FC Cincinnati and Columbus were separated by zilch on the scoreboard in a goalless draw Saturday in the West End, and very little on the stat sheet. FCC held 50.1 percent possession, Columbus 49.9. FCC had two shots on goal, Columbus had three. FCC had two yellow cards, Columbus had one.
The Crew had the edge in expected goals 1.4-0.5, but the hosts also had a Lucho Acosta goal wiped off the board for a close, but correct, offsides goal. Thus, the two remain separated by two points in the East standings, the Orange and Blue ahead 52-50, but with Columbus enjoying a game in hand. There’s much to play for from now through mid-October, and the Crew’s schedule is rugged until Decision Day.
Sans starters Ian Murphy and Miles Robinson at centerback, head coach Pat Noonan elected to start veterans Alvas Powell and DeAndre Yedlin, two typical wingbacks, alongside Chidozie Awaziem on the backline. Yuya Kubo—who has also started matches this year at defensive midfield, center midfield, and striker—started at left wingback, with Luca Orellano at right wingback. This makeshift defense amazingly kept Columbus’ cadre of offensive talent scoreless—namely, MVP candidate Cucho Hernandez—which is an encouraging sign for FC Cincinnati.
Lucho Acosta’s reintroduction into the starting XI, the captain’s first start since in two months, was a welcome sight for supporters as well. He logged 90-plus minutes, a positive first step in the talisman ramping up his fitness for the final stretch of the regular season. Acosta also needs minutes to build a rapport with striker Nicholas Gioacchini.
The two had yet to share the pitch at the same time prior to Saturday. Gioacchini has struggled to make an impact, with just one shot on target in 199 minutes (including Saturday). Prior to this season, striker was a position of strength and consistency for the Garys. Former constants Brenner (2021-22) and Brandon Vazquez (2022-23) soaked up the majority of the starts in Acosta’s first three years in Cincinnati, contributing a combined 57 goals from 2021 to 2023.
This season has seen a revolving door of injuries, absence, and uneven form, with Kubo, Aaron Boupendza, Corey Baird, Kevin Kelsy, and Sergio Santos rotating through the starting XI before Gioacchini’s arrival in August. The full-time forwards (Boupendza, Baird, Kelsey, and Santos) have scored 13 goals, though Kubo is the squad’s second-leading scorer with nine.
Gioacchini bagged 10 goals for St. Louis last season, earning an offseason move to Italy, so more pitch time with Acosta should unlock his full arsenal. Again, Gioacchini’s place in the starting XI is not a risk, though he could be paired with Kubo up top in matches in which FCC deprioritizes fielding taller forwards who can hold up the ball.
That I’ve gotten this far without mentioning that Saturday’s draw was enough to clinch a third straight playoff berth is indicative of the lengths the franchise has come on the field and in the front office after three straight Wooden Spoons from 2019 to 2021. FC Cincinnati now has as many seasons in the postseason as it does out, with no downturn looming on the horizon.
Tonight begins a two-match road trip, with FCC traveling to Minneapolis for the first time since May 2022. Then Saturday brings a road tilt vs. struggling Nashville—currently 14th in the 15-team East—who downed FC Cincinnati 2-0 on May 29, ending the Orange and Blue’s seven-match winning streak.
Grant Freking writes FC Cincinnati coverage for Cincinnati Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter at @GrantFreking.
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