It's understandable that training sessions for MLS All-Stars in Columbus, Ohio, would be a little strange. After working all season to defeat each other every week (for the most part), the league's best now put on matching kits, come out to train together, and work in a system that is foreign to all but a very few.
Luciano Acosta and Luca Orellano, though, have each other to lean on. As representatives from Cincinnati at this All-Star game, the duo is as tight as can be, and the more veteran All-Star Acosta has helped Orellano along the way as he navigates his first All-Star experience. With all the media obligations and the scheduling that come with All-Star festivities, things like travel, locations and expectations, it can be difficult to navigate it all in your second language (English) without getting overwhelmed.
"I just hope he enjoys it," Acosta said today of Orellano. “For Luca, it's great for him to be here. You can see, maybe there's a little bit of nerves, but Luca is just a calm, quiet guy, and he takes everything pretty calmly. So for me, I just tell him to enjoy the moments and enjoy playing."
Acosta is a well-known and fully-formed star in this league, playing in his third All-Star Game and his second as a captain. But for Luca, this event is a coming-out party for him in some ways. As a newcomer to MLS, his name may not be known league-wide like some of the more established players, but his quality on the field is apparent and he belongs with the group assembled in Columbus. Having his club captain and fellow Argentine with him to guide this process has been appreciated.
"Everything that he's done for the team this year. He deserves this honor," Orellano said of Acosta being named captain of the MLS squad. "With all these great players here, for me, I think he's the best one here.
"It's just so great to be with him here, he's been such a great friend to me," Orellano said of Acosta. "I'm just proud to represent and be with (him) every day. He's been really helpful all week for all the things that maybe I don't understand with the English, but we understand each other really well on the field and it's great to play with him."
There have only been two training sessions leading into the matchup with Liga MX All-Stars, but both have been filled with fun interplay by the league's stars as the loaded split squads in small-sided games have tormented the three MLS All-Star keepers. Acosta has regularly teamed up with Columbus forward Cucho Hernandez and 2023 Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga when not put in the same group as Orellano. So, in those circumstances where the two are separate, Orellano has found fun interplay moments with D.C. United's Christian Benteke and LA Galaxy star Gabriel Pec. Orellano and Pec both came to MLS from Brazilian club Vasco De Gama at the beginning of the 2024 season.
Wilfried Nancy, Columbus Crew Head Coach and MLS All-Star Head Coach for the 2024 matchup, said on Monday that while he will look to deploy his All-Stars in a particular way, he is realistic about how much tactical cohesion is possible in such a short time. Instead, he will look to deploy the squad with opportunities to create moments from the star players who have relationships and look to foster new ones in the training sessions.
Acosta, for example, earned praise for his play from Nancy on Monday. The Columbus gaffer highlighted how special Acosta is as a star for not only being a supremely talented player himself but for his ability to involve his teammates and create great moments for them. This is the type of play that Nancy is looking to promote. Acosta, as captain, will start for the MLS side on Wednesday. Still, it is unclear how long any individual will play in the event as it is traditional for everyone in attendance to get their moments to shine.
FCC's other star, Orellano, said that he is expecting to play left wingback in the match but doesn't fully know how involved he will be in the attack yet. So much so that he says he has not prepared any kind of goal celebration should fortune favor him in the moment.
Chirila and Kuisel stand out for MLS NEXT East
The Argentine duo were not the only members of The Orange and Blue to make their mark at All-Star festivities. Academy products Stefan Chirila and Will Kuisel were instrumental in the MLS East side of the MLS NEXT All-Star game, an event focused on highlighting the best of the best in the MLS Academy systems league-wide.
Together, the MLS NEXT East All-Stars defeated the MLS NEXT West All-Stars 4-2 with Chirilia scoring the fourth goal of the night in the 90th minute to secure the win.
Chirila has become a name to remember this summer. The forward was named MLS NEXT MVP for his age group and won the Golden Boot at the Generation adidas cup. He scored over 40 goals for the Young Garys across all competitions last season and earned himself not only an MLS NEXT Pro deal this summer with FC Cincinnati 2 but has already signed an FC Cincinnati first-team deal as a homegrown player starting next season.
Kuisel, a left back with the U17 squad along with Chirila (prior to joining FCC 2), has been in the FCC Academy since he was 13-years-old and has transitioned from a winger to a center back and now a full back in his time with the club. A late addition to the squad, Kuisel was informed just four-days before he was selected to the All-Star squad and ensured his entire family was able to come to watch him in this milestone moment.
"It's been like a fever dream," Kuisel said after the match. "I was really nervous but as soon as I got here it was so fun…the opportunity to be playing with such great players; chilling with them and (learning), it's been so great. What a great experience."
The last week has been a big one for Kusiel, who says he watches fellow FCC All-Star Orellano closely to learn how to model his game after the Argentine star, as the 17-year-old just this past week also made his MLS NEXT Pro debut for FC Cincinnati 2 after four-years in the academy.
"This past week, these two games have been such a major step for my career and my life," Kusiel added.
Chirila and Kusiel came on in the second half, as both teams made full substitutions at halftime. As a forward, Chirila combined well with Philadelphia Union youngsters Cavan Sullivan and Diego Rocio. The three used to be teammates at Philly Union before Chrilia made the move to Cincinnati.
"I think we had a really good connection, even though we've all only known each other for, what, barely 24 hours? But I think we looked like a real team out there," Chrilia said after the match. "I've known (Sullivan and Rocio) for a long time and they're such great players, Sullivan would always play two-years up. Both are really good players. So I had a good connection with them."
Sullivan, who recently became the youngest player in MLS history to make an appearance at just 14 years old, has already signed a deal with Manchester City in the English Premier League and has become one of the most noted American youngsters ever. In the 90th minute, Sullivan slipped a pass to Chirila, who made the run and secured the East 4-2 victory over the West with a superb finish to the far post.
"I'm super grateful to FC Cincinnati for giving me these opportunities," Chrila said of being an All-Star. "One year ago today, I would have never thought I'd be here and training with our first team, playing with the second team, signing my (MLS homegrown) contract. It's still a surreal feeling that I'm at this place. So I'm just super grateful to FC Cincinnati for the belief and giving me these opportunities and chances."
Miles goes for Gold
While Lucho Acosta and Luca Orellano prepare for the All-Star game, Miles Robinson and the US Olympic teams start their quest for Gold on Wednesday taking on France at the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Robinson was also named an MLS All-Star, his second such honor, but was unable to attend the event with his FC Cincinnati teammates but will lead the USOlyMNT as one of three overagers at the U23 tournament. So while he is missed in Columbus, his teammates say they are excited to support him while he chases gold.
“We are so, so happy for him,” Orellano said of his missing teammate. “Obviously he should be here with us but we're glad that he's got to be with his national team. For me, I love the way that Miles plays. I love playing with him. So I'm really happy for him and we'll be following from here, but it's a shame he can't be with us.”
