July 17, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Cincinnati News Release
With storms rolling through TQL Stadium Wednesday, FC Cincinnati left the pitch frustrated as they fell for the second time at home this week 1-0. The Orange and Blue battled to the end despite adversity without some of their key stars.
Unable to find a goal for the fifth time this season, FCC fell to 15-6-3 and will continue to be without key pieces headed into the weekend.
In an initial bit of misfortune, 2023 MLS MVP and 2024 MVP frontrunner Luciano Acosta was unavailable for the match for the first time this season, being left off the match day roster after being established as questionable in the days before with a foot injury. The Orange and Blue would have to look within themselves to find a winning answer. Since Acosta joined the club in 2021, FC Cincinnati have never won an MLS match without their captain in the lineup, tabulating a 0-5-4 record without the Argentine star.
With Acosta out, FCC returned to the 5-2-2-1 “sword” formation (for the shape looks loosely like an animated sword) that worked so well in the match with Inter Miami CF 10 days prior. Gerardo “Dado” Valenzuela and Corey Baird, making his first start after an extended injury absence, slotted into the attacking midfield roles with Yuya Kubo up top as the lone striker.
Also with the captain unavailable, DeAndre Yedlin was given the captain’s armband for the first time in his tenure with FC Cincinnati marking him as the 13th player to serve as captain since joining MLS in 2019. While with Inter Miami CF Yedlin wore the armband for one-and-a-half years, but since coming to Cincinnati the veteran defender has become an immediate locker room leader; and with several key members of that leadership core unavailable, his ascension to captain was a deserving one.
Similarly, with Miles Robinson unavailable due to a red card suspension, FC Cincinnati was without another key player on the back line. Robinson was honored in the prematch festivities as the club and supporters sent him off to the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he will compete for team USA in the soccer tournament.
With so much change to the starting XI, FC Cincinnati struggled to find its footing in the opening half hour of play but avoided disaster in some shaky moments.
But as the half built, the FCC offense began to take focus away from the FCC defense. Owning over 55 percent possession, and completing nearly 100 more passes than the visitors, the offense hemmed in…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at OurSports Central Major League Soccer MLS News…