April 21, 2024 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
FC Cincinnati 2 News Release
FC Cincinnati 2 (2-3-1, 7 points) defeated Atlanta United 2 (1-3-0, 3 points) in convincing fashion Sunday afternoon at Fifth Third Bank Stadium, scoring a season-high four goals to claim their first road win of the year. Four different FC Cincinnati 2 players were on the scoresheet as the Orange and Blue prepare to return home for their next MLS NEXT Pro contest against Philadelphia Union II.
The Orange and Blue scored two first half goals as Moises Tablante and Peter Mangione found their first goals for the club in the 16th and 33rd minute, respectively. Gerardo Valenzuela, who made his first MLS NEXT Pro appearance of the season, picked up an assist on Tablante’s early goal.
Karim Tmimi snatched one back for Atlanta near the end of the opening 45 minutes of action for his second goal of the year, sending the match into the break with a 2-1 score line in favor of the Orange and Blue. The teams combined for 14 first half shots with seven of those attempts on target.
Nico Benalcazar scored Cincinnati’s third of the match in the 55th minute to restore a two-goal lead for the Orange and Blue. Like Valenzuela, Malik Pinto picked up the assist in his first appearance of the season for FCC 2. Benalcazar’s goal is his second in as many matches after scoring his first for the club against TFC II last Sunday.
Ben Stitz closed out the scoring for the Orange and Blue in the 67th minute, notching his second of the campaign to make it 4-1 for Cincinnati. “I thought it was a good, complete effort from all of the boys that stepped out on the pitch today,” said Head Coach Tyrone Marshall. “Everyone contributed, both on the attacking side and the defending side. The desire that was there this afternoon, I loved it.”
“Hats off to the boys for the best effort they put in. Everyone is contributing in the environment and I love where we are at, I love to see where we are going, and this is just the first step. Hopefully, we have many, many more wins to come.”
FC Cincinnati 2 are back in action next Sunday, April 28, as they return home to Scudamore Field at NKU Soccer Stadium to take on Philadelphia Union II at 4 p.m. ET. Tickets for the match can be redeemed with a SeatGeek account through the FC Cincinnati App.
AS IT HAPPENED
CIN: Moises Tablante, GOAL – 16′ (0-1) – Gerardo Valenzuela picked up possession in the Atlanta half and pushed towards goal looking for an attacking option. Tablante made a darting…
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