Simply put, FC Cincinnati were established in August 2015 for moments like Sunday night at Nippert Stadium. Then, the club hosts the Portland Timbers in the Orange and Blue’s inaugural home MLS match.
Technically, the match is Cincinnati’s third as an MLS club, but it’s the first time the city gets at glimpse of the league at home. It’s also the first time the rest of MLS and an international audience see Nippert Stadium and the cauldron of noise it became during three USL seasons.
If FC Cincinnati being an MLS club still doesn’t feel real, Sunday will change everything moving forward.
In what’s expected to be a sell-out crowd, FCC host a Portland side that played in the 2018 MLS Cup and won one in 2015. By the full-time whistle Sunday night, FCC will have already played three clubs that won an MLS Cup within the last four years. That’s hardly a friendly welcome for the league’s debutant.
But after snatching an 86th-minute goal in last Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Atlanta United FC — the 2018 MLS Cup champions — the Orange and Blue proved their legitimacy and quality to the rest of the league. This Sunday is the first time Cincinnati can showcase itself at home.
“It’s going to be a good game,” forward Fanendo Adi said. “Portland are one of the best teams in the past four or five years … It’s a game where we want to show ourselves, impose ourselves on them and try to get our first three points.”
Adi spent five seasons in Portland before joining FC Cincinnati last July.
As for the Timbers in 2019, they have a point from two matches — just like FCC. Both have also lost a match 4-1. Collecting three points in the nationally-televised match could be the key ingredient to a strong run during the 2019 regular season.
Match info
FC Cincinnati vs. Portland Timbers
Kickoff: 5 p.m. EST
Where: Nippert Stadium
Weather Forecast: Clear, 45F
Watch: FS1
Stream: FoxSportsGo
Listen: WDJO (99.5 FM, 107.9 FM and 1480 AM)
Here is our player to watch and their Health Carousel Player Resume:
Opponent’s player to watch: midfielder Diego Valeri
Since his MLS arrival in 2013, Valeri has consistently been one of the league’s best players. In seven seasons, he has 182 regular-season appearances, 69 goals and 67 assists.
The creative mid already has a goal and two assists through the first games of the 2019 season.
Club connections
Adi made 126 appearances for Portland and scored 54 goals. He also had 14 assists and won the 2015 MLS Cup.
Alvas Powell played six seasons with the Timbers, earning 121 regular season appearances and an MLS Cup in 2015.
Darren Mattocks spent two seasons in Portland: 2016 and 2017. He made 43 regular-season appearances and finished with five goals and five assists.
Eric Alexander played with the Timbers in 2011 and 2012, making 30 appearances and recording six assists.
