BRADENTON, Fla. — The last time FC Cincinnati played a match was mid-October. Then, the club lost in the playoffs, which snapped a 23-game unbeaten run and a three-year stint in the United Soccer League.
A lot — including the Major League Soccer Expansion Draft and SuperDraft — has followed since. And while Wednesday night’s preseason friendly with the Montreal Impact doesn’t count, it’s the first time FC Cincinnati and showcase itself with an MLS roster.
Naturally, there’s an excitement surrounding the FCC camp at IMG Academy, where the team has had two-a-day training sessions and will play against Montreal.
“This was a long offseason for us so we’re just excited to get out here to Florida in warmer weather and see what we’re about as a team,” left back Blake Smith said. “It’s not always easy coming together with having played a week with a whole new squad. We’re all really excited for sure.”
Last Tuesday, FCC had its first practice as an MLS club. Eight days later, it plays its first preseason game. With such little time, Head Coach Alan Koch said the coaching staff is trying to cram information and a new playing style into a limited timeframe.
He even said the Montreal friendly and the other two matches at IMG Academy are opportunities for players to make mistakes adjusting to a new team and tactics, provided they’re corrected by March 2 for the MLS season opener.
“They’re going to get match fitness but I want to see if they’ve actually absorbed the things we’ve been focused on at this time,” Koch said of what he wants to see against the Impact. “The result has absolutely no bearing on how we’re doing at this time.
“At this stage, it’s just getting match fitness, creating partnerships, relationships and seeing if the guys have absorbed some of the info we’ve provided them the last few days.”
Koch said he’ll use two different lineups for both halves, with players only featuring for 45 minutes. Goalkeeper Przemysław Tytoń is expected to play the full match, but that’s for him to get more minutes in goal. Both Spencer Richey and Ben Lundt are nursing minor injuries and aren’t clear to play.
Right back Justin Hoyte, who featured in that postseason October loss, said he’s excited for a fresh start with the club ahead of its new season and league.
“Now it’s about taking everything we’ve done from the training field and putting it into the game,” right back Justin Hoyte. “It’s brining everyone together. There’s a lot of new faces, different abilities and different attributes of what players bring to the team. Finally, we get to see that in a game.”
About Montreal
The Impact narrowly missed the 2018 MLS postseason, finishing in seventh with 46 points. Sixth-place Philadelphia Union had 50.
Seventh place will get FC Cincinnati into the postseason in 2019, however, after MLS changed its playoff format to include the seventh-place teams in the Eastern and Western Conference.
Montreal also plays in the Eastern Conference and will play at Nippert Stadium on May 11. FCC plays at Stade Saputo on Sept. 14.
Club Connection
- Eric Alexander played for the Impact in 2015 and 2016.
- Assistant Coach Yoann Damet and Goalkeeping Coach Jack Stern both worked for Montreal previously.
- Former Cincinnati center back Mélé Temguia was loaned to the club in 2017 from the Impact.
- Hoyte played with Montreal’s Bacary Sagna at Arsenal in the English Premier League.
