When his rookie season started, Rashawn Dally knew he’d have to play at Saint Louis FC in June. What he didn’t know, however, is that he’d be doing so for FC Cincinnati and in the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Back in March, Dally was loaned to Memphis 901 FC in the USL Championship. Memphis was scheduled to play at WW Technology Soccer Park on June 1. (That game was later rescheduled to August.) As a result, that meant he’d spend a summer night here.
But things changed.
While on loan, the Jamaican forward delivered one promising performance after another. As for his parent club, Cincinnati, depth at forward became shallow when Darren Mattocks was called into Jamaica’s 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup squad.
So, an opportunity opened for Dally and he snatched it.
Last Wednesday, he made his debut with the Orange and Blue in a 2-1, extra-time win against Louisville City FC in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup. Dally replaced Emmanuel Ledesma in the 115th minute.
“It was good,” Dally said of his debut. “It was something I’d been working toward since preseason, then going out on loan and being able to come back. So, it’s definitely a good feeling to finally get on the field for FC Cincinnati.”
If Dally plays Wednesday night against Saint Louis FC, he’ll feature in a match with significant implications. An FCC win advances the club to the Cup quarterfinals for the second time in team history.
“We know it’s a big game, but we want to approach it like it’s every other game,” the Jamaican forward said. “(We’ll) try and prepare as best as we can and try to come out with a win.”
