July 4, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Cincinnati News Release
As the game clock ticked closer to the end of seven minutes of stoppage time and as FC Cincinnati were tracking back to defend a last ditch effort to find an equalizer by D.C. United, explosions in the distance lit up the night sky and the sounds of pops and sizzles rang out through the Washington, D.C. air.
Those in the stands not from the area were startled and looked to the distance. Fourth of July Fireworks in the nation’s capital spilled out from the National Mall and colored the sky with Red, White and Blue. Those on the field, particularly the visiting team, were unaffected. For FC Cincinnati had a one-goal game to win. A type of game The Orange and Blue have become experts at winning and some measly celebratory explosions in the distance could not rattle them.
Pat Noonan said “It wasn’t pretty.” But it was a win, and that’s all that matters. Another three points banked for the definitive best team in the league when going away, and another impressive performance (all things considered) for the FCC group who continues to learn how to win and do so with grit, toughness, and poise.
“You always want it to look a certain way when you win, but the reality is, with the current state of the group, and where we’re at, we have to be pleased with wins,” Noonan said of the result postgame. “Whoever we’re playing, whether home or away, at this stage certainly winning is an important part of where we want to be at the end of the year.”
“I give the guys credit, because we’ve gone on the road two games here and gotten results. It’s not easy to do, and I think we have a large enough sample size. I told them before the game to understand ‘you guys are a good team on the road, and it might not always be the way we wanted to look.’ That’s credit to the opponent, (but) that’s credit to going on the road in tough atmospheres, where you have to be able to adjust at times and adapt to the conditions. I think (we) do a good job of that.”
FC Cincinnati has now won 12 one-goal games of the 14 wins they have total this season. Dating back to last season FCC has secured 26 one-goal victories, an MLS record when tabulating a two year stretch. More impressively, perhaps, has been FCC’s ability to do it on the road. Breaking more records by winning their seventh straight road match and their ninth total on the year, a club record.
Noonan said the match wasn’t pretty, but given the context he means that…
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