed to report, as Yuya Kubo was also missing from Friday practices. Kubo opted to re-sign with the team in the 2024 offseason and is under contract through the 2025 season with a team option in 2026. His status with the team and reasons for missing Friday’s sessions are unclear.

Head coach Pat Noonan addressed the absences in the media scrum afterwards. “Luca, Lucho, and Yuya—they didn’t report and they’re meant to be here. It’s disappointing, certainly for us for what we expected to get us started and starting off on the right foot. There’s been discussions, but we’ll handle those more internally and move forward. But it’s disappointing that they’re not here.”

Noonan also addressed how this could produce a setback to the MLS season and CONCACAF Champions Cup play. “It’s a setback because of how we have to start our season for the combination of league play and the Champions Cup. We’ve experienced what that looks like last year, and every day that you’re out on the field training, every day in our meeting spaces going through video, which has been pretty heavy this week—they’re missing out in those meetings. They’ve been here, so some of it might be repetitive, but there’s new ideas, new thoughts. Every day they’re not here is a lost day.”

In addition, defender Miles Robinson was not in attendance, as he has been training with the USMNT for Saturday’s match against Venezuela. Defenders Matt Miazga and Nick Hagglund are still in rehabilitation, but an inflatable pool was being prepared on the MHTC grounds for Hagglund’s participation in a polar plunge.

Goalkeeper Alec Kann is expected to rejoin the team practices in Florida.

Noonan did clarify that midfielder Yamil Asad would not return to FC Cincinnati at the start of 2025, stating, “At this point, Yamil won’t be coming back.”

Newcomers Kevin Denkey and Brian Anunga both joined their new teammates in practice, with Noonan speaking confidently about their addition.

“You know, with [Denkey], just his presence in front of goal, how clean he is with his touches, he’s very purposeful to finish plays off and is consistently hitting the goal. That’s what’s made him a very strong goal scorer. But then you just see some of the other aspects of his game, how engaged he is.

The post FC Cincinnati begin 2025 preseason activities with notable absences appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Highlights from this week’s show.

Coach Gough and Justin Hoyte recap FC Cincinnati’s 2024 season. Was it a roaring success or a terrible disappointment?

The guys also give out their season awards, talk about broader trends on the team, and much more!

Follow Coach

On Twitter @FCCincyTacTalk

On Threads @FCCincyTacTalk

On Instagram @FCCincyTacTalk

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? Become a supporter today!

Subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk

Don’t forget you can now download and subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk on iTunes today! The podcast can also be found on Stitcher Smart Radio now. We’re also available in the Google Play Store and NOW ON SPOTIFY!

As always we’d love your feedback about our podcast! You can email the show at feedback@cincinnatisoccertalk.com. We’d love for you to join us on our Facebook page as well! Like us at Facebook.com/CincinnatiSoccerTalk.

The show’s RSS feed is https://fcctactalk.libsyn.com/rss

The post Recapping 2024: Player Awards, Season Superlatives, and More appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Highlights from this week’s show.

Coach Gough and Justin Hoyte break down FC Cincinnati’s 3-1 loss to New York City Football Club in the 2nd game of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. What changed between games 1 and 2 to make the match seem so much more depressing? How much did playing on a baseball field affect the team?

The guys also talk about veteran leadership, how this team should go into the final game of the series, and much more!

Follow Coach

On Twitter @FCCincyTacTalk

On Threads @FCCincyTacTalk

On Instagram @FCCincyTacTalk

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? Become a supporter today!

Subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk

Don’t forget you can now download and subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk on iTunes today! The podcast can also be found on Stitcher Smart Radio now. We’re also available in the Google Play Store and NOW ON SPOTIFY!

As always we’d love your feedback about our podcast! You can email the show at feedback@cincinnatisoccertalk.com. We’d love for you to join us on our Facebook page as well! Like us at Facebook.com/CincinnatiSoccerTalk.

The show’s RSS feed is https://fcctactalk.libsyn.com/rss

The post FC Cincinnati Strike Out in New York appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Highlights from this week’s show.

Coach Gough and Justin Hoyte break down FC Cincinnati’s 1-0 win over New York City Football Club. Was it a good thing that FCC generated 22 shots? Or a bad thing that so many of them were not on target? Was their defense stellar on the night or was NYC just impotent?

The guys also talk about Teenage Hadebe’s performance, whether Obinna Nwobodo has found his 2023 form, and much more!

Follow Coach

On Twitter @FCCincyTacTalk

On Threads @FCCincyTacTalk

On Instagram @FCCincyTacTalk

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? Become a supporter today!

Subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk

Don’t forget you can now download and subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk on iTunes today! The podcast can also be found on Stitcher Smart Radio now. We’re also available in the Google Play Store and NOW ON SPOTIFY!

As always we’d love your feedback about our podcast! You can email the show at feedback@cincinnatisoccertalk.com. We’d love for you to join us on our Facebook page as well! Like us at Facebook.com/CincinnatiSoccerTalk.

The show’s RSS feed is https://fcctactalk.libsyn.com/rss

The post FC Cincinnati Unleash 22 Shots in Win Over NYCFC appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Highlights from this week’s show.

Coach Gough and Justin Hoyte break down FC Cincinnati’s 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Union. Did they dominate the match, or were they lucky to get the win through an own goal?

The guys also talk about Teenage Hadebe’s performance, ask whether this offensive lineup is the way to go headed into the playoffs, and much more!

Follow Coach

On Twitter @FCCincyTacTalk

On Threads @FCCincyTacTalk

On Instagram @FCCincyTacTalk

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? Become a supporter today!

Subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk

Don’t forget you can now download and subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk on iTunes today! The podcast can also be found on Stitcher Smart Radio now. We’re also available in the Google Play Store and NOW ON SPOTIFY!

As always we’d love your feedback about our podcast! You can email the show at feedback@cincinnatisoccertalk.com. We’d love for you to join us on our Facebook page as well! Like us at Facebook.com/CincinnatiSoccerTalk.

The show’s RSS feed is https://fcctactalk.libsyn.com/rss

The post Own Goal Scores Game-Winner for FC Cincinnati appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Highlights from this week’s show.

Coach Gough and Justin Hoyte spend a few minutes breaking down FC Cincinnati’s 3-1 loss to Orlando City before turning their sights to the playoffs. What are the biggest issues with this team, and are they fixable? Is there reason to hope for a deep playoff run?

The guys also discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each FCC striker, give their opinions on who should start, and much more!

Follow Coach

On Twitter @FCCincyTacTalk

On Threads @FCCincyTacTalk

On Instagram @FCCincyTacTalk

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? Become a supporter today!

Subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk

Don’t forget you can now download and subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk on iTunes today! The podcast can also be found on Stitcher Smart Radio now. We’re also available in the Google Play Store and NOW ON SPOTIFY!

As always we’d love your feedback about our podcast! You can email the show at feedback@cincinnatisoccertalk.com. We’d love for you to join us on our Facebook page as well! Like us at Facebook.com/CincinnatiSoccerTalk.

The show’s RSS feed is https://fcctactalk.libsyn.com/rss

The post Fixing FC Cincinnati for the Playoffs appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.