FC Cincinnati have found some groove, even in light of the Game 2 loss at New York City FC last weekend.
The 3-1 result, made visually uglier than the 2-1 scoreline that persisted most of the night due to a late emergency foul and penalty kick that iced the game, doesn't exactly encapsulate what took place over the course of 90 minutes at Citi Park. Yes, FC Cincinnati went down 2-0 in the first half. Yes, it wasn't the full 90 performance they were hoping for. But FC Cincinnati continued to show not just flashes but extended pushes of the performances they've been longing for in most of the back half of the season.
The combination of 2023 MLS MVP Luciano Acosta, 2024 Newcomer of the Year Finalist Luca Orellano and breakout striker star Yuya Kubo has fostered a dangerous trio of forward attackers these last few weeks. Tie-in wingbacks Yamil Asad and DeAndre Yedlin, who continue to contribute to not only the build-up of play but also the attacking third, and there is a solid grouping of chemistry developing.
The struggle has been finishing. A ginormous caveat in the grand scale of soccer in so much as 'shots on target' or 'dangerous opportunities' don't win playoff games. Goals do. But the chance creation in games where defenses tighten up, and margins become tighter is incredibly encouraging. FC Cincinnati give themselves the best possible chance at victory if they continue to create high leverage opportunities like they have.
"We've created enough chances. These are playoff games. You're not going to score three, four, five goals a game. So sometimes one goal is going to have to be enough, like we saw last week," FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan said after the match in New York City. "I don't expect us to score at ease. That's just not how these games are played. But…it was going to take a little bit more, and we just didn't finish some of those moments when it was 2-1 to level it in a better way or in a good enough way."
The attacking form was dominant in the second half of play Saturday after being a tad stagnant in the first 45. It wouldn't be outrageous to attribute some of that uneasy play to a bizarrely configured field, as once the feel for the game was adapted, improvements came. But that's not an excuse anyone at FC Cincinnati would make. They would tell you it's a playoff game and you have to overcome and adapt to your surroundings. Fair, but it's hard for outside observers to not wonder just how different the game would be if it was played on a full soccer surface instead of an adapted baseball diamond.
Regardless of circumstances, though, confidence is growing, and belief in the offensive ability increases after every match.
"With those three up front, you know, they're all such dynamic players. They're all, very good with the ball. They all make very good runs behind. They all can take people one-on-one so it's a difficult matchup for defenses," DeAndre Yedlin said of the attacking combo. "You kind of saw in the second half and even parts of the first half. So yeah, we're gonna lean on that and then defensively, we just got to be stronger. Focus on little details, because that's what let us down tonight…"
As Noonan highlighted, this is the playoffs, so with games, tighter scoring is not only more valuable but also harder to come by. The improvements as such then are to continue working to make sure the attacking group gels.
"The positioning of the front three improved. In the second half how the ball got to them improved. Our back line was better with the ball, more patient. We were able to find ways to play around and when we were a little bit more composed, and they stepped up, we found Lucho and Luca in some good spots," Noonan continued. "I think they needed to play a little bit more off the back line to be more efficient, and I think they did that in a better way in the second half."
Ready for Game 3
Reports from the FC Cincinnati locker room on Saturday suggest an undeterred group. There was very little need to be said. The team had recognized the situation that they had put themselves in but felt confident in their performance.
It kind of felt like The Orange and Blue weren't just ready to play Game 3; they were ready to play the game right that minute. A week's wait was too long, they wanted to work out their problems immediately.
""I could see it in the locker room. The guys are going to move on from this pretty quickly," Noonan said, describing the feeling he got from the team immediately after the match. "For a team that just lost a game, I think they recognize the good and the bad of the game to know they should feel confident going into Game 3.
"So at the moment, I don't think I need to say too much. I think they understand and we'll just have good conversations about this game and what we think needs to improve when we go back home."
Confidence and unity have been vital for FC Cincinnati this season. When the team as a whole was bold and connected, the performances rose in nearly perfect correlation. The success of the defense fuels the offense and vice versa. Game 1 and the second half of Game 2 are excellent examples of this.
So, returning for Game 3 with that same drive is vital to success.
"Pat didn't say much after the game," DeAndre Yedlin explained. "Guys are ready to go for next weekend already. That's just, I guess, the mentality of this group. We know we let it slip tonight. And I think we, in a sense, we're even more ready for next week now just because we are disappointed in tonight."
"So he didn't have to say much. We're professionals, and we know we didn't get it done tonight, and we know that we have to get it done next weekend."
"Even without (the strong second half), I think we would have been confident going into this game three," Yedlin explained. "Obviously we don't want it to get to this point, you know, but if it's going to then we're excited that it's back home we're gonna be in front of our fans and playing on our field. Now it's time for us to really show our character and what this team is about."
