By the Numbers: FC Cincinnati at Atlanta United FC

April 19, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Cincinnati News Release

FC Cincinnati hit the road for a second straight weekend, heading south for a match with Atlanta United FC at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. With kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET, fans can watch the game on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and listen locally on ESPN 1530.

Let’s break down this matchup with some key numbers to consider, presented by CTI.

56

Pavel Bucha is fifth in MLS with 56 loose ball recoveries, per FBRef.com. As a club, FCC ranks ninth in MLS with 390. Bucha, one of seven FCC players to feature in all eight league matches this season and the only one to start all of them, continues to improve with each match in terms of cleaning up the midfield and pushing play forward.

With 10 recoveries against CF Montréal, a season-high, Bucha has recorded seven or more recoveries in seven of eight matchups and has additionally recorded a winning tackle or interception in all but one game this season.

6.1

The FC Cincinnati defense leads all of MLS with a league-low 6.1 non-penalty xG against this season. With just five goals against from open play this season, The Orange and Blue have done well to eliminate opportunities from opponents before they happen and keep danger to a minimum.

The Orange and Blue defensive group also ranks fifth in fewest “Goal Creating Actions Against” with 12. A Goal Creating Action (or GCA) is defined as any two actions that directly lead to a shot on target, including take-ons, passes, or drawing a foul. While currently allowing the fifth-fewest in MLS, three of the four clubs ahead of FCC (Houston, Atlanta, Seattle) have all played seven matches to FCC’s eight.

96

In continuing the trend of dominating midfield defense, FCC is fourth in MLS this season with 96 tackles won; Yuya Kubo leads the club with 15 tackles won (six coming in the attacking third, eighth most in MLS), with Obinna Nwobodo behind him with 10. A ‘tackle won’ versus a ‘tackle’ is defined as any tackle in which the defender’s team wins possession as a result of the tackle.

57.6

The Orange and Blue have been dominant in the air this season in all phases of play; FCC has the fourth-highest aerial duel-winning ratio in the league, winning 57.6 percent of aerial duels and ranks in the top ten of aerial duels won in the attacking, midfield and defensive thirds of play per FBRef.com and Opta.

Kipp Keller, Matt Miazga and Miles Robinson all rank in the top 20 of duels won as individuals, with no other club having more…