NEWPORT, KY -- FC Cincinnati kept their undefeated preseason record intact with a 3-0 win over Northern Kentucky University at a jampacked NKU Soccer Complex on a comfortable Tuesday evening.
It was a little different atmosphere at NKU for an FCC side that played it's first three preseason fixtures on the road. A near-capacity crowd packed the stands for the club's first preseason fixture in Greater Cincinnati of 2018, and they were eager to see their team play.
"The last few weeks of preseason we've played in front of no one," offered wideman Daniel Haber, "so it was great to finally play in front of our supporters."
With head coach Alan Koch still trying to figure out his best eleven ahead of the regular season, the team continued with a split-squad approach. And this time out, the players who played primarily in the last 30 minutes last week in Indianapolis got the opportunity to play the opening hour at NKU.
It didn't take that unit very long to take their chance to impress.
Twelve minutes in, Haber broke free on the left and lofted a cross towards the far post. Newly signed English striker Tomi Ameobi was there waiting for it, and he nodded the team into the lead on his first appearance for the club.
FCC continued to dominate the flow of play thereafter, earning a trio of corners over the next ten-minute spell -- though the Norse did well to hold them at bay.
But it was a fourth first-half corner in the 35th minute that their defenses failed them. Haber once again played the setup man, as his delivery found centerback Dekel Keinan in the crowded box and he headed home his first goal for the club to make it 2-0 to FC Cincinnati.
As expected, Koch opted to bring on a second line of players for the last half hour of action. But despite the late start, it didn't take long for them to find a groove, particularly down the left.
After seeing Lance Laing put in a nearpost cross, Emery Welshman opted for a magnificent swiveling volley only to be denied by the post in the 68th minute. The rebound from the woodwork fell right to the foot of Ledesma, but his first-time effort also struck the upright.
Just four minutes later, a failed clearance from an FCC corner found Forrest Lasso for a well-driven low shot that the goalkeeper only just palmed away.
But the second crew wasn't turned away on all of their chances. In the 73rd minute, it was another headed set-piece goal for the Orange & Blue as Forrest Lasso got his head to a Kenney Walker corner to make it 3-0 on the night.
With the win, FCC improves to 3-0-1 during the 2018 preparations. They'll next be in action when they move back across the Ohio River for a friendly against USL-newcomers Nashville FC for a 4pm kickoff on Saturday, March 3rd. Tickets are available here.
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First Half Line Ups:
FCC: Albadawi, Ameobi (1G - 12'), Bahner, Cicerone, De Wit, Haber (2A - 12', 35'), Halfhill, Keinan (1G - 35'), Ryan, Richey (GK), Smith.
NKU: Babaew, Beckers, Barkei (GK), Greive, Harris, Komolong, Kooistra, Moyes, Murphy, Probert, Suchecki
Last Third Line Up:
FCC: Barrett, Bone, Hoyte, König (Welshman), Newton (GK), Laing (Josu), Lasso (1G - 73'), Ledesma, McLaughlin, Seymore, Walker (1A - 73')
