FC Cincinnati Prepare for a Battle, Ramps up Intensity as Playoff Action Returns

November 25, 2023 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – FC Cincinnati News Release

FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan has made clear his opinion of how thin the margins of success can be in the MLS Cup Playoffs. All the work you do is to give your players the chance to do amazing things in amazing moments.

With each round of the playoffs, and the further you advance in the quest for the MLS Cup Final, those little edges get smaller but all the more vital. The calculated risks become more volatile, but the rewards are massive.

In a rematch from last season’s playoffs that ultimately ended FC Cincinnati’s first postseason run in MLS, there will be a clash of clubs who have had all the time in the world to iron out the details and plot for all possible eventualities. With three weeks between matches, thanks to the all-new MLS postseason format intersecting with the FIFA international break, FCC has had longer to prepare for any one opponent than they have all season. At one point this year, in the same span, The Orange and Blue played eight games, making the preparation for this game drawn out and meticulous.

“We know what it takes to beat a team this good,” forward Brandon Vazquez said Wednesday. “They have a top quality group so playing them is always a battle. It’s always a close game. They have a good coaching staff and it’s a great matchup for us.”

“In these moments when you get into the pressure games and environments, it can be chaotic, but you still have to play, and you have to figure out how to have composure,” Noonan said. “Whether it’s decision making with the ball, whether it’s getting past mistakes, how you conduct yourself with the officials, you have to find ways to mentally be in the right space to get the decisions right and to help your team.

“It’s important that we understand how and when to have the composure to find success and go win the game.”

The goal heading into the final week of training before Saturday was to have FCC as close to their peak performance as possible and to use the weeks leading into it to ensure that they were trending towards that place.

Weeks one and two were about getting healthy and focusing on themselves, implementing ideas and strategies that are self-contained and FCC-focused rather than dealing with the unknown. So by the time week three arrived, the team felt their identity was shored up, and they could turn focus to their opponent.

“The reality is we’ve had so many guys that have needed extra recovery, and with…