Yuya Kubo Archives - Cincinnati Soccer Talk

FC Cincinnati looks to end road woes against surging Nashville SC squad

Nick Morgan — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 00:03:31 +0000

The secret sauce to FC Cincinnati’s success over the past few seasons has been their ability to play well on the road. Last season, they set an MLS record for away wins with 11, and they tied the league record with 35 total points away from TQL Stadium. This season, however, it’s been a source of the team’s frustrations. Dating back to the end of last season, the Orange and Blue are 1-0-4 in their past five road games, being outscored 13 to seven across those contests.

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.

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Spring Forward: FC Cincinnati returns to form with 2-0 win over Toronto FC

Geoff Tebbetts — Sat, 08 Mar 2025 23:22:00 +0000

With Daylight Savings Time taking an hour away, FC Cincinnati needed a no-pressure match to balance schedule congestion. They got it in a dominating performance against a team they’ve been able to handle.

FC Cincinnati (2-1-0, 6 pts) blanked Toronto FC (0-1-2, 1 pt) in a productive 2-0 victory at TQL Stadium Saturday night. Kévin Denkey scored his second MLS goal of the season, while Yuya Kubo opened his account late in the match to seal the win.

“I was really pleased with the individual performances and just the overall team performance,” head coach Pat Noonan mentioned after the match. “I thought we attacked in a good way despite not being able to find a goal early, and defensively, we were outstanding. So, very pleased for the group to have some guys step in, change the structure and perform really well. Everybody was up for it, and they deserved a win.”

Cincinnati came into their matchup with a three-match winless streak, drawing 1-1 against Tigres on Tuesday in CONCACAF Champions Cup competition. While the damage from the 4-1 loss at Philadelphia last weekend may have been still fresh, the squad arrived Saturday ready to continue their unbeaten stretch at home. Toronto FC had started the season with a draw but lost in their second road match against Orlando last week, 4-2.

Cincinnati rolled out a lineup with plenty of flexibility, using a four-man defense for the first time this season. Evander was on the bench after a bruise against Tigres, while Luca Orellano started his first match of the season. Obinna Nwobodo, Gilberto Flores, and DeAndre Yedlin also started on the bench, replaced by Corey Baird, Brian Atunga, and Alvas Powell. Dado Valenzuela made his first appearance of the season on the bench.

TFC started a lineup with a significant amount of rotation. Offseason loan pickup Ola Brynhildsen and former Arsenal player Zane Monlouis made their first starts for the Reds. Richie Laryea sat out due to injury, while designated player Lorenzo Insigne was left off the roster again.

First half

Toronto FC opted to play back quite a bit, pulling their pressure and allowing Cincinnati more of the possession (66/34). Surprisingly, the hot foot in the first twenty minutes was Powell, who made multiple moves into the box and almost found a header in the 20th minute, only for Sean Johnson to outstretch him for the pass.

Kubo had the first of his attempts nullified halfway into the first half. The Japanese forward followed a bounce off the post with a goal in the 39th minute. However, the play was blown dead due to a foul on the leadup.

The offense found more rhythm in the last minutes of the first half, but without a breakthrough. Baird had the Orange & Blue’s best attempt in the 39th minute, following an Orellano shot with a free attempt, only for his rebound to hit the frame.

FCC handled all of the shots on frame in the first half (3-0), but were still scoreless at halftime.

Second half

Toronto’s only attempt on frame came early in the second half. Right back Kosi Thompson got a solid look atop the box, but Roman Celentano handled the shot. It was the only save Celentano needed to make all night.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 73rd minute. Evander’s pass into the box in the 69th minute glanced off Tyrese Spicer’s arm. After an extended VAR look, the referee awarded a penalty kick. Denkey slotted the shot past Johnson on a stutter step, giving FCC the early 1-0 lead.

Despite having two of his goals disallowed—the second on an offside call—Kubo finally got his reward, receiving a pass from Evander behind the defense in the 88th minute and scoring past Johnson’s right. Kubo’s first of the season closed the game at 2-0.

Noonan was pleased with the performance by the rotated players. “You’re always trying to set a new standard or maintain a good standard and tonight looked like what should be a standard for our group. You mentioned the new players. I think guys stepped in and really took their minutes well tonight.”

The second clean sheet of the young MLS season puts FC Cincinnati at third in the East, while Toronto is still looking for their first win.

The trip to Monterrey in the next leg of the matchup against Tigres looms large, but players understand their need to recover and perform. “Any game in Mexico is going to be tough,” Miles Robinson mentioned after the match. “It’s going to be a tough environment, and the fans are going to be loud and hostile. But that’s the type of game this team is built for, with players that enjoy a big game and big moments. Hopefully, we stay focused and stick to our game plan.”

Cincinnati faces Tigres in the away leg on Tuesday, then travels to Charlotte for the next MLS match on Saturday. Toronto begins their home schedule on Saturday against Chicago.

Major League Soccer, Match #3

FC Cincinnati vs. Toronto FC
TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Attendance: 23,088
Result: FC Cincinnati 2, Toronto FC 0

BOX SCORE

FC Cincinnati Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Roman Celentano (GK); Alvas Powell, Miles Robinson (c), Teenage Hadebe (Gilberto Flores 60′), Lukas Engel (DeAndre Yedlin 60′); Brian Anunga, Pavel Bucha; Luca Orellano (Evander 60′), Yuya Kubo, Corey Baird (Obinna Nwobodo 84′); Kévin Denkey (Sergio Santos 74′).

Bench: Evan Louro, Stefan Chirila, Gerardo Valenzuela, Stiven Jimenez.

Toronto FC Starting XI (4-3-3):

Seasn Johnson (GK); Kosi Thompson, Zane Monlouis (Derrick Etienne 85′), Kevin Long, Nicksoen Gomis (Theo Corbeanu 74′); Jonathan Osorio (c), Debyi Flores (Alonso Coello 74′), Mattrew Longstaff; Ola Brynhildsen (Deandre Kerr 46′), Federico Bernardeschi, Tyrese Spicer (Lazar Stefanovic 74′).

Bench: Luka Gavran, Kobe Franklin, Markus Cimermancic, Reid Fisher.

Scoring summary:

CIN – Kévin Denkey 73′ (PK)
CIN – Yuya Kubo 88′ (Evander)

Discipline:

YC – Kosi Thompson 50′ (TOR, foul)
YC – Evander 66′ (CIN, foul)
YC – Alvas Powell 89’ (CIN, foul)

Next up:

Concacaf Champions Cup: vs. Tigres UANL, 10:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 11th, Estadio Universitario (San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico); FS2 or ViX (Spanish)

MLS Regular Season: at Charlotte, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 15th; Apple TV+

The post Spring Forward: FC Cincinnati returns to form with 2-0 win over Toronto FC appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Talking Tactics – 2025 Season Predictions

Brad Gough — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 22:38:44 +0000

Highlights from this week’s show.

Coach Gough is joined by Justin Hoyte, for what just might be the final time, to make predictions for FC Cincinnati’s 2025 season. Will Yuya Kubo start more than 50% of available matches? Who will be the team’s MVP?

The guys also talk about Justin’s new role as assistant coach in the FCC academy, and much more!

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CST Episode 398: FC Cincinnati Flies to Florida for Pre-Season Friendlies

Brian Biedenbach — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 13:58:25 +0000

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!

Get your Apple MLS Season Pass here: https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=cst_mls&itscg=30200&at=1001l3bs5

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FC Cincinnati begin 2025 preseason activities with notable absences

Geoff Tebbetts — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 23:07:57 +0000

The 2025 FC Cincinnati preseason roster held their final practice before heading to Florida on Friday morning. However, some expected and unexpected absences still ruled the headlines.

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.

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