FC Cincinnati Look to Regroup and Move Forward After Disappointing Performance and Outcome

July 14, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Cincinnati News Release

FC Cincinnati didn’t deserve any luck. Head Coach Pat Noonan made that very clear in his post-match press conference, saying as much to leave no doubt. The Orange and Blue couldn’t catch a break when they needed one most and found themselves on the losing end of a 3-1 match that, despite the poor performance, could have ended very differently.

At times, FCC looked the worst they have this season. The typically regimented and organized Orange and Blue looked disjointed, disconnected and extremely frustrated trying to break down the Charlotte FC midfield, giving up balls on simple passes where there was no one near the vicinity to collect them. When trying to build out of the back, FCC had trouble stringing enough passes through the middle of the field to even break into the opponent’s half and essentially played the entirety of the first half on their heels as the confident and organized Charlotte side pressed and pressed and pressed on FC Cincinnati until they broke.

And when they broke, the flood came fast.

The first goal came on a quality cross that Roman Celentano did his best to get in front of but deflected into the net. The second came immediately after. A bad pass just moments after the restart gave Charlotte the ball back, and DP forward Liel Abada blasted home a shot from steps inside the box that doubled the lead.

Two minutes, real time. A 1-2 punch that staggered and shocked both FC Cincinnati and the TQL Stadium faithful.

“Our first 35 minutes were probably the worst of the year,” Noonan said of the performance from the postgame press conference. “We weren’t ready, and that starts with me. I have to look at why it was so flat… A lot of poor performances and some avoidable mistakes on the two goals that really put the momentum in their favor. But to be honest, they had the momentum before the goals.”

But like a boxer who took an early blow, FC Cincinnati pulled themselves off the mat and fought back. And as FCC started pushing forward, the crowd grew to meet them. It wasn’t perfect right away, but they survived through to the 45-minute mark with just a two-goal deficit, hardly an achievement for the team that tops Supporters’ Shield table, but given how the first half hour went, it was an achievement nonetheless.

But before the halftime break, there was life. Luciano Acosta found the open space and curled a beautifully taken shot around the keeper and into the net at the far post…