USL Cup Playoffs 1st Round: FC Cincinnati at Tampa Bay Rowdies

Al Lang Stadium – Attendance: 6,104

A memorable 2017 season for FC Cincinnati came up short of the desired goal as the Orange & Blue fell to the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL Cup Playoffs. Individual moments of brilliance highlighted the evening as Tampa Bay notched their first-ever USL playoff victory in a dominating 3-0 route if Cincinnati

FC Cincinnati looked to have carried some momentum into the match from last week’s win over Toronto. Some decent midfield buildup from Kenney Walker and Corben Bone out to the wings brought two decent scoring chances in the first several minutes.

The momentum would be brought to a halt in the eighth minute as a Tampa Bay counter caught FCC off guard. Left winger Georgi Hristov gathered a long ball up the left flank and beat an oncoming Harrison Delbridge. Hristov sprung midfielder Marcel Schäfer with a quick flick in front of a tracking right-back Justin Hoyte. The German found himself in position, as he never stopped his run after Hoyte backed off due to assuming Delbridge had stopped Hristov. That error allowed Schäfer enough space to launch a shot which would beat FC Cincinnati keeper Mitch Hildebrandt low and left. The ball did hit Mitch’s left hand, but the stopper couldn’t keep the hard shot out.

FC Cincinnati battled back in the 11th-minute as left winger Jimmy McLaughlin had perhaps the best chance for Cincinnati on the night. The Pennsylvania native collected a turnover on the left and held off a defender as he dribbled about 30 yards before unleashing a shot just inches off Tampa Bay keeper Matt Pickens far post. That ball skimmed wide on what was one of McLaughlin’s team-leading four shots for the match.

Things went from hopeful to troublesome with another moment of brilliance from Schäfer. The Rowdies had built up on their right side of the pitch and noticed Cincinnati had shifted well to the ball side of the field. A challenge between Rowdies defender Hunter Gorskie and Danni König saw the ball spill left to Schäfer who made one touch with his left foot before beating Hildebrandt to his far post It looked as if Schäfer saw Mitch cheating near side as puts the ball into the left side.

After the second goal, the tactical plan that Coach Alan Koch implemented early on seemed abandoned with FC Cincinnati resorting to the long ball and offering two shots off-target for the remainder of the half. Those two shots were attempted by FCC forward Djiby Fall, who struggled to receive any service and resorted to falling deep in the midfield to gain any touches.

As the second half began, the distance between the midfield and attack seemed like a canyon. The 4-4-2 that found so much success in Toronto did not work as Tampa Bay effectively filled the passing lanes and cut off any threat of Cincinnati attack. Both Cincinnati forwards Djiby and Danni König had issues working off one another, resulting in Koch pulling his Senegalese attacker in the 62nd-minute

Tampa Bay finally put the dagger into the heart as the club’s leading striker, Georgi Hristov, put in a class strike. The winger received the ball 25 yards out and sent a right-footed curler into the net. Hildebrandt seemed to move to the far side on the strike and was caught off balance as Hristov’s bender went near post putting the Rowdies up three.

That final goal was all she wrote for FC Cincinnati, head hung low, and the Orange & Blue did everything they could just to get off the field. One bright spot from late in the match was the play of substitute Kadeem Dacres. The right winger replaced Andrew Wiedeman and seemed to give Tampa Bay left back Zach Portillos all he could handle.

His efforts were not enough as Ralph’s Mob provided enough support to see their home side through to the USL Eastern Conference Semifinals.

3 Thoughts

Where Were our Impact Subs – When FC Cincinnati went down two goals, who did Coach Koch have to call on to make a difference? At the core of our problems was the reliability of players not in the starting XI. FC Cincinnati was able to bring in Dacres to try and change the pace of the match. Dacres is a good player in his own right, but this is a problem FCC will have to address in the offseason.

Had to Stop Their Elite Duo – As said on the podcast and in our preview, you had to play a full 90 minutes and contain Joe Cole and Marcel Schäfer. The latter of the two punished FCC for their defensive breakdowns and lack of focus. Jeff Berding and Alan Koch will need to find players with the mentality to see through these type of matches in the future.

Different FC Cincinnati Ahead – Points A & B above show the need for improvement. In five months there will be a significantly different squad wearing the Orange & Blue. FC Cincinnati will most likely know their MLS future by then, and some players will be banging on the door to sign up. Yes, we have many fan favorites now, but don’t expect a majority of them to be brought back in 2018. However sad that may make us, significant changes are ahead.

Box Score

FC Cincinnati Starting XI (4-4-2): Hildebrandt (GK), (L-R) Polak(79′), Delbridge, Berry, Hoyte; McLaughlin, Bone, Walker, Wiedeman (57′); Djiby (62′), König
Subs: Jaye (GK), Bahner, de Wit, Dacres (57’+), Greig (62’+), Halfhill, Quinn (79’+)

Tampa Bay Rowdies Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Pickens (GK), (L-R) Portillos, Collins, Gorskie, King; Schäfer (90’+2′), Vingaard; Hristov (74′), Cole, Restrepo (86′); Guenzatti
Subs: Fitzgerald (GK); Mkandawire, Jones (74’+), Morrell, Chavez (90’+), Nanchoff (86’+), Paterson

Goal Summary:

8’ Schäfer (TBR)

8’ – GOAL Marcel Schäfer! Rowdies lead @fccincinnati 1-0. pic.twitter.com/CpHV6AqmXx

— Tampa Bay Rowdies (@TampaBayRowdies) October 21, 2017

25’  Schäfer (TBR)

Marcel Schäfer AGAIN! @TampaBayRowdies have doubled their lead here in #USLPlayoffs ! pic.twitter.com/S6wT2pboro

— USL Championship (@USLChampionship) October 22, 2017

67’ Hristov (TBR)

Georgi Hristov, take a bow! The Bulgarian forward made it 3-0 in a crucial moment of the match. #USLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/JjrsAQg9So

— Tampa Bay Rowdies (@TampaBayRowdies) October 22, 2017

@bryanweigel for @CincySoccerTalk

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Matchday #32: FC Cincinnati at Toronto FC II

Ontario Soccer Centre – Attendance: 1,119

The Orange & Blue received a good result for their playoff seeding as Rochester dropped New York 2-1 earlier in the day and capitalized with a 4-3 result over Toronto FC II. Three points in Ontario saw Cincinnati jump into sixth place in the USL Eastern Conference table with one match remaining for Bethlehem Steel in the final weekend of USL regular season action. Quite a few FC Cincinnati fans made the trip up north and were treated to one of the highest scoring matches in the 2017 regular season.

FC Cincinnati Head Coach Alan Koch ran out a 4-4-2 formation which featured some tactical changes from recent matches. Early on forwards Djiby Fall and Danni Konig pressured the Toronto FC II defense, which led to some chances for the visitors.

TFC II featured several MLS loanees, including defender Ashtone Morgan and Tsubasa Endoh (125 combined MLS appearances). The MLS veterans made their presence known early on through smart play and organization of the Toronto squad.

Ten minutes in, Morgan sent a perfectly weighted ball to streaking midfielder Luca Uccello. Uccello was able to hold up play and sent a cross to Ben Spencer. Spencer’s header was parried away by Mitch Hildebrandt, but the ball landed at Endoh’s feet. The TFC man smashed it into the back of the net, putting the hosts up 1-0.

The rain and windy conditions fouled up the FC Cincinnati attack during the half. Tactically, Cincinnati tried to switch the field many times in the half allowing Djiby and Konig to drift into dangerous positions. Many of the opportunities came up the right side through Justin Hoyte, but the wind and conditions led to difficulties finding targets in the box.

Things looked to be going terribly for FCC in consecutive matches off another cross into the box from Toronto. Left back Justin Hoyte lost his mark Ben Spencer, who judged the ball accurately and sent a soft header to the feet of Endoh. Endoh’s strike deflected off captain Austin Berry and past Hildebrandt for the hosts second of the match. The ball seemed to hold up a bit in the wind with both Hildebrandt and Hoyte allowed Spencer the space to send the ball to the scorer Endoh.

While down two, FC Cincinnati seemed far from out of the match. Left winger, Jimmy McLaughlin set up the first score by making a run to the end line just outside the box. That allowed a free kick to the visitors and a pacey inswinger sent by Kenney Walker found Danni König as he sent it home to bring the guests within one.

Minutes later Corben Bone made a great run down the left flank and crossed to Djiby at the top of the box. The Senegalese international’s shot was guided to the far side and clanged off the post. The ball found its way to König, but the forward was ruled offside. Momentum was in the guest’s hands as the game reached halftime.

The wide play early from FC Cincinnati allowed space in the middle of the field near the top of the box for the FC Cincinnati to attack. König took advantage of this space early in the second half when he received a great ball from Bone. The Dane smoked his chance which deflected out for a corner and continued the momentum for FCC.

A minute later McLaughlin made a great run down the left and unleashed a shot which nearly beat the TFCII keeper Pais. The deflection was cleared but Cincinnati would strike seconds later. Kenney Walker found space just outside the top of the box and played a give-and-go with Corben Bone. The pass back to Walker was perfect and allowed Walker enough space at the top of the box to beat Pais for Cincinnati’s second goal.

The 2-2 scoreline would not last as TFCII struck moments later in the 53rd minute. Defender Brandon Onkony sent a perfect ball over the top of the FCC defense which released Shaan Hundal on goal. Hundal outraced both Tyler Polak and Harrison Delbridge just right of the center of the field and Hundal found himself one-on-one with the Cincinnati keeper. Hildebrandt tried to close in on Hundal but the Canadian youth international chipped the keeper for Toronto’s third.

You could tell both sides wanted to end the regular season on a high note as the game was very chippy after Toronto’s go-ahead goal. Delbridge, König, and Djiby all got into skirmishes with TFCII players. Two events saw both FCC forwards lay a Toronto player on the ground. Luckily both instances did not result in cards for the up-front men.

The game once again turned on its heels as McLaughlin made a wonderful run off the left wing in the 66th minute. The winger completed a 30-yard dribble beating his mark to the end line. McLaughlin would forego a shot and instead crossed to an awaiting Djiby. Cincinnati’s leading scorer put it home at the back post to lock the game at 3-3. That goal marked Djiby’s 16th through all competitions, tying Sean “Ugo” Okoli for the lead in goals scored in FCC history.

The match opened up even further leading to a track meet for the teams. One would think this would traditionally hurt an FC Cincinnati side that has struggled maintaining possession and dictating play all season. However, that was not the case. Late in the second half, Cincinnati would begin to pile on chances, as they created a total of 24 shots on the night. Several looks by McLaughlin and a penalty shout from Greig could have seen the guests go up one goal.

That moment came in the 86th minute as Hoyte put FC Cincinnati up for good. Hoyte began the play out on the right looking to cross into the box. Instead, he laid the ball off to Kenney Walker and sprinted right toward the near post. Walker saw Hoyte the whole time and dropped a dime to his feet. Hoyte sent the ball into the net and clinched at least a seventh seed for FC Cincinnati in the USL playoffs.

3 Thoughts

Got The Job Done – While their playoff lives were clinched on Thursday, FC Cincinnati still had a bit to play for as three points could get them as high as 6th in the USL Eastern Conference table. This looked hard to achieve as Cincinnati would go down 2-0 early. The Orange & Blue fought for 90 minutes and ended up getting all three. Coming back from down two should give the squad confidence going on the road for the playoffs. Unbeaten in seven out of their last eight is nothing to be ashamed of at the end of their season which will mark the second straight time FCC will reach the playoffs.

Tactical Approach – Formation does not equal tactics but there is something to be said for feeling more comfortable in a given shape. Coach Koch ran out a 4-4-2 with the approach to press the TFC defense and play down the wings early. Toronto had to compensate for the outside runs and allowed Djiby, König, Bone, and Walker to all have space in the middle of the park. Whether intentional or not, Koch seemed to get the offensive approach correct Saturday. The play wide opened up opportunities later in which FCC cashed in. I’m sure he will be disappointed in conceding three times, but moments of brilliance coupled with questionable decisions by Hildebrandt led to at least two of the goal.

Some of the Best Supporters in the USA, eh? – It’s no surprise that FC Cincinnati supporters would travel to the Great Northern Territory. If you watched the match, you knew the supporters of FCC made a difference. The traveling crowd willed the team on and will be called on to do that again next weekend in Charleston or Tampa Bay. Great on all of you that traveled. You were the 12th man in the hostile territory.

Kudos to the @fccincinnati Supporters who made the trip to Vaughan, Ontario

@USL | #TORvCIN #FCCincy pic.twitter.com/ejbBMcWbtI

— Emanuele Garau (@EmanueleGarau) October 15, 2017

Fan Reaction of the Night: Chris Marshall

Eureka an identity!

— Marshall Law (@ChrisMarshall_) October 15, 2017

Box Score

FC Cincinnati Starting XI (4-4-2): Hildebrandt (GK), (L-R) Polak, Delbridge, Berry (84′) Hoyte; McLaughlin, Bone, Walker, Wiedeman (68′); Djiby (81′), König
Subs: Jaye (GK), Bahner, Josu, de Wit (84’+), Dominguez, Dacres (68’+), Greig (81’+)

Toronto FC II Starting XI (3-4-3): Pais (GK), (L-R) Morgan, Taintor, Onkony; Endoh, Uccello, Fraser, Romeo; Campbell (75′) Hundal, Spencer
Subs: Cavalluzzo (GK), Eckenrode, Okello Ayo, A. Osorio, Daniels (75’+), Johnson, Srbely

Goal Summary:

10’ Endoh (TOR)
31’ Endoh (TOR)
41’ Konig (CIN)
49’ Walker (CIN)
53’ Hundal (TOR)
66’ Djiby (CIN)
86’ Hoyte (CIN)

Discipline:
27′ Spencer (TOR)
29′ Delbridge (CIN)
90+’ Onkony (TOR)
90+’ Taintor (TOR)

Next Up: USL Playoffs – Round 1

Saturday 10/21 – at TBD – 7:30 p.m. EST – TBD

FC Cincinnati will find out on Sunday where they will be traveling to in the first round of the USL Playoffs. Bethlehem Steel FC host Saint Louis FC at Goodman Stadium Sunday at 3 p.m. If Bethlehem should win, that will see them tied with Cincinnati on points at 46. Steel FC’s two wins vs. FCC will see Steel jump the Orange & Blue to take the sixth spot. In that scenario, Cincinnati would travel to Charleston as the 7th seed. Should Steel FC draw or lose, they will finish at 44 points and Cincinnati would head to Tampa Bay as the 6th seed. The seeding is a big deal pending upsets for a home playoff match.

Should the 7th seed upset the 2nd seed and the 6th upset the #3, the #7 would travel to the #6 in the second round of the playoffs. So cheer for Saint Louis FC on Sunday.

@bryanweigel for @CincySoccerTalk

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TD Place Stadium – Attendance: 5,445

A win today would have clinched a playoff spot for the Orange and Blue, but instead, this dramatic season continues to the last game, and fans will have to wait until the end of the regular season to find out if FCC has post-season games to play.

Today’s game certainly seemed like an easy 3 points. Most people agreed that Cincinnati had the easiest schedule remaining. Ottawa was on a 10 game winless streak. Their last win was August 12th. They had officially been eliminated from the playoffs. In contrast, Cincinnati was undefeated for the last 6 games with everything to play for.

FC Cincinnati seems to love the role of underdog. They could have secured the post season and been playing for a higher seed but now they are forced to get results in the final game to ensure they are in the playoffs at all and will quite possibly be coming in as the lowest seed.

The game started poorly for Cincinnati, going a goal down in the 4th minute. A throw-in was headed to the top of the box by Delbridge, right to Ottawa’s Obasi, who was left unmarked. Obasi took the ball directly off the bounce and put it in the back of the net.

In the 13th minute, Haworth turned Berry in a circle and dribbled the ball across the top of the box with almost no pressure. He found a hole in the defenders and fired the ball straight past Mitch who barely saw it coming.

To add insult to injury, Haworth earned himself a brace in the 20th minute. He got behind Josu on a long ball and kicked the ball right to Mitch, bouncing it off the inside of his leg and into the goal.

In the second half, Coach Koch shifted tactics, pulling Bahner & Schindler off, sliding Hoyte right and bringing König and Wiedeman in to generate more attacking chances. The change did not appear effective initially. In the 47th minute, Edward sped past de Wit off an FCC turnover and crossed the ball to the far post. Forward Steevan Dos Santos separated himself from Hoyte and clinically headed the ball into the back of the net.

In the 69th minute, sub Kyle Greig fouled Ottawa’s Venter who reacted violently shoving Greig to the pitch. The ref had given Ottawa advantage, but immediately stopped play, and as would be expected, rewarded the retaliatory response with a straight red card.

As the game wore on, both sides seemed eager for the game to just end. Eventually it did. Even a man up, FCC never looked threatening. In 90 minutes, they only took 3 shots on target.

3 Thoughts

Red Card Advantage? – Despite being at a man advantage for over 20 minutes, FCC was still not able to gain any control of the game. Though it’s unlikely they could have reversed a 4 goal deficit, this team has developed a reputation lately for grit and tenacity and to see nothing come of 20 minutes playing against 10 men was disappointing.

No excuses – We’ve seen dramatic “blow out” score lines earlier in the season, but they were easy to justify. Fixture congestion. Mental and physical exhaustion. Focusing on the upcoming Open Cup game. Still down from the previous Open Cup run. Not mentally “all in” to the USL league games with the US Open Cup tournament running in parallel. Today, the team crumbled with no excuses. The Open Cup run is over. The team is only playing one game a week. This was a game that could clinch the team into the USL playoffs. There was every reason for the team to do well. Kenney Walker was absent from the game due to suspension and that is certainly noteworthy, but it doesn’t explain such a complete break down. There are questions that need asked and they are for the players and coaches to ask themselves and each other.

Don’t Leap Off The Cliff Yet – While the results today were certainly frustrating, Cincinnati has not missed the playoffs yet. Their destiny is 100% in their hands. They are in 8th place and a win in their final game will clinch a playoff spot. FC Cincinnati will have to wait for results from Bethlehem and New York to see if they can rise above 8th. Even a loss or draw on Saturday won’t eliminate them if Orlando doesn’t earn more points than FCC, so playoff potential is still strong.

Box Score

FC Cincinnati Starting XI (3-4-3): Hildebrandt (GK), (L-R) Delbridge, Hoyte, Berry; Josu, Bone, de Wit, Bahner (45′); McLaughlin, Djiby (65′), Schindler (45′)
Subs: Jaye (GK), Dominguez, Greig (25′), Halfhill, König (45′), Polak, Wiedeman (45′)

Ottawa Fury Starting XI (4-4-2): Irving (GK), (L-R) Obasi, Venter, Del Campo, Edward; Reid (71′), Bruna, Dixon, Haworth (87′); Dos Santos (77′), DePuy
Subs: Paulmin (GK), Barden (3′), Campbell (13′), Meilleur-Giguère (19′), Rozeboom, Sito , Williams

Goal Summary:

4’ Obasi (OTT)
13’ Haworth (OTT)
20’ Haworth (OTT)
47’ Dos Santos (OTT)

Discipline:
24′ Reid (OTT)
39′ Fall (CIN)
69′ Venter (OTT) (Red)
70′ Greig (CIN)
89’ Campbell (OTT)
91’ Obasi (OTT)

Next Up:

Saturday 10/14 – at Toronto FC II – 7:30 p.m. EST – Toronto, Ontario

@billwwolf for @CincySoccerTalk

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FC Cincinnati came into the match unbeaten in their last five. Eight points separated Cincinnati and second place Charlotte with both looking to improve their seeding in the 2017 USL playoffs.

Matchday #30: FC Cincinnati 1 vs Charlotte Independence 0

Sportsplex at Matthews

Possession was dominated by the Independence in the first few minutes, but Cincinnati dealt with the Charlotte attack very well. The first chance for Cincinnati came in the 6′ when Josu crossed to Djiby but was not a threat to the Charlotte keeper. Cincinnati found spouts of possession through the first 15′ but could not convert them into any solid attempts at goal.

Meanwhile the Orange and Blue defense remained fortified against all the quick Charlotte counter attacks. Harrison Delbridge kept the home team at bay on two key clearances.

Through 22′, Charlotte should have two goals. Martinez sent two shots inches wide of the post, with some talented build up by the Charlotte midfield. While the Cincinnati defense remained on their toes, the Independence defense had seen little to no threatening chances from the Orange and Blue attack.

After 30′ Cincinnati began to pick up the pace and increase their possession. A bad pass by Walker created an open chance for two Charlotte players, but with determination topped by none, Kenney was able to chase down the attackers and neutralize the scoring effort.

Cincinnati ended the half with little threat to the Charlotte keeper, while Charlotte was able to test Mitch for the entire 45′. The Orange and Blue were lucky to end the half without conceding a goal as the Independence continued their scoring drought.

Koch showed no lineup changes going into the second half. The boys in Orange and Blue started the final 45′ unable to retain possession. The Indepence attack cooled compared to the first half with both teams showing difficulty in converting possession into scoring chances.

Some major disconnect showed up in the the Cincinnati build up with passes and anticipation of passes not linking up between teammates. Frustration began building among FC Cincinnati players through 60′ of play.

Through 65′, The Orange and Blue registered zero shots.

In the 75′, Bone played a long pass to substitute Kevin Schindler who found himself one on one with the keeper who blocked his attempt.

Shortly after FC Cincinnati was awarded a corner. In one of 2 defining moments of the match, Djiby got his head on the initial ball and flicked it to the back post to an awaiting Schindler. The big German finished it off for the 1-0 lead.

Charlotte continued to find some dangerous counter attacks, but Cincinnati continued to find a way keep them off the scoreboard.

In final ten minutes, Mitch made a fingertip save to keep the clean sheet. Minutes later a long ball played to Jimmy led to a shot that was deflected off of the crossbar.

Stalwart, Kenney Walker was sent off in the 89′ with a second yellow leading to a suspension in next week’s contest in Ottawa. The Independence took advantage of playing a man up and almost evened up the score during a counter attack in stoppage time. And in final seconds of the match, Corben stepped on the shoelace of Enzo in which the lead official award a penalty.

In the second defining moment of the match, Hildebrandt lived up to his trademark slogan, as “Mitch Says No!” to the penalty and the boys in Orange and Blue travel back to Cincinnati with 3 points and the Queen City Cup.

3 Thoughts

Road Game Form- The team found a way to make their unbeaten streak extend to six matches. But the victory was not without many of its road form flaws. Most of the match showed frustration among the orange and blue, with some of the players not playing with the same intensity as expected.

Oh No Kenney- While not having his best match of the season, its no secret that Kenney Walker is crucial to the defensive midfield, and very important to distribution during the counter attack. Walker’s physical style of defense leads to fouls, and against Charlotte led to two yellow cards. FC Cincinnati will be without Kenney next match and the void in the midfield will be huge.

Super Sub– Schindler came off of the bench with some great energy. Seconds off the bench, his blocked shot led to a corner and the game winning goal by the German footballer. With the right lineup and situation Schindler can provide some quality play for the Orange and Blue.

Box Score

FC Cincinnati Starting XI: Hildebrandt (GK),  Delbridge, de Wit, Berry (79′); Josu, Bone, K. Walker, Bahner; Djiby(85′), McLaughlin(92′), König(74′)
Subs: Jaye (GK), Dacres(92′), Dominguez, Greig(85′), Halfhill, Polak, Schindler(74′)

Saint Louis FC XI: Mizell(GK); Yearwood, Duckett, Kalungi, Johnson(87′); Ross, Hilton, A. Martinez(80′), Estrada(74′); Herrera, E. Martinez
Subs: Likewise, Calvert(80′), Waechter, Castillo, Spies(87′), Siaj(74′), Ekra

Goal Summary:

75’ Schindler (CIN)

Discipline:
38′ Martinex (CLT)
46′ & 89′ Walker (CIN)

Next Up:

Sunday 10/8 – at Ottawa Fury FC – 2:00 p.m. EST – TD Place Stadium

@gribry for @CincySoccerTalk

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Matchday #29: FC Cincinnati 2 vs Saint Louis FC 2

Toyota Stadium – Attendance: 4,376

FC Cincinnati came into Saturday’s game looking to elevate its position on the table and improve its chances at another home match. On the other side of the ball was a team that was just 3 points out of a playoff spot and desperate to give itself and its fans some hope.

The boys in Orange & Blue continue to struggle to get out of the gate with a purpose. Saint Louis controlled the pace of play in the first half and looked like a team playing to win. FC Cincinnati looked happy to absorb the STLFC pressure and let the game come to them.

In the 42nd minute, the match took a turn for the worse, Saint Louis’ Seth Rudolph received a pass 40 yards from goal with acres of space in front him. Rudolph beat De Wit and then went at Hoyte as he found space just inside the penalty area. The midfielder made it past the Englishman and placed a shot into the near post upper ninety that Mitch Hildebrandt could not get a hand on

The opportunities in the opening half were few for Cincinnati. One of the better opportunities came in the 45th minute when Matt Bahner received a pass from Andrew Weideman. Bahner settled the ball and placed a low shot that was parried away by Gorrick, preventing the equalizer and allowing Saint Louis to take a 1-0 lead into the half.

The second half started much like the first half and Saint Louis doubled its lead less than 15 minutes into the second half.  Seth Rudolph created another opportunity by driving a shot that Cincinnati’s Harrison Delbridge tried to block. However, the Aussie’s arm was extended and the ball clearly deflected off his hand. The ref quickly pointed to the penalty spot and Christian Volesky buried the shot. Less than an hour into the match the boys were down by two.

CORBEN BONE

They say a two-goal lead is the most dangerous score in soccer and it was proven true again tonight. After Saint Louis’ second goal, there seemed to be more intent by Cincinnati and ten minutes later it paid off.

Kenney Walker played a free kick into the box that eventually found Austin Berry’s head, but was saved off the crossbar and led to a corner.  Cincinnati took a quick corner that was headed to the top of the eighteen where Corben Bone was waiting and he laced a shot into the upper netting cutting the lead in half. The new father now has his second goal in two weeks.

Cincinnati kept pressing the game trying to find that equalizer and appeared to have found it in the 81st minute when Walker sent another ball into the box where Djiby got his head onto it. He headed it to a wide open Konig, who placed the ball into the net.  The play was called off because of the refs questionable foul that was called on Djiby.

The game appeared destined for a 2-1 defeat, but there was no quit in the boys. In the 93rd minute, Josu sent a long ball from the defensive side of the field that found the head again Djiby who flicked towards McLaughlin.  The ball took a high bounce off the turf that Jimmy got his head to, but the Saint Louis’ goalkeeper tried to bat the ball away but missed and hit Jimmy square in the face. The ref quickly awarded a penalty that Danni König drove down the center of the goal tieing the game. The game ended in a 2-2 draw.

The draw keeps the Orange & Blue in 6th place, just one point ahead of Orlando, who defeated Charleston earlier in the night.

3 Thoughts

Away Game Blues- The team needs to find better form away from the friendly confines of Nippert. The last few playoff spots are tightening up quickly, especially with Orlando victory and Bethlehem games in hand. Victories on the road are difficult, and in our current position, we can not afford to draw with teams below us in the table, even if we are the away team.

5- The number of games without a loss. Even though the team is not winning games it is not losing games either. The last match that the team lost was New York Red Bulls II (Aug 19), which was the week we all wish we could erase; Losses to LCFC [5-0], NYRB[3-2](USOC), and NYRBII[4-0]

Resilience– Slow starts are hurting the team and we need to find a way to get into games quicker. However, the team did something that it has not done ever. The team was able to come back from a two-goal deficit and gain a point, on the road nonetheless.

Box Score

FC Cincinnati Starting XI: Hildebrandt (GK),  Delbridge, de Wit, Berry (79′); Hoyte, Bone, K. Walker, Bahner; McLaughlin, Greig (53′), Wiedeman (68′)
Subs: Jaye (GK), Dacres, Konig (53′), Djiby(68′), Josu(79′), Schindler, Polak

Saint Louis FC XI: Gorrick(GK); Howe(45′), Cochran, Walls, Charpie; Stojkov, Mirkovic, Bjurman, David; Rudolph(76′), Volesky(88′)
Subs: Grinwis(GK), Jackson, Plewa(45′), Alvarez(88′), Appiah(76′), Feeley, Alihodzic

Goal Summary:

42’ Rudolph (StL)
59’ Volesky (StL) – PK
70’ Bone (CIN)
90’+5 Konig (CIN) – PK

Discipline:
41′ Greig (CIN)
87′ Stojkov (StL)

Next Up:

Friday 9/29 – at Charlotte Independence – 7:00 p.m. EST – Charlotte, NC

@khoetker for @CincySoccerTalk

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FC Cincinnati got a much needed 3 points in their playoff chase with a 4-2 over New York Red Bulls 2

Matchday #28: FC Cincinnati 4 vs New York Red Bulls II 2

Nippert Stadium – Attendance: 30,417- USL All-Time Record

Heading into Saturday night, FC Cincinnati had been sputtering with less than stellar performances in back to back matches. It didn’t take long for the Orange & Blue to pump some life into the USL record crowd of 30,417 when captain Austin Berry headed a 5th minute corner kick into the top right corner of the goal.

After some back and forth play, the Red Bull’s were able to net an equalizer when Florian Valot hit a skipping ball through the box after a corner past the outstretched arms of Mitch Hildebrandt.

One of the main stories of the match was FC Cincinnati’s ability to put away chances in style when it counted. After welcoming his new child into the world, Corben Bone was able to continue his great week with a clinical finish in the 32nd minute. The midfielder had one of his best games in the Orange & Blue as he was able to whip a shot from range to put the home team on top for the rest of the match.

When both teams came back from their halftime break, FC Cincinnati had to make a surprise change taking off Berry in favor of Paul Nicholson. Berry took a spill just before half and when viewed on the bench seems to have his ankle in a wrap. After the match, Berry did have his cleats on but we’ll need to monitor the situation heading into next week. After the Cincinnati native was taken off, the back 3 did not look as sound as the first 45.

With 3 points in the balance, CB Harrison Delbridge iced the match in the 67th minute with a tremendous goal that could go down as the goal of the year for the club. The Aussie showed shades of attacking prowess with some great ball movement darting between 2 NYRB defenders and rifling a left footed shot into the top left corner that would challenge most goalkeepers in soccer.

Shortly after Jimmy McLaughlin drew a great hustle foul just outside the box. After some contentious discussion between Delbridge, Wiedeman, and Kenney Walker, Walker stepped up and hit a blast curling away from the Red Bull keeper and into the net for a 4th FCC goal.

After the 4th goal Coach Koch seemed content to have his team drop back and defend for the final 18 minutes. Valot was able to get a 2nd for the away team but the FCC defense was able to prevail for the 4-2 victory.

The win gets the Orange & Blue to 39 points and in 6th place, 3 clear of Orlando City B in 8th.

WATCH: Full time highlights and recap from the booth. #FCCINCY 4⁰#NYRBII 2#CINvNY pic.twitter.com/k0LEYJP9n2

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) September 17, 2017

3 Thoughts

Midfield Duo- Saturday night’s performance was one of the best in FC Cincinnati’s short history and was highlighted by the play of Corben Bone and Kenney Walker. The 2nd year veterans of the club showed why their presence is critical if FCC is able to challenge in September and October. The duo controlled the tempo of the game and was great in releasing the counter-attack. They always seemed to be in the right place at the right time and more importantly had the pulse of their teammates.

4- The number of matches left and they are all away from the friendly confines of Nippert Stadium. The Orange & Blue have suffered away from home picking up 2 wins and 7 of their 9 losses. Fortunately for them, they have fared well against these 4 teams so far the season. They knocked off 11th place Saint Louis FC twice, last place Toronto FC2 once, and claimed a weeknight 3-1 victory over Ottawa recently. On paper, their most challenging match should be against 4th place Charlotte who drew FCC earlier this season.

Still No Shutout- The offense was the star of the show behind clinical finishing from a number of players but the team is still conceding goals and putting Mitch in tough places too often. Even more of an issue could be the absence of Austin Berry if his first-half injury keeps him out for an extended period of time. Coach Koch has some work to do with the clubs last shutout coming nearly 2 months ago. Paul Nicholson came into the match and could see some more time but a likely scenario could see Justin Hoyte move back to center back with the return of Josu or Tyler Polak to the lineup.

Box Score

FC Cincinnati Starting XI (3-4-3): Hildebrandt (GK), (L-R) Delbridge, de Wit, Berry (45′); Hoyte, Bone, K. Walker, Bahner; McLoughlin, Djiby (55′), Wiedeman (88′)
Subs: Jaye (GK), Nicholson (45′), Konig (55′), Dacres, Greig (88′), Josu, Schindler

New York Red Bulls II Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Diaz (GK); Najem, Powder (86′), Ndam, Scarlett; Tinari (75′), Flemmings; Metzger, Besecourt, Valot (86′); Bonomo
Subs: Louro (GK), Baah (86′), Kutler, Schmoll, Basuljevic, Lewis (86′), Martinez (75′)

Goal Summary:

5’ Berry (CIN)
18’ Vallot (NY)
32’ Bone (CIN)
67’ Delbridge (CIN)
72’ Walker (CIN)
80’ Valot (NY)

Discipline:
9′ Berry (CIN)
14′ Fall (CIN)
23′ Wiedeman (CIN)
26′ Bahner (CIN)
73’ Delbridge (CIN)
76’ Bone (CIN)
80’ Baah (NY)

Next Up:

Saturday 9/23 – at Saint Louis FC – 8:30 p.m. EST – St. Louis, MO

@bradleysweigel for @CincySoccerTalk

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Matchday #27: FC Cincinnati at Harrisburg City

FNB Field – Attendance: 1,820 (Enough for their water bottle giveaway)

Well that was something to see. Jimmy McLaughlin salvaged a point at the literal death of the game as FC Cincinnati would draw Harrisburg City Islanders 1-1 on Ladies Night at FNB Field. McLaughlin chased down the proverbial last watermelon (see podcast) as he lifted the spirits of all FC Cincinnati fans on Tuesday night.

Head Coach Alan Koch trotted out a different lineup with a formation shift away in Harrisburg. Koch utilized a back four (in a 4-4-2) comprised of Tyler Polak, Harrison Delbridge, Sem De Wit and Justin Hoyte. Polak did not last long as he was injured in a 9th-minute tackle. The left back would be replaced in the 13th by Josu.

The central midfield pairing of Kenney Walker and Aodhan Quinn, who replaced Corben Bone who is awaiting the birth of his first child, fared well defensively early on. The City Islanders held a 54/46 possession advantage in the first half, but Cincinnati allowed City to hold possession.

Through the first half, FC Cincinnati struggled to create many serious chances offensively. The Orange & Blue’s best chance came on a nice give-and-go between Jimmy McLaughlin and Josu. The final Josu cross would just skim the head of Kyle Greig, but the ball skipped to Walker whose shot skimmed the crossbar.

FC Cincinnati nearly got on the board again as Kadeem Dacres slipped a ball wide to Josu in the 45th. Josu’s cross was barely blocked as he was looking towards an open Konig. Harrisburg did find chances on several counter plays but attempts by Wilson and Mensah wide would lead to their two major opportunities. Both sides entered the break 0-0.

Harrisburg would come out of halftime on a mission. Chances in the 46th and 47th minutes would just miss but the home side finally found the back of the net in the 51st. FC Cincinnati’s defense would be exposed off a long pass to midfielder Pedro Ribeiro. The Brazilian headed the ball to Mensah whose quick pass to Mendoza unlocked the central defensive pairing on De Wit & Delbridge. Mendoza beat Hildebrant 1 on 1 to put the hosts on top.

The City Islanders would then bunker and allow Cincinnati to control the game and get considerable chances on frame. Their star goalkeeper Brandon Miller seemed up to the task. Miller’s 3 saves and 3 clearances kept the home squad in the match. The keeper made back-to-back stops on Josu free kicks in the 61st and 62nd minutes to frustrate the Cincy attack. His best save of the night was in the 68th off of a Djiby header. The Senegalese forward was somehow ruled offsides, robbing Miller a Save of the Week nomination.

Forward Kyle Grieg was perhaps robbed of a penalty call after the 72nd minute as he was clipped down in the box. The loanee from Vancouver had issues getting involved next to his starting partner Konig, but found more life next to Djiby. Grieg had a golden opportunity late in the match as he found himself one-on-one with Miller. His shot would be clipped by Miller in what would be a disappointing night for the newcomer.

Things looked to be over late in stoppage time but a headed pass from Djiby Fall would find the Penn Messi for the defining moment of the match. McLaughlin was able to create chances all match, but none better that his 94th-minute effort. Sheer will and pace allowed Jimmy to break free for a chance on goal. A great first touch off the Djiby headed pass allowed McLaughlin to slip the ball under Miller for the winning goal.

Here is better video of the @J_McLaughlinIII goal that may have saved the season for @fccincinnati pic.twitter.com/vv2BQPr3KX

— Cincy Soccer Talk (@cincysoccertalk) September 13, 2017

The Harrisburg bench and roster went nuts as the goal seemed to have gone in well after the 4th minute of stoppage, but the ref waived them away and Cincinnati will return for their home finale salvaging a point in the capital of Pennsylvania. The point moved FC Cincinnati to 9-9-9 and 7th place above Orlando. The Boys in Orange & Blue will return home to Cincinnati Saturday to face New York Red Bulls II. Koch’s side go into the match needing 3 points vs. a side they have never beaten. Check out Cincinnati Soccer Talk for our previews and stories leading up to the match.

3 Thoughts

We need Bone: What was apparent was the lack of a second central midfielder to dictate play. While Walker was seen all over the field, his partner Aodhan Quinn was lost on several occasions. None more apparent than late in the first half on a casually popped ball that should have been intercepted and a counter sprung. The midfield will need to be perfect on Saturday and without Bone’s knack of choosing his points to go forward or hang back, we may be in trouble. Good luck to the Bone’s on the impending birth of their child.

Was that really our Best XI?: While I know there is a need to rest players going into a short week, that could not have honestly been our best XI. While I thought Dacres did reasonably well in his 70+ minutes, he hasn’t started a match since June. Where have Djiby and Austin Berry been? Is this an instance of two players not being mentally tough on the road? The offense changed with the addition of Djiby and I’m not sure he can be left out vs. New York at home. After such a long break I would have expected a full strength lineup and this seemed far from it.

Jimmy We Love You:  How about this guy? Yes, does his shot let him down sometimes, but how many players created chances the entire match. Our Penn Messi gives 110% every match and is a key to our squad. Good on you Jimmy for seeing the game through and getting the point. The fans of Cincinnati respect the hell out of you and we are glad you are a part of our club.

Box Score

FC Cincinnati Starting XI (4-4-2): Hildebrandt (GK), (R-L) Hoyte, De Wit, Delbridge, Polak (13′); McLaughlin, Quinn, K. Walker, Dacres (72′); Greig, Konig (63′)
Subs: Jaye (GK), Berry, Djiby (63′), Josu (13′), Nicholson, Schindler, Wiedeman (72′)

Harrisburg City Starting XI (3-4-3): Miller (GK), Brent. Calvano, Nishahanian; Mclaws, Dabo, Ribeiro (77′), Opoku; Mendoza (83′), Mensah, Wilson (74′)
Subs: Lewis, Bond (83′), Diprima (74′), Benbow, Olabiyi (77′), Sanchez, Wheeler

Scoring

51′ – Harrisburg – Mendoza (Mensah)

94′ – Cincinnati – McLaughlin (DjibY)

Next Up:

(LEAGUE) Saturday 9/16 – vs. New York Red Bulls II – 7:00 p.m. EST – Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, OH – TICKETS

(US WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM FRIENDLY) Tuesday 9/19 – vs. New Zealand – 7:30 p.m. – Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, OH – TICKETS

@BryanWeigel for @CincySoccerTalk

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Matchday #26: FC Cincinnati 1 vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1

Nippert Stadium – Attendance: 22,643

It was an extremely poor and sloppy start for FC Cincinnati. The bad signs were showing in the 2nd minute when Justin Hoyte’s backward pass to Mitch Hildebrandt sold the keeper short and in an effort to clear the ball away from Pittsburgh’s Hertzog, Hildebrandt smoked FC Cincinnati’s center back right in the face. Nearly a minute later, a poor turnover resulted in a one on one shot for Romeo Parks who thankfully kicked it right at the FC Cincinnati keeper. In the just the third minute of the match, Pittsburgh’s Corey Hertzog grabbed a loose ball at the top of the penalty box and bend it past Hildebrandt to make it 1-0 to the Hounds. It was Pittsburgh’s first ever goal against FC Cincinnati, the two teams have now played 5 total matches since joining USL.

FC Cincinnati struggled mightily in the first 20 minutes of this match, really finding it difficult to connect passes from defense to midfield. The home side may have had a penalty shot in the 19th minute when Konig hit the turf inside the penalty area while battling for a ball with Pittsburgh’s Jack. Replay showed that it was not worthy of a call, just tough defending in the box.

In the 24th minute on another FC Cincinnati corner, the Orange and Blue had a sure fire chance to score. Danny Konig from point blank range had the ball deflect off his chest at the goal line. During the mad scramble for the ball, it appeared that Pittsburgh’s Adewole may have handled the ball in the box but FC Cincinnati did not get the call. The replays showed that the ball did in fact touch the player’s arm, but could be debated that it was ball to arm rather than arm to ball.

FC Cincinnati after the 20th minute really started coming into the match much better. In the 33rd minute, Wiedeman did well to spin out of a tackle in the box, tried to pick out a streaking Matt Bahner near the 6-yard box but it was headed away by Pittsburgh’s Jack.

But quickly the other way came Pittsburgh in the 34th minute. Hertzog made a very quick run in behind the FC Cincinnati back line forcing Mitch Hildebrandt to come flying out in defense. The keeper brought down Pittsburgh’s forward 40 yards from goal earning himself a yellow card, the first caution of the game. Fortunately for FC Cincinnati, the resulting free kick did no harm.

FC Cincinnati finished the 1st half with a flurry. In the 40th minute, Andrew Wiedeman brought the Nippert Stadium crowd to their feet with a blast from outside the 18 knotting the game at 1. It was his 2nd goal of the season and it came at a crucial point just before the half. The forward took advantage of the Pittsburgh backline turnover hitting the one-time shot low and to Perrella’s left. It was great buildup combination play involving Kenney Walker, Bahner and Konig. The ball fell fortunately to Wiedeman’s feet at the top of the 18 who buried it home.

Both teams came out for the 2nd half with unchanged lineups and both found it difficult to get anything going.

Kenney Walker who’s been a rock at midfield for this team all season long picked up a yellow card in the 50th minute after a tough challenge on Pittsburgh’s Jack.

Both teams seemed to have found their rhythm later in the 2nd half after both teams made substitutions but neither were able to take their chances. Djiby came on in place of Konig in the 65th minute had a header go over the bar. He also skied a volley from the top of the 18 into the Bailey. FC Cincinnati also brought on Kadeem Dacres for Jimmy McLoughlin late in the match.

Corey Hertzog showed why he’s been on fire of late for the Riverhounds again in the 2nd half as he had another chance go just wide of Mitch Hildebrandt’s far post. The ball was bouncing and he went for the spectacular volley but fortunately, the ball bounced wide of the post.

The match finished 1-1 a result that really doesn’t suit either side who are both fighting for the last playoff spot in the east.

3 Thoughts

Seriously? This team hadn’t played a match in 10 days and were supposed to be the fresher side. Instead, Pittsburgh came out with more energy and looked like the team that wanted it more. FC Cincinnati was caught giving up possession early and was careless with the ball. They hadn’t given up a goal EVER to Pittsburgh and 3 minutes in they found themselves down a goal. That was extremely disappointing.

Who is this team? It’s hard to believe that just a year ago this team was fighting for the top spot in the Eastern Conference of USL. Now a year later this team continues to struggle against teams near or below them in the USL standings. Yeah a deep US Open cup run is great but if you miss the playoffs does it really matter? Right now this team looks nothing like a team ready to fight for a USL Championship which is what Jeff Berding clearly set out for in the 2016 offseason.

Spine of the Team: Successful teams no matter what league they’re playing in usually have a strong spine, meaning they’re solid at GK, CB, CM and striker. Right now there are questions at center back for this team. FC Cincinnati brought in Sem de Wit a few weeks ago to shore that up, he’s been less than convincing. Austin Berry came on today for the injured Matt Bahner in the 2nd half but he’s been up and down this year. Delbridge as well. The team spent much of the offseason focusing on goals, but recently this team’s biggest need is depth at midfield. Kenney Walker appears to be running on fumes, so does Corben Bone. This team is severely missing an attacking midfielder to connect to Djiby and Konig. Goals are nice, but this offseason let’s hope they address the midfield a bit more.

Box Score

FC Cincinnati Starting XI (3-4-3): Hildebrandt (GK), (L-R) Delbridge, Hoyte, de Wit; Josu, Bone, K. Walker, Bahner; McLoughlin, König, Wiedeman
Subs: Jaye (GK), Berry (59′), Dacres (85′), Djiby (65′), Greig, Quinn, Schindler

Pittsburgh Riverhounds Starting XI (4-4-2): Perrella (GK), Washington, Jack, Adewole, Duffie; Parkes, Souto, Okai, Kerr; Walsh, Hertzog
Subs: Kapp (GK), Agbossoumonde (69′), Gomez, J. Thompson, Earls, Howell (89′), Kay Banjo (69′)

Goal Summary:
3′ Hertzog (PIT)
40′ Wiedeman (CIN)

Discipline:
34′ Hildebrandt (CIN)
50′ Walker (CIN)
82′ Delbridge (CIN)
93′ Jack (PIT)

HIGHLIGHTS:

FCC vs PGH RECAP & HIGHLIGHTS:
FCC : 1
PGH : 1#CINvPGH pic.twitter.com/HC63rL1R5k

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) September 2, 2017

Next Up:

Tuesday 9/12 – at Harrisburg City Islanders – 6:30 p.m. EST – Harrisburg, PA

@NickSeuberling for @CincySoccerTalk

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Matchday #25: Ottawa Fury vs. FC Cincinnati

Nippert Stadium – Attendance: 20,058

Head Coach Alan Koch spoke on our podcast this week and talked about how the team was physically and mentally exhausted. He said they were all in need of some down time and rest and were looking forward to 4 days off, but first, they needed to take care of Ottawa Fury at home in Nippert Stadium. The fatigue wasn’t going to go away for this game but being home with the Cincinnati 12th man in the stadium, Koch felt that they could turn their fortunes around.

And they did.

It wasn’t always pretty with some tense moments while the players scrummed inside the 6 yard box, but the home town boys got the job done and broke their month long winless streak. Moving up from 9th place (missing the playoffs) to 6th place (back in the playoffs), the team can go into their break feeling positive and ready to make a strong run to the playoffs at the end of the season.

With the first whistle, FC Cincinnati came out right from the start, dominated possession and dictated the flow of the game. Passing was crisp and turnovers were aggressively smothered. The team showed energy and the crowd was responding. A goal for Ottawa was ruled offside early followed by a strike by Delbridge from distance which rang off the crossbar. These and several other chances continued to build the momentum and energy in the stadium.

Finally in the 34th minute, Polak delivered a beautiful cross into the box and forward Danni König managed to get his foot onto the ball and redirect it into the back of the net.

WATCH: Danni Konig scores a goal in the 34' to give FCC a 1-0 lead. #CINvOTT pic.twitter.com/UjfSrZmhr3

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) August 24, 2017

Ottawa almost leveled the score though in the 38th minute when a strike from Ottawa caught Mitch Hildebrandt off balanced. The keeper pushed his clearance attempt upward, but the ball carried back toward the goal line. Center back Harrison Delbridge looks like a contender for Save of the Week as he bicycle kicked the ball off the line and out of the goal.

Harrison Delbridge. Welcome to the #SCtop10 pic.twitter.com/3snS9HEsAf

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) August 24, 2017

The boys in Orange and Blue continued to battle and press and in the 42nd minute on a counter, König touched a ball back to McLaughlin who turned on the jets and sprinted half the field to slot the ball past the keeper into the back corner.

WATCH: Jimmy Mclaughlin scores a breakaway goal to give FCC a 2-0 lead in the first half. #CINvOTT pic.twitter.com/gjmwrl8jQb

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) August 24, 2017

As the first half ended, FC Cincinnati was firmly in control of the game with 2 unanswered goals, 55% of the possession, 83% passing accuracy, and a slight edge on shots with 8 (2 on target) to Ottawa’s 6 (1 on target).

Koch’s message at half was to keep the momentum up and the second half started well. In the 57th minute, off a Polak free kick, Sem deWit tapped the ball into the net and scored his first goal for FCC.

WATCH: Sem DeWit scores his first goal of the season for FCC in the 57'#CINvOTT pic.twitter.com/ScoJeQYiGQ

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) August 24, 2017

But that was going to be it for the home team. Six minutes later, Ottawa would pull one back when Dos Santos would put one in off a corner kick. With a little momentum finally going their way and the fatigue that Coach Koch warned about noticeably slowing the boys down, FCC bunkered down and just held on. The Fury pelted the defense with shots but the Orange and Blue stayed strong and fended off the attacks. In the dying moments of stoppage time, Mitch was called upon to make one more huge save and keep the score line intact.

WATCH: Mitch Hildebrandt leaps to save a goal and protect a 3-1 lead for FCC in the 93'. #CINvOTT pic.twitter.com/JOtgij9BuI

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) August 24, 2017

When the game closed out, we could see that FC Cincinnati had pulled back significantly in the second half. Total possession dropped to 47%, passing accuracy had dropped to 74%, and Cincinnati had only manage to make an additional 2 shots in the second half compared to Ottawa who made 13 (6 on target).

Still, the victory tasted sweet, Cincinnati had turned out for their team and the boys had fought through the exhaustion and delivered 3 points to the Queen City.

3 Thoughts

Motivation: In the last 2 USL games, fans felt that the team was not showing enough motivation. They came out flat and fell behind and didn’t respond well. As the goals accumulated and the fans grew frustrated, the team seemed to shrink and give the opposing team more and more control over the game. Clearly, this was not an issue for this game. Did Coach Koch set his players straight? Did they just need some time to come back down to the USL from the exciting Open Cup run? Whatever the reason, the team battled today. There were some rough patches for sure and Ottowa got unlucky several times, but the grit and determination from FCC was a difference maker.

Kenny Walker: Welcome back, sir. We missed you. When Walker is not on the pitch, the team struggles. He provides a critical role to break up plays before they make it to the defense and is a key piece in transitioning out of the back. When he is absent, the games don’t have the same flow and we struggle to possess and manage the game.

Away Form:  Today was an important win for the team. It broke up a month long winless streak and put the momentum in the right direction going into a long break, but it doesn’t answer the question of away form. The team has 7 games remaining and only 2 of those are home. While Nippert is a fortress and we rarely lose at home, Cincinnati has not performed well away. We need to win many of the remaining games to secure a playoff spot. The game on September 12th will be a critical game to set the tone and show that we’re focused on the USL and looking to be part of another Cup run.

Box Score

FC Cincinnati Starting XI (3-4-3): Hildebrandt (GK), (L-R) Delbridge, Hoyte, de Wit (79′); Polak, Bone, K. Walker, Bahner; McLaughlin (93′), König, Wiedeman (64′)
Subs: Jaye (GK), Berry (11′), Dacres (2′), Djiby, Dominguez, Greig (26′), Schindler

Ottawa Fury Starting XI (3-4-3): Irving (GK), McEleney, Martin Del Campo, Barden; Campbell, Bruna, Manesio (64′), Dixon (45′); Haworth, Dos Santos, Seoane (87′)
Subs: Paulmin (GK), Hume (45′), Meilleur-Giguère, Mkungilwa, Obasi (26′), Reid, Sanon (3′)

Goal Summary:
FCC: 34th – König (Polak)
FCC: 42nd – McLaughlin (König)
FCC: 57th – de Wit
OTT: 63rd – Dos Santos (Martin Del Campo)

HIGHLIGHTS:

Next Up:

Saturday 9/2 – vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds – 4:00 p.m. EST – Nippert Stadium

@Billwwolf for @CincySoccerTalk

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Matchday #24: FC Cincinnati at New York Red Bulls II

MSU Soccer Park – Attendance: – 730

FC Cincinnati got another opportunity against the New York Red Bulls, this time it was against their USL side, Red Bulls II.

From the kickoff, the Red Bulls controlled possession while Cincinnati looked a step slow. In the first ten minutes, the Cincinnati midfield allowed New York to get a few uncontested shots on goal.

The Red Bulls were the first to get on the scoreboard, in the 23′, after a foul by Marco Dominguez in the box granted Stephen Bonomo a penalty. (1-0 NYRBII)

New York defender,  Jordan Scarlett, kept Djiby in check for most of the first half, neutralizing any runs the Cincinnati striker attempted against the New York back four. Very few threatening chances came in the first 45′ for Cincinnati as the Orange & Blue were out possessed by a large 58%-42% margin.

credit: Alex Vehr – Cincy Sports Photos

In the 42′, a Corben Bone foul led to a Red Bulls free kick. The kick was curled into the box, three Red Bulls got in behind the defense with Hassan Ndam connecting for the home teams second goal. (2-0 NYRBII)

At the half, Coach Alan Koch decided to bring in Jimmy McClaughlin to replace Marco Dominguez. Jimmy’s intensity was impactful but not enough to resurrect the Orange and Blue. In the 53′ Jimmy was able to get in behind the Red Bull defense with a great pass from Greig, but the run was unsuccessful.

There was a slight glimmer of hope in the 65′ when Ndam was shown a second yellow. Now up a man, Cincinnati had the opportunity to get back into this game. Just as soon as there seemed to be hope, all hope disappeared in the 73′ and 74′ when Junior Flemmings buried the Orange and Blue by adding two goals,  increasing the Red Bulls lead to four. (4-0 NYRBII)

Much credit to Rafael Diaz, New York Red Bulls II keeper, made some incredible saves to keep Cincinnati off of the scoreboard. But overall FC Cincinnati dropped three points on the road when they need them most to secure a playoff spot for the 2017 postseason.

3 Thoughts

Final Spot: FC Cincinnati drops to 9th in the table with a few teams on its heels for the last playoff spot. This club needs to create some separation in the playoff picture. Next up is Ottawa, who currently have two wins on the road. The Orange & Blue need to get 3 points in this match to help their standing as well as change their momentum in league play.

Life without Kenney: The midfield void is very apparent when Kenney Walker is not on the pitch. The lineup needs an enforcer in the middle. We have some talented center backs, but we cannot rely on them as our only means of defense.

Focus:  The magical cup run is over. This club needs to concentrate its entire focus on the remaining eight matches of the season. We are approaching win or go home, dropping any more points this season could be the final blow to the 2017 campaign.

LINEUPS

FC Cincinnati Starting XI (3-5-2): Hildebrandt (GK), (R-L) Berry (75) (c), Nicholson, Delbridge; Hoyte, Quinn, Dominguez (45), Bone, Josu; Greig, Djiby (61)
Subs: Jaye (GK), Bahner, Konig (61), McLaughlin (45), Polak, Schindler, Wiedeman

New York Red Bulls II Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Diaz (GK), Najem, Powder, Ndam, Scarlett; Shigenobu, Flemmings (87), Tinari, Valot; Lewis (67), Bonomo (81)
Subs: Louro, Abidor, Kutler, Schmoll (67), Bartley, Martinez (81), Mines (87)

REACTIONS:

Tune into the next Cincinnati Soccer Talk podcasts on TUESDAY night at 8 p.m. as we will recap Saturday’s match as well as discuss FC Cincinnati with Special Guest, FC Cincinnati Head Coach Alan Koch.

Next Up:

(LEAGUE) Wednesday 8/23 – vs. Ottawa Fury FC – 7:30 p.m. EST – Nippert Stadium; Cincinnati, OH

@GriBry for @CincySoccerTalk

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