With an exciting midweek win in the U.S. Open Cup now in the rearview mirror, FC Cincinnati turns its attention back to league play Saturday night when they play host to North Carolina FC with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Nippert Stadium in a match presented by UC Health.
The match will serve as the club's second-ever "Blackout," with the Orange & Blue ditching their hoops and diamonds to don their black alternate kits for the first time this season.
And to help spread the intimidating darkness into the stands, the club is also encouraging supporters to wear black, too. Don't have any black FCC gear? Come visit our downtown shop to get suited up for Saturday night.
Tickets are still available for the match-up with North Carolina, and you can get yours here. But if you can't make it out to Nippert, know that you can still follow the action live on Star64 (WSTR) or by streaming the match live on ESPN+.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND
This Saturday's match will represent the first-ever meeting between FCC and NCFC. Formerly known as the Carolina Railhawks, North Carolina FC was founded in 2007 and played its first three seasons in the USL before departing for the nascent NASL in 2010. The club rebranded to their current identity in 2016 and announced their return to the USL last December.
The club are lead on the pitch by Northern Irishman Collin Clarke, now in his sixth season in charge in Cary. He leads a team brimming with international flair -- his squad contains 12 different nationalities -- but has struggled to find its footing in the early quarter of the season.
Could that have something to do with a vital cog from seasons past leaving for new pastures, perhaps a player who currently wears the #5 shirt for the Orange & Blue?
That said, Clarke's side were in action in the midweek, as well, downing amateurs Lansdowne Bhoys, 3-0, at home on Wednesday. They should still be fairly well-rested ahead of Saturday’s game at Nippert. North Carolina's last USL match was way back on April 28.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Though this is the first time either side has met the other, FC Cincinnati head coach Alan Koch has an ace up his sleeve in Nazmi Albadawi. The first-year FCC midfielder spent all four previous years of his professional career in the North Carolina FC/Railhawks organization, all of which came under the tutelage of NCFC head coach Clarke.
So even if Naz doesn't feature this weekend -- he went 67 minutes in Wednesday's Open Cup victory -- his familiarity with Clarke and the club could prove invaluable for Koch and company.
On the surface, it's likely that Cincinnati will face an NCFC lined up in either a variation of the traditional 4-4-2 or a 4-1-4-1 with Clarke's side frequently switching between the two shapes from match to match.
However, regardless of which is utilized, it's fairly likely they will attack up their left flank. More than 50 percent of their attacks this season have come up the left, a wing patrolled primarily by 30-year-old wide man Austin da Luz (#6) and left back Peabo Doue (#3). Watch for those two to route balls back into the middle for Mexican forward Daniel Rios (#14), who leads the team with four goals in 2018.
That left-heavy attack of NCFC will see FCC's right flank tested heavily. Koch’s usual right back, Justin Hoyte, was rested Wednesday and did not see U.S. Open Cup action and he should be ready to handle the expected NCFC attack. In addition to Hoyte, midfielders Richie Ryan and Kenney Walker, as well as forwards Danni König and Emmanuel Ledesma, all got the night off to help prep for Saturday’s game. In regards Ledesma, Koch indicated midweek that he was day-to-day after coming out of last Saturday’s game with a knock.
Ultimately, that rest for the FCC core could prove crucial as a number of players that went the full 120 minutes on Wednesday in USOC play will likely be called into action again Saturday.
