Photograph courtesy FC Cincinnati
Patience and prudence are the words that come to mind when I digest FC Cincinnati’s opening week: a 2-0 victory over Jamaican squad Cavalier F.C. in the Concacaf Champions League and a nil-nil home draw vs. Toronto FC to begin MLS play.
The Orange and Blue have delivered debut duds in three successive seasons under Pat Noonan. Last season they were fortunate to escape with a 2-1 victory at TQL Stadium, and in 2022 they were blown away 5-0 in Austin. Remember those matches? In any case, Cincinnati qualified for the playoffs while playing satisfying soccer through the summer and into fall. I’m confident 2024 will be the same.
On Sunday afternoon against Toronto, the hosts employed seven changes to the preferred 2023 starting XI: Miles Robinson and Kipp Keller at center back, Luca Orellano and Yuya Kubo at wingback, Pavel Bucha in midfield, and Corey Baird and Sergio Santos at striker. The shuffling was due to player departures (Brandon Vazquez, Junior Moreno, Alvaro Barreal, Santi Arias, and Yerson Mosquera) as well as Matt Miazga serving a one-game suspension via his careless antics during the 2023 postseason.
All the new faces, combined with tired legs and the usual early-season kinks, predictably delivered a slog of a showing against the worst MLS team in 2023. Give the visitors—now led by former Canadian men’s national team coach John Herdman, a good skipper—credit for mucking up Cincinnati’s preferred attacking angles. The fact that Toronto was the worst or second-worst East team in each of the past three seasons is not due to a lack of skill or technique; Herdman had his side well-drilled Sunday.
FC Cincinnati was also playing on short rest—the team returned from Jamaica early Friday morning—and dealing with a litany of unexpected absences. Barreal’s disinterest in suiting up for the Garys after a failed transfer was a late curveball, as was striker Aaron Boupendza’s preseason knock that has him on a minutes restriction.
For further context, opening weekend saw two other 2023 East bottom feeders claiming points against recent East No. 1 playoff seeds: Philly (2022 top seed) drew with Chicago at home, and New England (2021 top seed) lost 3-1 at D.C. United.
Reunion with Vazquez coming
FC Cincinnati kicked 2024 off with a bumpy 2-0 win in Jamaica last Thursday, with goals from Santos and substitute Malik Pinto the difference over Cavalier F.C. Played on an uneven surface before an announced crowd of 650, Cincinnati dominated shot totals (27-5 total; 7-1 on target) and completed 87% of their 729 passes (compared to 60% of 234 for the hosts).
Santos and Bret Halsey, who combined for the first goal, were handed surprise starts. Kubo started at right back as predicted, and Bucha made his club debut in the midfield.
The 2-0 advantage should suffice in the two-legged affair in which the squad with the better aggregate scoreline advances to play C.F. Monterrey, an elite Liga MX side that’s the new home of former FC Cincinnati star striker Brandon Vazquez. Since moving to Mexico in January, he has eight scores in just under 400 minutes played across all competitions. A two-legged tie vs. Monterrey would take place March 7 at TQL Stadium and March 14 in Mexico.
Up next
Tonight is the second leg against Cavalier, and even with FC Cincinnati ahead 2-0 I would still expect Noonan to play the key regulars, hoping for an early goal or two so that Acosta, Nwobodo, and others can be rested in the second half. Cincinnati resumes MLS play with a short road trip to Chicago Saturday evening.
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