TUCSON, Ariz. – The Orange and Blue will play their final preseason match in Arizona on Wednesday afternoon when they face El Paso Locomotive FC at the Kino Sports Complex. The friendly won’t be livestreamed.
Following a 4-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City this past Saturday in Casa Grande, Ariz., Wednesday’s match serves as an opportunity to correct mistakes made in that game and produce a convincing performance similar to last Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Phoenix Rising FC
“Recover from last Saturday and continue what we showed the first game,” head coach Ron Jans said he wants to see against El Paso. “(I want us to) create chances and be a little bit better in finishing. We had so many opportunities from set pieces, so it’s about time we score from set pieces, too."
Match details
Kickoff: 5 p.m. ET (3 p.m. MT)
Where: Kino Sports Complex (The match is open to the public)
For updates: Follow @fccincinnati on Twitter.
Notes
- On a conference call with Cincinnati media Tuesday afternoon, Jans said FCC will switch its approach toward friendlies moving forward. In the first two games, players were used in 45-minute shifts. Against El Paso, Jans said one group will play an hour while the other plays the final 30 minutes. The goalkeeper will play the full match.
- This is the third of the team’s six preseason matches. While this is the final one in Arizona, FCC will play three matches at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, against Philadelphia Union (Feb. 12), Nashville SC (Feb. 16) and KR Reykjavik (Feb. 21) – plus another scrimmage againstSarasota SC on Feb. 21 for those not playing in the Reykajvik game.
- The matchup with El Paso marks the second time FCC will face a USL Championship club this preseason. The first was against Phoenix, and both games were the first meetings between the clubs in history.
About El Paso
Locomotive FC finished sixth in the USL Championship’s Western Conference standings in 2019. Wednesday’s friendly will be their first preseason match in 2020.
Center midfielder Richie Ryan played for FC Cincinnati in 2018 and made 16 league appearances before an injury ended his season prematurely. This is the first time FCC have faced a former player this preseason.
