Highlights from this week’s show.

This week Coach Gough and Justin Hoyte talk about FC Cincinnati’s drab 1-1 draw at CF Montreal before turning their attention to Lucho Acosta’s commanding performance in FCC’s 3-0 home win over Charlotte FC. How good was Lucho, why was he so good, and how does his performance project forward for the rest of the season?

The guys also talk about what it’s like to clinch the Supporter’s Shield on the road, and get to your questions in the mailbag!

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The post Lucho Golazo, Lucho Golazo, Lucho Golazoooooo appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

But sometimes what we get on the field is just a little better than what we can hope to pay for at the box office. Sometimes the underdog really does pull off the impossible dream, sometimes Texas Western really does overcome racism as well as Adolph Rupp’s basketball powerhouse, and sometimes the hometown kid really does create a little magic.

Austin Berry and Nick Hagglund know all about hometown magic — they know what it means to be from Cincinnati and succeed for the kids in the stands who could be them one day. Two center backs, both born and raised in Cincinnati. They achieved their dream of playing in MLS and found themselves back in their hometown to play for a new professional soccer team.

Both scored in inaugural home matches for FC Cincinnati. Does anyone know a Hollywood film producer?

“I kind of blacked out a little bit,” Hagglund said describing what he felt after he scored. “I didn’t really know what, you know? In a perfect world, I would’ve jumped into the Bailey but I would’ve gotten a yellow card.”

The photo of Hagglund, blacked out and screaming feet away from hundreds of FCC fans, has quickly become iconic in Cincinnati. “I just wanted to celebrate with the fans who were right there,” said the Lakota West graduate. “And the fans in Cincinnati, they mean everything to this club and for me, as a Cincinnati boy, that’s me in the Bailey, you know? So I just wanted to celebrate them.”

There was a lot of celebrating going around. Hagglund’s header had equalized the match and for that brief moment, it felt like a party in TQL Stadium. The first fans to ever grace those new concourses knew immediately how much it meant. While the Orange and Blue conceded the game-winning goal minutes later, that moment still showed the fight in this team and looms large as a stadium-opening moment. 

It was particularly special for how unlikely it was. At that point, FCC had only earned a result after conceding first once before, over two years ago. And Hagglund didn’t even start. But his moment finally came, in the 78th minute.

“It was exciting, you know?” he said. “Every time you have an opportunity to step on the pitch, especially wearing a Cincinnati jersey.”

It only took him four minutes to put his name in the history books. The players came forward for a corner kick, losing by just one goal. “We didn’t have any set plays. At the time we had run through all our set plays,” Hagglund said. “So, for me, I just got into the back post. I saw a lot of space open up there. I made eye contact with Lucho (Luciano Acosta). He kind of made a nod to me and he lifted it up, and I just got a 10-yard run-up to smash the ball into the back of the net.”

What makes this all even stranger is just how similar it sounds to Berry’s goal, who also scored a header in front of the Bailey in the club’s first match at Nippert Stadium in 2016.

“I just made a good read on a ball in the middle,” the Summit Country Day graduate said recently of that goal. “I tapped it out to Jimmy (McLaughlin). It was just one of those plays. I was already going forward, I was already up there. (Coach John) Harkes never told me ‘no’ so I continued the run into the box. With Jimmy playing outside on the left, if you’ve played with him long enough — which some of us have — you know he’s going to cut back on his right and clip a nice little ball in. So I just found a little pocket and put it in.”

The similarities don’t stop there.

“And then that’s at the point where you black out and don’t really remember until you watch it on the highlights later,” Berry said.

The expectations and attention are vastly different now than they were in 2016, but that inaugural home match at Nippert was no less important. At the time, Berry and his teammates kept asking about ticket sales; they weren’t sure how many people would even be there for the home opener.

“Back then, you could tell how many people were in the stands because your locker room was right underneath the Bailey,” Berry said. “So you knew exactly how many people were going to be there and it sounded loud at that moment. And when Ugo (Sean Okoli) scored that first goal, I mean you could tell it was going to be a special place to play a soccer match.”

FCC has never lost that special home game feeling. It’s arguably the reason they’re in MLS today. Earning that bid required a thoughtful and detailed plan from the club and its owners, but it was that home atmosphere that turned heads and made expansion a reality. That’s the one constant between the crowds in Clifton and West End.

“The fans have been there from the beginning. I feel like this club is built on that,” Hagglund said. “That means a lot to everyone in this club. How much the fans and supporters care. We just appreciate everything that they’ve done for us. This is a foundation that we’ve built and we’re going to continue to build upon that.”

Hagglund’s predecessor in defense — and current strength and conditioning coach — felt the same way five years ago.

“Being the home opener was always something that was going to be special,” Berry said. “There was no way we were going to lose that game.”

What has happened in Cincinnati is rare. There aren’t many athletes in the world who get to play for their hometown team, let alone score in an inaugural home match for that team. And yet FC Cincinnati has seen it happen twice.

Jürgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool FC in the English Premier League, dreams about it himself. “We want to be a club where everyone with a Scouse soul wants to play,” he said. “The dream in the long term is that we have a team full of Scousers. Why not? They would fight like crazy.” (via ESPN.com)

A full lineup of local born players may never be possible in modern football, but even a club as big as Liverpool understands that the game, the moments, the goals, the fans, the wins, the meaning we assign to sports, and the mythology that’s created, all hit just a little harder when you’re able to do it at home. Sports are often shrouded in the mythology that those movies are so eager to manufacture. But one of the reasons we keep coming back to sports is that occasionally, if only rarely, that mythology becomes real. And for two brief moments, separated by some hard times, Berry and Hagglund made their hometown believe in miracles. 

The post Cincinnati kids: Hagglund’s goal follows Berry’s path appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

We gathered up at a now-closed Brass Tap, which while a great pregame venue, was way too small for the growing Pride. The march was tiny in comparison at that time with the Pride gathering after at U Square. After their march up the hill from Rhinegeist, Die Innenstadt met the Pride and continued to Nippert. We thought it was huge! 

The match experience that day was valiant with Bjorn and Fox banging their hearts out on the bass drum with the Dad of the Bailey (Chipp) refreshing their many broken drumsticks. The supporters group leaders were desperately trying to get people to chant what seemed like the same five or seven songs over and over. And let me be clear. That was okay and wonderful. What a glorious experience at the time.

The rapid growth of the supporters groups, the desire to compete with other traveling supporters (yes you Louisville City) and the creativity of some special people shaped the Bailey into one of the greatest supporter sections in the country. The Nippert experience was crafted by more than the on-field product. I’d argue these supporters made it what it was.

Special people like Max, Darin, Bill, Ronny, Bob, Tiffany, Pete, Alex, Abbey, Brendon, Dan, Kevin, Chris W, Matt, Jessi, Todd, Andrew, Melissa, Josh, Stephen, Chris M, Payne, Ryan, Jared, David, Claire, Timo, Blake, Schindler, Adam, Jeremy, Christina, Jamie, Colin, Cathy, Matt, the Cincy Super Fan Tom Grabo and countless other shaped that experience and laid the groundwork for what the experience in and around TQL Stadium could be like. 

While the Day One experience was enjoyable, these people improved, amplified and did one helluva job in a college football stadium. And while many things are about to change we owe these people our thanks in shaping our supporter culture.

Now comes the time for all of us to get creative again and help shape the next wave of the supporter history.

This first season is going to feel a lot like Year One in Nippert. We are going to have to settle into our new pre game “homes.” A lot of us will have to listen really hard and pick up both old and new chants alike since our pipes are a bit rusty. Heck, even my most favorite experience, the in-stadium march is going to be different and possibly might not exist. And again, that is okay!

We all need to band together and help create new traditions in and around the stadium.

I can’t wait to battle for spots in the beer line at a new venue yet will remember the amazing times we had next to the grills or in the beer hall at Mecklenburg Gardens. By the way, my family has gone to that Cincinnati treasure on many occasions outside of FCC games. I don’t think we would have if not for DI and the bar’s amazing buy-in to the supporter experience. Truly grateful.

Please remember that while this year will be fun for the new stadium, it took us four to five years to get where we did in Nippert despite the challenges. The march up Short Vine and down Charlton took so much work and organization not only from the SGs but the local police. Day One, we might not have the same buy-in from the city leadership, but trust me, people will be working on it to get it to the level we all hope. 

This project is bigger and newer, and as a fan you will have more options. Sometimes those additional options inject more confusion instead of less, so please be patient, or jump in and help! Enjoy it! How many of you remember what seemed like 1,000 fans packing Ladder 19 only for there to be two bathrooms.

We all know the club is behind on the stadium. If you went in last week it was clearly obvious. Yet the stadium was still killer. Things will evolve this year and in the future. I prefer the term orchestrated chaos. Help push through this chaos and see what new things we create.

I am very excited for what’s ahead. Thank you to all who built this club and all who will carry the flag forward. Onward to TQL Stadium!

The post Patience required as FC Cincinnati supporters grow into the West End appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

The sound of the ball ricocheting off Mitch Hildebrandt’s left hand in the 104th minute, one thumping off Austin Berry’s head in the 62nd, Allan Cruz with the back heel, or an acrobatic Sean Okoli sending the Bailey into delirium.

Silverware was hoisted there, attendance records were smashed, and an MLS dream came true, all part of a fairy tale that even almost five years later, many struggle to believe it was real.

They say buildings have memories and some harbor ghosts. While FCC occupied Nippert Stadium for only a brief moment of the structure’s 119-year history, it left indelible memories.

The Bearcats made history there, of course. The Bengals, too. But pretty safe to say Nippert never witnessed a phenomenon quite like FC Cincinnati, and likely never will again.

“It’s a symbol of our rapid rise, from a startup to a Major League Soccer franchise in five years,” said team president Jeff Berding at a press conference on Wednesday. “We were hoping for an emotional sendoff. But there’s a lot of disappointment in 2020.”

If anyone saw this FCC story coming, they’re lying.

On a brisk, 39-degree day on April 9, 2016, a USL-record crowd of 14,658 passed through the turnstiles at Nippert Stadium. It was beyond what anyone expected, only because nobody at that point could possibly imagine what would happen next.

“We had no idea what to expect,” said Berding.

One week later, attendance swelled to 20,497 for a matchup against Louisville City. Two weeks after that, despite steady rain on a miserable evening, 11,318 hardy souls watched FCC play Wilmington to a 1-1 draw.

There was magic in the air.

On July 16 of that season, FCC hosted Premier League side Crystal Palace for a friendly played before 35,061 fans, the largest crowd to attend a soccer match in Ohio history. The following season, crowds of 30,000-plus watched the club’s magical run to the US Open Cup semifinals, capturing the interest of the country and the attention of MLS commissioner Don Garber.

“Outside of Seattle and Atlanta, you could argue with the intimacy at Nippert, nobody had a better home-field advantage than we do,” said FCC keeper Spencer Richey. “One of the loudest and most interactive environments I’ve ever played in. One of the best in MLS, if not the best.”

Nippert, while certainly among the most historic and charming venues in all of college football, was never the best place to watch soccer.

The restroom and concession facilities were built for four-hour football games, not 90 minutes of soccer. The Bailey, devised to be the crowd’s heart and soul, often seemed isolated, detached from the rest of the stadium, nestled like a choir loft high above the goal.

But for all its quirks, Nippert was home.

“Nippert served as the ultimate stage for FC Cincinnati,” said Jeff Smith, VP sales and ticketing. “This is the location where we could demonstrate who we were to the world. We all feel a level of gratitude to the fans and to the University.”

The University of Cincinnati did for FC Cincinnati what Max Yasgur did for Woodstock. The festival which would ultimately become the greatest spectacle in rock music history had been turned away by nearby towns until Yasgur loaned his property to the masses.

Yasgur, like UC, could not have predicted the ramifications of his decision. It’s fairly certain that without Nippert, there would be no FC Cincinnati and no MLS bid.

On Wednesday night, FC Cincinnati bid Nippert Stadium a fond farewell, in the cruelest and unkindest manner. Amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, there were no fans permitted in the stands. The supporters that in a few short years helped turn FCC’s dream into reality and create one of America’s most revered soccer atmospheres, were unable to attend.

There were no pre-game marches. But while the Bailey sat dormant on Wednesday, it was well-adorned with banners honoring players past and present. At the conclusion of the 1-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City, blue and orange smoke rose above the Bailey and the scoreboard offered three words: THANK YOU, SUPPORTERS.

As much as Wednesday night was a time to look back, it also was time to look ahead. While Nippert made memories, the West End Stadium harbors hope. A little more than two miles down the road from the University of Cincinnati campus lies FC Cincinnati’s future.

But regardless of what success the club experiences in the West End, fans and players who were a part of the atmosphere at Nippert Stadium will never forget it.

“Some of the most fun games I’ve ever played in, and that’s due to the supporters and the atmosphere they created,” Richey said. “This was a city hungry for soccer and they certainly showed up. Hope that going into the West End Stadium, the supporters will get the results they deserve. Brighter days ahead.”

The post Improper Sendoff, But A Fond Farewell for Nippert appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

It’s the matchday experience that made Nippert the special place it was for the Orange and Blue — the product on the pitch as well as the boisterous fanbase. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, fans were missing from the equation in 2020. We thought it would be appropriate to give the last look back at Nippert before today’s finale to our photographers.

Alex Vehr, Jeremy Miller, Joe Schmuck and Joe Craven give you a look behind their lenses at FC Cincinnati’s time at Nippert. Click on the image for a bigger image.

The post A look at Nippert Stadium from behind the lens appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

What is your favorite Nippert memory as a fan?

Rob Peirce — Director of Content — @rspeirce

My favorite memory at Nippert as an FC Cincinnati fan was the Crystal Palace friendly. I went with my dad and my brother and sat in the Bailey, back before the Bailey was sold out. My dad, an English Premier League fan for as long as I can remember, is the reason I first became interested in FC Cincinnati. My brother was a pretty decent high school player at Mariemont and said he once played against Omar Cummings.

We had a blast. We didn’t march, but we did eat at Mac’s Pizza. We baked in the bleachers as the minutes ticked away to kickoff. My dad told us about Kayla, the Crystal Palace eagle that flew from one end of Selhurst Park to the other before home games. He was tickled to see names he knew like Alan Pardew, Andros Townsend and Wilfried Zaha right in front of his eyes. He expected Palace to win but was impressed with the showing FC Cincinnati gave, as was I. It’s a match I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

Bryan Weigel — podcast co-host, website contributor — @BryanWeigel

Great question, there were so many great moments. From the home opener to the Louisville Open Cup match where we knew we were going to face Columbus, then the first ever Hell is Real. But I do have to say Mitch Hildebrandt standing on his head vs. Chicago on ESPN takes it. The NY Semifinal is a close second or third, but that moment will never be forgotten in the FCC lexicon. That was one of the few times where the atmosphere was on another level. It felt like a Big Time match and Nippert responded. The sound would reverberate off the press box and the packed house was just beserk. If you weren’t in love with FCC by then, you were after that match.

Brad Weigel — March to Matchday host — @bradleysweigel

The correct answer was any moment Djiby Fall was on pitch but if I had to limit it to one, my favorite moment was the first Hell is Real Derby. For a variety of reasons there was a mixture of anxiety and excitement. The FC Cincinnati fanbase had been knocking on the door of the Crew for a pair of seasons and the MLS push was starting to ramp up. For a lot of fans this was their first moment to show that Cincinnati belonged on the national soccer stage. When Djiby’s goal went into the back of the net, all of those emotions came pouring out and turned into “we can do this.” 2017 was a special season but for me this specific moment took the cake.

Nick Seuberling — Cincinnati Soccer Talk host, CST founder — @nickseuberling

My favorite Nippert memory is honestly the first one. I showed up with my family to the first game back in 2016 against Charlotte. I remember waiting in line to get into the match and I bumped into high school classmate Paul Dehner, Jr and with him was Mo Egger. Seeing those two at the match was an eye opener because let’s face it, it was soccer. Getting into the match I remember Sara and the kids wanting food and waiting in line as the match kicked off. I told them I didn’t want to miss any more of the match so I sat down at my seat in 118. A minute or so later, Sean Okoli’s scissor kick happened right in front us. It was awesome. I sat there through the whole match watching the Bailey, and seeing more and more people filing into Nippert. I couldn’t believe it that for the first home game in their history the size of the crowd for a soccer game in Cincinnati. Little did I know that 14,000 was just the beginning of what was to come for FC Cincinnati.

Boston Brazzell — March to Matchday host — @BostonKeith

The five years in Nippert have been eventful. Our club was born and grew in Nippert and back then we had no idea what we would happen. My first Nippert memory was showing up to a pre-season match vs Xavier as FCC was trying to create their first USL team. Those handful of us fans in attendance were trying to figure ourselves out also. I don’t think I knew a single person in the Bailey but we took the time to stumble our way through a few chants and get the first look at the future. Imagine going back and telling that small group of hodgepodge fans that in 2021 they would have their own soccer stadium to call home. That those strangers would soon be great friends and even sometimes bicker as families do. More has changed in five years than I ever thought was possible and quite frankly it changed the course of my Cincinnati life. Nippert was home for all of that and she has seen the best and worst of times. While we can’t be there to say goodbye, Nippert will always hold a special place in the heart of early FC Cincinnati fans. The next generation will bear the fruit of those first five years.

Jeff Wallner — podcast co-host, website contributor — @JeffWallner

My two fondest memories of Nippert Stadium come from the same match – the US Open Cup semifinal vs. New York Red Bulls. First, Austin Berry’s header to put FCC up 2-0. The crowd of 33,000-plus was electric, the energy palpable, and it was at that point where I felt MLS was inevitable, professional soccer was here to stay, and how fortunate I was to be experiencing something unlike anything else I had experienced in Cincinnati sports to that point. And yes, I am aware what happened in the next 15 minutes, which brings me to my favorite memory. I remember my wife asking if I wanted to leave, get a head start to the parking garage, and I said no. I wanted to stay. She asked why, and I told her I wanted to stand and applaud, and I was curious how many others might join in. And there was applause, a show of appreciation for the magical run. The FCC players joined in. Then I saw the Red Bulls players and staff join in. For all the disappointment fans had endured in recent years in Cincinnati sports, there were no boos, no bitterness, very little fist-clinching about some poor defending down the stretch. None of that. Just appreciation, love for the club, love for the sport, love for our city. It was very, very cool. And I will never forget it.

Clay Winstead — podcast co-host, website contributor — @ClayWinstead

My favorite memory of Nippert Stadium was getting to share it with someone else. My childhood best friend moved to Portland, Oregon, after we graduated from high school, years before FCC was even a rumor. For years he got to be a supporter for an up and coming MLS franchise and I was envious. Finally the day came when MLS awarded Cincinnati our own franchise and we made plans that very day. The stars aligned last summer and I took him through all the highlights: drinking in the beer garden at Mecklenburg, the mile long march to the stadium, and a full 90 minutes plus in the Bailey. We burned in the July sun, we screamed ourselves hoarse, and we witnessed a surprise 3-2 win against the Houston Dynamo. It’s easy to take our match day atmosphere for granted, especially for season ticket holders who come so frequently to the point of routine. Witnessing the march and the Bailey through my best friend’s eyes – a man who ignited my passion for soccer as a kid – helped me to truly appreciate the experience. What we all created at Nippert Stadium was special.

 Bill Wolf — podcast co-host, website contributor — @billwwolf

It’s easy to think about big moments that happened on the pitch but for me, my memories of Nippert Stadium aren’t about the USL or MLS or wins or losses. For me, I will always remember that feeling in the Bailey that we will never quit. Never waiver. Never surrender. If the team is up, we’d celebrate. If the team was down, we’d work harder. Until the third whistle at the end of the match, there was a belief that by sheer will, we could influence the result. I remember more than one game turning to leave at the end of a match and only then realizing that I was soaking wet as my cold jeans stuck to my legs walking up the steps of the Bailey. I knew I had given my all. There was no better feeling at that moment.

 Chris Asbrock — website contributor — @iamchrisasbrock

Nippert Stadium holds a special place in the hearts of FCC fans because of the great memories that were made there. For me, experiencing games at Nippert with my wife and kids and our close friends is something we always talk about. Going to Nippert and experiencing a match with people you love being around is a great experience. New friends were made as well. The other big game moment was the US Open Cup win over the Chicago Fire was absolutely incredible. Throughout my life, I have been blessed to experience amazing sports moments but that night was one I will never forget. There was a feeling around that stadium that something special was going to take place. Getting to experience that with my family and our friends is something I will forever be grateful for.

The post Our top FC Cincy memories at Nippert appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

The club sees itself again at the bottom of the MLS table and will bid goodbye quietly to Nippert, its home since its inaugural USL season in 2016, in front of an empty stadium because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Next season the scene will shift to the new West End stadium.

FC Cincinnati’s last match at Nippert is at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday against Sporting Kansas City. It concludes a five-match homestand that has also not gone the way the club had hoped, with just three points in the previous four matches.

The Orange and Blue (4-12-4, 16 points) will hope to leave one last positive memory at Nippert against a Kansas City side that sits atop the Western Conference (10-6-3, 33 points). Spencer Richey and Siem de Jong returned to the starting lineup against Minnesota United FC on Saturday, with Zico Bailey making his first MLS start at right back. Jurgen Locadia returned to action, and center back Kendall Waston was available as a sub.

Kansas City’s form is on the rise. After a loss to FC Dallas and a draw to Chicago Fire FC — both on the road — Peter Vermes’ side battered Colorado at home on Saturday in a 4-0 victory.

Alan Pulido, Johnny Russell and Gadi Kinda each have six goals for Kansas City, and five players have at least three assists. Goalkeeper Tim Melia ranks seventh in MLS with 51 saves and has a 70.8 save percentage, facing 72 shots.

As of Monday, Greg Garza, Caleb Stanko and Przemyslaw Tyton were not medically cleared to play in the match, according to club game notes.

Here are three things to watch for in the match:

Locadia back

Locadia subbed on in the 58th minute on Saturday. He looked active on the left wing and produced one shot on target. FC Cincinnati fans are still looking for offensive fireworks for the designated player. He has just one goal this season, all the way back on March 1. Will coach Jaap Stam continue to utilize Locadia on the left wing? And can he finish the season with a bang?

Make your own luck

You can argue for days whether the corner kick given to Minnesota in second-half stoppage time on Saturday, leading to the game-winning goal for the Loons, was awarded correctly. But if you’re relying on calls like that to go your way so you can salvage a point, well — you might be at the bottom of the standings looking up. While not exactly dominant in the first half, FC Cincinnati was the more likely to score. De Jong heads one directly to Minnesota keeper Dayne St. Clair. De Jong and Tom Pettersson send chances well over goal. Converting all your chances is an unrealistic thing to expect. But cash in on a few and the club still comes out on top.

Evaluation period?

With FC Cincinnati all but eliminated from the playoffs, this could be a time for Stam to see what he has for next season. Only three games remain for the Orange and Blue. Bailey made an impressive debut on Saturday. Rashawn Dally might be another name we see more of to close the season. Since his loan ended, Dally has made three appearances as a sub for Stam. Tommy McCabe, Jimmy McLaughlin and Hassan Ndam are the only outfield players who have not seen MLS minutes yet this season. Will Stam let them make a case for themselves for next season?

The post FC Cincy says goodbye to Nippert appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Highlights from this week’s show.

This week we’re joined by Bryan, Jeff Wallner, D.J. Switzer, and Seubs to discuss the week that was for FC Cincinnati.

We offered up our Best and Worst of Saturday’s match against Minnesota United.

The Sports Business Journal is reporting that Major League Soccer’s 2021 season may get a later start.

What will FC Cincinnati do with the Top Spot on MLS’s Allocation Order list? Tom Bogert is reporting that multiple teams have expressed an interest in the spot.

We ended this week’s show with our fondest memories of FC Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium as we say farewell to the club’s home for five years.

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The post Saying Farewell to Nippert Stadium appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

“I think you can call our season how it is this year,” said Haris Medunjanin in the postmatch videoconference. “It’s not on our side, and every call is against us.”

But Medunjanin also acknowledged that the team didn’t do enough to get the result.

“I think we started very well, with a couple 100% chances that should normally go in,” he said. “But you don’t score and you let them stay alive. It’s frustrating, but I think we can also blame ourselves. We didn’t score our chances in the first half. Like I said, if you don’t score, you’ll probably lose.”

And that’s what happened. FC Cincinnati came out strong and dominated possession in the first half. Both teams had chances, but FCC looked to be the best team with the best opportunities. As the half continued, though, Minnesota began to assert itself, and it continued to gain confidence in the second half.

Minnesota came out of the locker room aggressively pressing FC Cincinnati and preventing the home team from creating significant opportunities. Minnesota dominated the second half, and in the end, the stats for the entire match looked fairly even, but only one stat mattered, goals scored. FC Cincinnati’s inability to capitalize on its opportunities allowed the Loons to steal all three points.

It wasn’t a must-win game for FC Cincinnati, but the Orange and Blue have dug themselves a hole, and it is unlikely they can crawl out. FC Cincinnati sits at the bottom of the league again, which in a normal season would earn them the Wooden Spoon — an award given by the Independent Supporters Council to the lowest place team in MLS each season. For 2020, the ISC has decided not to award the Wooden Spoon because of the unnatural season, but FCC fans will be unlikely to feel good about that technicality.

Officially, Cincinnati is not out of the playoffs, but another loss will almost certainly seal that fate. A realistic goal for the remainder of the season is to simply not end in last place.

FC Cincinnati vs Minnesota United FC
Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati
Attendance: N/A
Result: Minnesota United FC 1, FC Cincinnati 0

BOX SCORE

FC Cincinnati Starting XI:
Spencer Richey, Zico Bailey, Nick Hagglund, Tom Pettersson, Andrew Gutman, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Haris Medunjanin ©, Frankie Amaya (Rashawn Dally 90’), Siem de Jong, Joseph-Claude Gyau, Alvaro Barreal (Jürgen Locadia 58’)

Minnesota United FC Starting XI:
Dayne St. Clair, Michael Boxall, Romain Metanire, Bakaye Dibassy, Chase Gasper, Osvaldo Alonso ©, Kevin Molino (Brent Kallman 90’+4’), Jan Gregus, Ethan Finlay (Emanuel Reynoso 76’), Robin Lod, Kei Kamara (Aaron Schoenfeld 76’)

Scoring Summary:
MIN – Aaron Schoenfeld (unassisted) 90’+2’

Discipline:
MIN – Osvaldo Alonso (caution) 66’
CIN – Zico Bailey (caution) 81’
MIN – Chase Gasper (caution) 82’

Injuries:
Allan Cruz
Mathieu Deplagne
Greg Garza
Yuya Kubo
Caleb Stanko
Przemysław Tytoń
Maikel van der Werff

Next up:
7:30 p.m. Wednesday vs. Sporting Kansas City at Nippert Stadium

The post FC Cincinnati continues slide toward another Wooden Spoon appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

WHAT TO WATCH

DC United parted ways with coach Ben Olsen just over a week ago. Since then, interim coach Chad Ashton has lost to Chicago and tied Philadelphia. Sometimes there is a new coach bounce when changes are made, but that does not appear to have happened with D.C., suggesting some more significant changes are required to right the ship. What D.C. was doing wasn’t working, so what does Ashton do to change the trajectory? It’s unclear what that is, but it makes the team fairly unpredictable.

Like the Orange and Blue, D.C. United has not had much luck with their DP signings either. Paul Arriola picked up an injury early in the season, and Edison Flores has not produced any output. Striker Ola Kamara is the leading scorer with three goals. Midfielder Yamil Asad had a great game against Philadelphia netting a goal and an assist. FC Cincinnati can’t ignore a designated player signing, so it’ll need to watch Flores, but should also make sure it keeps Asad and Kamara in check as well.

FC Cincinnati was riddled with injuries in the last match. playing without eight starters from the previous match, but the result was positive. Many of the injuries are now cleared medically. Will FCC go back to the players it relied on earlier or stick with the lineup that got a result in the last match? If Jürgen Locadia is able to play, expect coach Jaap Stam to play him over Brandon Vazquez. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the captain, Kendall Waston, back in the starting lineup either. A large question for many fans is likely whether Frankie Amaya has been resting or has lost his starting position.

STANDINGS

FC Cincinnati currently sits in the 13^th position in the East with a -18 goal differential. D.C. United at the bottom of the table (14th) with a goal differential of -17.

FC Cincinnati: 4-4-10, 16 pts.
D.C. United: 2-6-10, 12 pts.

PREVIOUS CONTESTS

D.C. United and FC Cincinnati have had three MLS matches in their history. D.C. United won the first match, but the previous two matches have been draws.

Aug. 21 0-0 draw
Oct. 6, 2019, 0-0 draw
July 18, 2019, 4-1 D.C. United win

AVAILABILITY

Mathieu Deplagne, Greg Garza and Przemysław Tytoń were not medically cleared to play against D.C. United as of Friday.

Kendall Waston earned his fifth yellow card in the last match against New York City FC, but had his accumulation count reduced by one for good behavior earlier in the season. He does need to be careful, however, to avoid another yellow, or he will be suspended a game.

DIGGING DEEPER

For “in-the-know” information, listen to March to Matchday where Cincinnati Soccer Talk discusses upcoming matches with media sources from the opposition. On this week’s March to Matchday, Ted Meyer visits from the RFK Refugees Podcast.

For tactical breakdowns and discussions, check out Talking Tactics with Coach Brad Gough. Listen to his analysis of the last match against DC United or check out his take on the most recent matches against Toronto and Columbus.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Game 19
7:30 p.m. Sunday, 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

The post FC Cincinnati and DC United both looking to capitalize on positive momentum appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.