FC Cincinnati’s 2-1 triumph in Atlanta Saturday night—a poised, collective effort with commendable individual showings—halted the club’s losing streak at two matches, ensuring that the Orange and Blue would not drop a third successive contest for the first time in two-plus seasons under head coach Pat Noonan. After being outclassed in a rivalry match vs. the New York Red Bulls and authoring a forgettable performance last weekend in Montreal, FCC garnered a deserved come-from-behind win over a perennial East playoff squad in front of 42,600 spectators.
Noonan switched up his starting XI, re-inserting free agent forward Corey Baird (goalless in 2024) for Aaron Boupendza, who was goalless in his past eight appearances (six starts). Nick Hagglund started at center back over Ian Murphy, though the latter replaced him just before halftime due to injury.
Atlanta star Thiago Almada broke the deadline in the 59th minute on a whiz-bang of a strike, but he also accidentally kickstarted the counterattack that leveled the score three minutes later. Almada attempted a short corner, but Lucho Acosta was wise to the arrangement and intercepted the poorly hit pass. Acosta deftly navigated the ensuing fast break and fed Luca Orellano at the perfect time, allowing the 24-year-old to slot past Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan for his first club goal. The left wingback became the sixth first-time goal scorer for the Orange and Blue this season.
Orellano, who had struck the post in the 29th minute, has persisted through bouts of up and down play as he adjusts to life in MLS after suiting up in the Argentine and Brazilian first division before joining FCC this winter. The score should also furnish him with a jolt of conviction as attempts the unenviable task of replacing Alvaro Barreal, arguably MLS’s top left wingback through the last half of 2022 and all of 2023.
Acosta put FC Cincinnati ahead for good two minutes after assisting on Orellano’s score. Perhaps inspired by Masters champ Scottie Scheffler, right wingback DeAndre Yedlin executed a dreamy pitch wedge of a pass that landed right at Acosta’s feet. Acosta easily beat Guzan for the goal, his third of the season and 43rd with the club, tied with Brandon Vazquez for most in FCC history.
As for Baird, his best play of the day was an action he chose not to take. He could have attempted to head Yedlin’s pass, but he was aware enough to fake a headed touch (or at least that’s how it looked; we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt) and give Acosta a clear line of sight to receive Yedlin’s pass. Baird also buzzed the goal mouth in the ninth minute and hit the post in the 55th minute, so while the new signing remains scoreless, Saturday was a markedly better showing for him.
Center back Miles Robinson and goalkeeper Alec Kann, two former Atlanta players, keyed FC Cincinnati’s victory as well. In the 40th minute, Kann—who suited up for the Five Stripes primarily as a backup from 2017 to 2021—displayed timely courage to come off his line and snuff out a one-on-one chance. He spilled the shot in the area of an Atlanta player, and Robinson got stuck in on the follow-up shot. But Robinson, who joined the Orange and Blue this winter after seven seasons in Atlanta, successfully blocked it, taking a big knock for his efforts and briefly leaving the match. Robinson was also credited with an assist—a hockey assist, really—on Acosta’s score.
On another happy note, Saturday was the last scheduled match FC Cincinnati will play on artificial turf in 2024. Though the club is unbeaten in 10 consecutive tilts on artificial turf, the playing surface is notoriously rougher on player’s bodies.
A Vazquez replacement?
It’s fair to say most FCC observers, myself included, underplayed the impact of Vazquez’s move to Liga MX, as well as reserve Dominique Badji leaving the club. Baird and Boupendza have ample strengths, but hold-up play is not one of them. Insert 6-foot-4 Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy, who has joined the Orange and Blue on loan through the end of the season from Ukrainian first-division club Shakhtar Donetsk.
Kelsy is in Cincinnati but still has visa hoops to jump through before he makes his debut. Once he does, I will go deeper on what could be an eventual solution for FC Cincinnati’s lack of physicality up front.
Up next
FCC (15 points) is alone in third place after the weekend league slate, three points off East-leading Inter Miami. Up next is a home match Saturday against resurgent Colorado, third in the West (15 points) after placing dead last in the West in 2023 (27 points from 34 matches).
Grant Freking writes FC Cincinnati coverage for Cincinnati Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter at @GrantFreking.
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