The honor to represent your country is one that is offered to very few. The opportunity to represent your country, then compete in front of your home fans is an even rarer feat.
But when defender Matt Miazga and forward Brandon Vazquez took the field at TQL Stadium on Sunday evening in the USMNT’s quarterfinal match with Canada of the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup, for the first time ever a FC Cincinnati player took the field for their national team in Cincinnati.
For Miazga, the opportunity to play for his national team is one that he’s had many times. He’s even played in Cincinnati in 2019 for the USMNT while he was on loan from Chelsea F.C. at FC Nantes (ironically fellow FCC midfielder Junior Moreno also started that game for Venezuela while he played for D.C. United) but this is Vazquez’s first opportunity with his senior national team after making his debut in January of 2023.
“It's going to be an incredible experience.” Vazquez said in the lead up to the knockout stage match, “Fans at FCC in Cincinnati, at TQL Stadium, are second to none.
“I'm super excited to be able to represent the United States at TQL Stadium, in my home…I've wanted to represent this country for my whole career. So to be able to do it at home, it takes the emotions to a next level.”
“It's awesome to go back to Cincinnati,” Miazga added, “we all know the atmosphere and the support that Cincinnati brings for soccer. It's going to be a good moment for me.
“Playing for the US is always the highest honor and highest privilege. To then come to a stadium where we basically can call it home now is definitely special.”
While a FCC player representing the USA has never played on Cincinnati turf, Miazga – who made his 27th appearance with the national team Sunday night – felt it was important to highlight the history the club already has with its national side.
“I've been getting support already from a lot of teammates and coaching staff. A lot of our coaches already represented the U.S. in some capacity,” Miazga remembered during a pre-match press conference over Zoom. “I won the 2017 Gold Cup with (FCC assistant) Kenny Arena as an assistant, and (FCC head coach) Pat Noonan as an assistant. Obviously, (FCC assistant coach) Dom Kinnear played for the U.S. in the 90s.”
Noonan, who both played for the USMNT (being capped 15 times and scoring once) and served as an assistant coach under Bruce Arena, said he would be in attendance for the match and looked forward to supporting his players as they represent both their club and country.
“We’re proud of them,” Noonan said during a press availability in the week leading up to the match, “(I hope they) make the most of it… it would certainly be neat to see them in front of their home fans… a lot of their home fans…and making a positive impact.”
“That and stay healthy,” the head coach added with a laugh.
Neither Miazga nor Vazquez started for the U.S. on Sunday night, but their presence was felt and wanted. Around the 60-minute mark, fans began chanting loudly, and in unison, “We want Vazquez!” and “FCC.”
Finally in the 73rd minute, USMNT head coach B.J. Callaghan delivered the fans their wish and brought on the striker. But that wasn’t all, with Miazga subbing in as well to fortify the back line in a 0-0 game.
Then, in the 88th minute, Vazquez had his magic moment, heading home a cross to score the game’s opening goal and seemingly earn the victory for the USMNT in front of his home club fans.
“This is home for me.” Vazquez said after the match, “So to come in and play here, it's so familiar…I’ve scored plenty of goals here, so I knew I could do it again.”
“Brandon and I came on together and that gave us a big boost,” Miazga said of the moment, “Every time I was warming up, I heard the fans cheering and supporting me and Brandon, so it was definitely a special moment.”
The USMNT would eventually prevail after some late-game dramatics, winning 2-2 in penalty kicks, outshooting Canada 3-2. But the night belonged to Miazga and Vazquez, who, after the victory, were able to celebrate their victory like they would with FCC, recognizing the American Outlaws just as they would The Bailey.
