And it must have been a favorite for the referee in the FC Cincinnati v New England Revolution draw, as it seemed as if he tried to make both fan bases cry with every call he made. So baffling were the decisions, that both Pat Noonan and New England coach Bruce Arena expressed frustration with the refereeing processes, even questioning what we even used VAR for.

But the fighting Garys will always take a point in a clash between the two teams at the top of the Eastern Conference, and we will look at what else happened this weekend in MLS.

Upcoming Schedule 

At Bat: May 6th v. DC United; 14 pts, 7th in the East

DC striker Christian Benteke scored the goal of the weekend in MLS (Goal of the Weekend belongs to Portland Thorns goalie Bella Bixby with a last-second equalizer) thanks to a 75th-minute bicycle kick. It was the final nail in the coffin for Charlotte, who was beaten by the fighting Wayne Rooneys 3-0 over the weekend.

After a window of squad turnover that saw the team bring consistent English Championship players into the squad, the most noteworthy being Lewis O’Brien from Nottingham Forest, and elevated a handful of youth players into the first team, including weekend goalscorer Jacob Greene, it seems D.C. has found a nice bit of momentum. as the side comes to TQL riding a four-game winning streak.

On Deck: May 10th v. New York City FC; 15 pts, 5th in the East (US Open Cup)

NYCFC will enter the US Open Cup to face FC Cincinnati in the Round of 32. Having qualified past the previous round thanks to their league performance, this will be their first foray into the competition.

The team, led by head coach Nick Cushing, has steadily gotten better as their squad has rounded into shape with the additions of US Youth National team player Rickie Ledezma on loan from PSV Eindhoven, Slovenian 18-year-old outside back Mitja Ilenic and US Senior National team player James Sands returning from his loan with Rangers. This has resulted in a hot run of form, as the Pigeons hadn’t lost in the month of April before dropping this past weekend’s result to Toronto FC 1-0.

In the Hole: May 17th v. Montreal Impact; 9 pts, 13th in the East

Montreal was able to pounce on the hapless Sporting Kansas City 2-0, giving them back-to-back victories in MLS. New transfer Bryce Duke opened the scoring early before Mathieu Choiniere put the game away late in first-half stoppage time.

It remains to be seen if this is the team buying into coach Hernan Losada’s high-pressing vision and getting points as a result, or a mirage as both victories have come against the teams holding the bottom spot in their conferences. Regardless, they have shown a willingness to compete and will have two games against rival Toronto FC before playing FC Cincinnati, who will be coming off of their bye week for this game.

Checking in on the West 

With LAFC having a bye week to rest up for its return leg against the Philadelphia Union in Concacaf Champions League, Seattle and St. Louis had a chance to put some separation between them and the defending MLS Champs. However, neither was able to take full advantage as Seattle drew 0-0 with RSL and St. Louis lost to the Portland Timbers 2-1.

For Portland, it was a big result as they were the only Western Conference team to win over the weekend and moved from touching distance of the bottom of the table into a playoff position. After three weeks of really good performances, our Western Conference buddies have to be feeling optimistic about their outlook as they have now beaten the two teams at the top of the West and played FCC competitively in between those wins.

However, one of the reasons that Portland was able to move into a playoff position after two wins is that the bottom of the West continues to be poor. One week after the LA Galaxy got their first win of the season, they were outplayed by a struggling Orlando side, and Sporting Kansas City failed to score for the seventh time in 10 games, leading to the first calls from supporters to move on from long time coach Peter Vermes as they have yet to win this season.

Best of the Weekend

The best of the weekend actually happened in the middle of the week. I love the US Open Cup as it was the first chance for FC Cincinnati to prove that the club belonged in MLS. An opportunity for the lower league teams to prove they had what it takes to play with the big boys and inspire the fans to dream big.

But as an MLS side, it was really satisfying to snuff out those thoughts before they even had a chance to grow. We had the chance to revisit old rivalries, and even though it may have taken most of the match, the defeat of Louisville City was never in doubt. The kids and bench players proved their capabilities by holding Louisville to very few chances on offense and were able to raise their game once some of the starters rolled out onto the field as the game ended.

I hope we can continue to see them as a regular opponent in the tournament, as it is always good to see old friends came out for the occasion, and it is always nice to see them in the stands.

Some wacky armed friends in The Bailey. Photo courtesy Saling Media

The post MLS Weekend Recap appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Highlights from this week’s show.

On this week’s show, Bryan fills in in the hosting chair and is joined by Clay Winstead, Ken Hoetker and Bill Wolf.

Multiple reports are surfacing (plus Atlas already confirmed it) that Luciano Acosta will join FC Cincinnati as a Designated Player.

Now that FC Cincinnati has signed another DP, what does this mean for Allan Cruz? The Post Cincy recently reported that FC Cincinnati are looking to move him.

FC Cincinnati lost 3-0 to Louisville City FC in a scrimmage at the Mercy Health Training Center this weekend. Time to panic?

Support CST!

Want to help support Cincinnati Soccer Talk? Want to become an episode captain? Become a supporter today!

You can also help support the show by purchasing some shirts from our new T-shirt store! Head on over to cincinnatisoccertalk.com/shop and use PROMO CODE “KENDEMANDS” to get Free Shipping! This code only lasts till Saturday so time is limited! Get your shirts 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://cincinnatisoccertalk.libsyn.com/rss

The post Luciano Acosta a Done Deal? Plus We’re Talking About Practice……Games appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Josu

Before signing with FC Cincinnati in 2017, Josu was a cult hero in India, playing for the Kerala Blasters. Many soccer fans in India followed Josu during his time here in Cincinnati. While his time in Cincinnati was short lived, making only 16 appearances for the club, Josu participated in one of the most memorable matches in the clubs history. During the magical U.S. Open Cup run in 2017, Josu scored in the penalty shootout victory over the Chicago Fire, a match that stamped FC Cincinnati’s place in the American soccer landscape. Josu and the club mutually parted ways in 2018, allowing him to pursue other options. He joined UE Llagostera in the third tier of Spanish soccer in once again another brief spell. At the beginning of 2019, Josu made the trek back to Finland to play for FC Lahti in the Finnish top league. He has scored six goals and added three assists during his 26 appearances with the Finnish club.

Paul Nicholson

Nicholson was another player who joined FC Cincinnati for the inaugural season in 2016. Nicholson joined FC Cincinnati after spending five seasons with the Wilmington Hammerheads of the then USL Pro league. He spent two seasons with the Orange and Blue before hanging up his boots after the 2017 season. In December of 2017, Nicholson was named head coach of the Cincinnati Dutch Lions of USL 2, formerly the USL PDL. Nicholson has compiled a record of 12-7-9, twice finishing third in the Great Lakes Division.

Photo Credit: Joe Craven

Harrison Delbridge

Harrison Delbridge was one of top defensive players in the short history of FC Cincinnati. Delbridge joined FC Cincinnati to start the 2016 season and was named as one of the top defensive players in USL both seasons he was with the club. His strong play earned the Australian an opportunity to go home and play for Melbourne City of the A-League. He has made 40 appearances for the club, in all competitions. Melbourne City has finished third and fifth respectively in his two seasons and making it to the quarterfinals of the FFA Cup.

Harrison Delbridge posted a strong performance in the 2-1 win at Bethlehem Steel FC. (Photo Credit: Bethlehem Steel FC)

Luke Spencer

Spencer like the others mentioned, signed with the Orange and Blue to begin the 2016 season. Spencer only saw action in 11 matches for FC Cincinnati. After the 2016 season, Spencer headed just down the Ohio River, signing with rival Louisville City FC. The move was beneficial for Spencer, seeing more minutes and contributing greatly. Since moving to Louisville City, Spencer has scored 26 goals and added seven assists in 79 matches for the club. Scoring goals is not the only thing Spencer does well. He’s also won championships with Louisville City. Much to the chagrin of FCC fans, Spencer has won two USL Cup championships and was named the USL Cup MVP in 2018. This season, Spencer has scored seven goals in 22 appearances while looking to help Louisville City win another USL Cup.

Photo Credit: Alex Vehr

Andrew Wiedeman

One of the original signings made by FC Cincinnati, Andrew Wiedeman was a staple in the FC Cincinnati lineup for his two seasons in Cincinnati. Wiedeman scored nine goals in his 68 appearances. During the 2017 USOC run, he scored the most famous non-goal in club history. Wiedeman slotted home a beautiful shot in extra time to give FCC the lead against the Fire, but the linesman had her flag up for offside. While many would argue that Wiedeman was not offside, his faux goal was the loudest moment in Nippert Stadium. Wiedeman hung up his cleats after the 2017 season. Wiedeman stopped by CST at the end of last year to discuss his time after retirement.

@iamchrisasbrock for @CincySoccerTalk

The post Where are they now? Following former FC Cincinnati players – Part 2 appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

No episode captain this week. If you’d like to wear the armband for an episode of Cincinnati Soccer Talk log onto CincinnatiSoccerTalk.com/support.

Episode bandwidth provided by CincyShirts.com.

Highlights from this week’s show.

On this week’s show, Boston, Bill and I recap FC Cincinnati’s 2-1 win over Louisville City FC in the 2019 US Open Cup.

We look ahead to an intriguing matchup with Saint Louis FC this week in the next round. Lots of familiar faces in that group facing off against the Orange and Blue.

How about the USWNT getting off to a fantastic start in their 2019 World Cup? What did you make of their 13-0 win over Thailand?

Can the US Men get their 2019 Gold Cup off to a great start like the women? We’ll find out Tuesday night!

It’s Not Too Late to Join the Growler Cup or CST MLS Fantasy!

If you’d like to join our MLS Fantasy League, go here: cincinnatisoccertalk.com/fantasy

If you’d like to join the Growler Cup, become a $5 supporter of the show today at cincinnatisoccertalk.com/support

DON’T FORGET!

CST records LIVE each and every MONDAY night now at 9 PM ET. Join us for a live interactive program covering all things FC Cincinnati with a chat room, social media, hosts with video!

Support CST!

Want to help support Cincinnati Soccer Talk? Want to become an episode captain? Become a supporter today!

Please help us learn a bit more about you! Check out our podcast survey here: Click Here to take part in our NEW SURVEY!.

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://cincinnatisoccertalk.libsyn.com/rss

The post FC Cincinnati’s Open Cup Rolls On appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

On this week’s show, Boston and Brad preview this Wednesday’s upcoming US Open Cup match against Louisville City FC with Ty Smith from Barrell Proof Podcast.

Episode bandwidth provided by CincyShirts.com.

2019 Growler Cup presented by Omni Printing and Promotions

Get involved in this year’s Growler Cup presented by Omni Printing and Promotions! To get involved, support CST today by heading over to CincinnatiSoccerTalk.com/support

DON’T FORGET!

CST records LIVE each and every MONDAY night now at 9 PM ET. Join us for a live interactive program covering all things FC Cincinnati with a chat room, social media, hosts with video!

Support CST!

Want to help support Cincinnati Soccer Talk? Want to become an episode captain? Become a supporter today!

Please help us learn a bit more about you! Check out our podcast survey here: Click Here to take part in our NEW SURVEY!.

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://cincinnatisoccertalk.libsyn.com/rss

The post March to Matchday – Ty Smith, Barrell Proof Podcast appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Leagues Can’t Tear Apart a Rivalry

Despite the league change for FCC, there has been no shortage of animosity lost between cities. Fans from each city have continued to wish poor results upon the other. As soccer in the region grows, so does the banter. The Cincy/Louisville rivalry is even better due to the mixed results between the two sides. In the past three years, Louisville holds the edge overall. Cincinnati has won in Louisville, Louisville has won in Cincinnati and the two have met in the USOC before. Cincinnati knocked Lou City out in 2017 to launch its path into the national spotlight as it reached the semifinal round. This time around, the match still holds significance. Louisville would love nothing more than to knock off their old rival who left them behind and entered MLS. Cincy desperately needs a win after struggling in its expansion season.

Injury, Gold Cup and International Spots

FC Cincy has three main issues to deal with heading into Wednesday’s showdown. First, it is still missing four starters due to Gold Cup. Darren Mattocks, Alvas Powell, Kendall Waston and Allan Cruz will not be in town to participate. If that wasn’t bad enough, Cincinnati also is missing Greg Garza and others to injuries, which limited Monday’s participants in practice to 15 players. USOC has its own set of rules that exist outside the leagues themselves. Each team will only be allowed five international players, so both clubs will do a bit of roster restructuring to compensate. It is unlikely either squad will use one on their keeper. Louisville isn’t immune to problems either. The club had a slower start than usual and has had its own fair share of injury problems. Louisville also is rebuilding after losing some key players in the offseason.

5 Keys to the Match

1. FC Cincinnati will be playing the weakest Louisville backline/keeper it has seen in the past four years. Push and pressure its defense and pounce on turnovers and breakdowns.
2. Rise up! FC Cincinnati may not be a great MLS team yet, but it still has millions more invested in its roster than the opponent. LouCity players will naturally be amped up to play at the next level. Match that intensity and view the USOC as a clean slate.
3. Erase the past and build for the future. It is time for players like Emmanuel Ledesma and Fanendo Adi and Frankie Amaya to string together goals. Not just for the sake of this match but to build confidence moving forward.
4. Get a win for the fans. It has been a while since Cincinnati has seen a good win at Nippert Stadium. Some fans thought that would come during the U.S. Men’s National team match, but it didn’t. On June 22, Nippert will be sold out to watch FCC take on Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Add a spark heading into that match.
5. Show no mercy! Many of the FCC players may be new, but it is on the staff and remaining players to let them know how important this match is. More is on the line than just advancing in the Cup. The fans want to knock Louisville out of the USOC a second time.

@BostonKeith for @CincySoccerTalk

The post FC Cincinnati Faces Old Foe Louisville City in US Open Cup appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

How it Happened

Louisville City owners recently spent time in Cincinnati securing loans for their stadium. During one visit, a group split off to go check out the SkyStar Wheel before a purchased Groupon expired. Once in line, someone joked about how Cincy and Louisville would be great partners if they were not such bitter enemies. It was all laughs until they were trapped in the glass cage of the SkyStar. The wheel circled and circled and then got stuck right as the group reached the top. Panic set in and life decisions were reevaluated. After calling loved ones and writing a will, one owner suggested burying the hatchet with Cincinnati should they survive the ordeal. Survival did indeed happen, and the group immediately went to FCC’s Fourth Street offices to talk.

Image courtesy of WXIX (SkyStar)

Criticism

Fans from both teams immediately criticized the move. Frank Buford, an editor for LouisvilleCoopers.com, called the decision to sell “asinine.” “We built this club from the ground up,” says Burford; “FC Cincinnati thinks they can come in here and buy our stars? People thought Save the Crew was a big deal; wait ’til you see #KeepCityPurple.” Cincinnati fans also had a few choice words. James Ribbet, a member of the Pride said, “I want nothing to do with that city down south. Do you think fans want to attend matches in Butchertown? I would rather drive to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania every week than attend another match in that wannabe city.” Cincy Super Fan ripped his cape in half when he heard the news and refused to talk after throwing it over a Bailey drummer who impressively maintained his beat through the ordeal.

How Will It Work?

There are more questions than answers at the moment. We asked Jeff Berding to clarify a few issues that some readers may have.

Will Louisville City still maintain its identity and winning culture?

Berding – We do not want to go into Louisville and change everything they do. That entire supporter section of drums they have can stay. We are not going to ask the Coopers or the Black Sheep to change their culture. FC Cincinnati just needs a place nearby to play its youth. We sent a keeper down to test this and Louisville fans have already embraced him as one of their own. The club is still working on a decision to get rid of the tacky purple and gold thing, but it is still early, and we will ask for feedback from Cincinnati fans.

What does the USL think?

Berding – They are obviously upset but they are always upset about something. They never liked it when I called the league a stepping stone. This time we are not announcing we want to leave the moment we start, though. FC Cincinnati is here to stay in USL through Louisville. Most of our USL trouble came from fighting with Louisville and James O’Connor.  These problems just solved themselves.

What would you say to calm the fans upset by this move?

Berding – Look, we know there will be skeptics and we will work to smooth this whole deal out. Louisville is already Cincinnati’s MLS media market so these moves are natural. Now it won’t look like an attack when we set up billboards and advertise FC Cincinnati on local Kentucky television. The state of Kentucky has been looking for a major league sport to follow for a while now, and we feel like this is a way to tap into that market. Some fans will holdout and follow their local recreation league, but we trust they will eventually come around.

Stay tuned to Cincinnati Soccer Talk as we launch a new website Louisville City Soccer Talk, and have a great April Fools Day.

@BostonKeith for @CincySoccerTalk

The post April 1st Edition: FC Cincinnati to Acquire D2 Club Louisville City FC appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Lundt is from Berlin and attended the University of Akron where he started all 64 games in three seasons for the Zips, according to an FC Cincinnati press release. Prior to Akron, he played five games for NCAA DII Lenoir-Rhyne University in 2015. Lundt led the Zips to three straight Mid-American Conference Championships and berths in the NCAA College Cup each of the last two years – including a berth in the 2018 championship game. He logged 27 clean sheets and 180 saves in 64 games played and earned second-team All-MAC honors in 2018. He finished his career at Akron with 180 saves and 27 shutouts, according to the release.

Our Thoughts

I think when we found out FC Cincinnati was drafting an international goalkeeper, it was inevitable he would be loaned to a USL team. FCC was already struggling with their international spots. Adding another to the mix didn’t help. Hopefully, Lundt can get worthy experience in the second division. Who knows? Maybe FC Cincinnati fans will see him in the U.S. Open Cup this season.

Stay tuned to Cincinnati Soccer Talk for more on FC Cincinnati and other things soccer.

The post FC Cincinnati loans goalkeeper Ben Lundt to Louisville City FC appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Who’s In and Who’s Out?

Six teams have dropped out of the playoffs: Charlotte, Tampa, Penn, Atlanta, Richmond and Toronto. Six teams have locked in playoff positions: Cincinnati, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Charleston, Indy and New York.

The top four teams are locked up. Cincinnati, Louisville, Pittsburgh and Charleston are guaranteed home games for the first round of the post-season. Cincinnati owns the top spot, and Charleston has held onto the No. 4 position. The second and third positions will fall to Pittsburgh and Louisville, though neither team has its spot locked in yet. Indy and New York know they’re in the post-season, but they have work to do to hold their position.

The real battle though falls to Nashville, Bethlehem, Ottawa and North Carolina, who are vying for the last two playoff spots. Four points separate the four teams and though Nashville sits in the best position, a loss to FC Cincinnati and results for Bethlehem and Ottawa could end their season.

Post-Season Prediction

Looking at points per match played (Pts/MP) each team earns, it’s possible to predict how teams could end their season if they continue their current form. Based on current form, the postseason bracket would look as follows:

Since the last calculation, Nashville has once again entered the playoff discussion, and North Carolina has dropped out again.

What to Watch

On Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Louisville play Indy. A win for Louisville would lock in the second position for the Purples. A win for Indy would secure the fifth position for Cincinnati’s rival to the west.

Of course on Saturday at 8:30 p.m., Cincinnati plays its last match against Nashville. Though nothing is at stake for the Orange and Blue, any points for Nashville secure them for the postseason. A loss leaves Nashville exposed to being knocked out of the playoffs.

On Sunday at 3 p.m., Bethlehem plays Tampa. Tampa is already knocked out of the postseason, but Bethlehem is currently holding onto the eighth playoff position. Dropping points leaves it open to being displaced.

@billwwolf for @CincySoccerTalk

The post March to the Playoffs: The Final Week appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.

Who’s In and Who’s Out?

Last week, the Richmond Kickers dropped out of playoff contention. This week, Atlanta United II joined Richmond and Toronto after losing spectacularly to North Carolina FC. Though they can tie Ottawa (who currently sit in eighth place) on points, Atlanta can only secure eleven wins and would lose the first tiebreaker.

Cincinnati is joined this week by Louisville City FC, the second team to secure a place in the post-season in the Eastern Conference. Louisville squeaks in this week with some help. With a mid-week game, they earned two wins and six points, but it took New York dropping points against Charlotte to lock in the Purples. The Orange and Blue weren’t standing still and waiting for Louisville to catch up. A win against Penn FC vaulted them to the top of the table and makes their position untouchable by any other team.

Though the playoffs aren’t locked in for all, the top four teams look fairly secure with a significant gap above the rest of the table. However, the remainder of the field remains tight with the five-team closest to the line, separated by only three points. As always, it looks like the Eastern Conference will be a battle to the very end.

Post-Season Prediction

Looking at points per match played (Pts/MP) each team earns, it’s possible to predict how teams could end their season if they continue their current form. Based on current form, the postseason bracket would look as follows:

Nashville’s draw against Charleston drops them in the standings again, and now are missing the playoffs unless they pick up their end of season form. North Carolina, who beat Atlanta last week, climb the table and enter the playoff discussion this week. Based on current form, FCC would match up with New York in the first round of the post-season.

What to Watch

On Wednesday, Pittsburgh travels to Harrisburg to take on Penn FC. A win for Pittsburgh would guarantee them a playoff position. A loss for Penn FC also puts them dangerously close to elimination from the post-season though it would take positive results from other teams to end Penn FC’s playoff hopes.

On Wednesday, Charleston plays North Carolina FC and on Saturday, Charleston takes on Toronto FC II. With six points available, Charleston has the opportunity to earn a playoff position.

Dropped points from New York or Nashville this week could also back Pittsburgh and Charleston into the playoffs.

On Wednesday, FC Cincinnati takes on Richmond, and on Saturday, the Orange and Blue play Indy Eleven at Nippert Stadium for their last home game of the regular season. Either game could secure the USL Regular Season Championship for FCC.

USL Regular Season Championship

The USL Regular Season Championship is the best overall record of any team in the Eastern or Western Conferences. Taking a look at the Western Conference, Phoenix currently sits in second place, but with a game in hand. The extra game positions them to achieve the highest number of points in the west, with 71 maximum points. Cincinnati has earned 69 points. Seventy-two points, or one more win, would secure the USL Regular Season Championship for the Orange and Blue. With four games remaining and averaging more than two points per match played, Cincinnati should be able to lock in the best record in the USL for this season.

@billwwolf for @CincySoccerTalk

The post March to the Playoffs: FC Cincinnati is Top of the East appeared first on Cincinnati Soccer Talk.