Everyone at FC Cincinnati wished Saturday afternoon went differently, but perhaps none more than Tommy McCabe.
Saturday was supposed to be special. After years dreaming of an MLS debut, the moment finally arrived – however not how he intended.
By the time McCabe entered the match to start the second half, FC Cincinnati already trailed 4-0 in an eventual 7-1 loss to Minnesota United FC.
“For me, it’s a moment I won’t forget because I made my debut,” McCabe said. “But at the same time, the result wasn’t the result we wanted it to be, so that will be a tough one to remember my debut by.”
But in truth, the rookie center midfielder’s performance would be a bright spot for any player – regardless of the game’s eventual score line.
In McCabe’s 45 minutes, he made 26 passes from 28 touches with a 92.3% passing accuracy. Basically, every touch he made was a first-time pass to a teammate.
Considering FC Cincinnati are transitioning into a style built around high-tempo passes that can open space between opposing players, McCabe showed in his MLS introduction he can do just that.
“That’s one of my strong suits and one of the things I want to do when I’m on the field,” he said of passing to teammates. “I think it complements the way we want to play with the ball, as well.”
It does, and hopefully for McCabe, he’ll be able to replicate his debut performance in future matches when he steps onto the field.
