FC Cincinnati enter the second group stage match of the 2024 Leagues Cup knowing they are moving on to the knockout stages. A unique wrinkle of Leagues Cup and the three-team pools that make up the group stages of the international tournament. A win over Querétaro FC of Liga MX in game one of the tournament for The Orange and Blue secured their spot in the knockout stages with three points, so this match will only help sort out seeding.
NYCFC, the visitors on a rare Monday night match at TQL Stadium, are in the exact same situation as their hosts. The New York club also defeated Querétaro in their opening match, doing so in a penalty shoot out, but their two points is enough to secure a spot in the further rounds. Given the tiebreakers (with head-to-head being the first defining category) the winner of Monday’s match advances as the group winner, regardless of if that comes in penalties or in regulation. The loser will advance as the second place team in the group, setting them on a different path through the tournament bracket.
“We're trying to build off of the momentum of the last performance and result,” FCC Head Coach Pat Noonan said Sunday afternoon at his pre match press conference. “ We had had a stretch where we weren't performing and it's important that we try to build off of what I thought was a strong showing against Querétaro, aside from finishing off more plays.
“Experiencing victory consistently is always important for the group. So, we want to finish at the top of the group. To do that we've got to get a result against a really good NYC team. So what I said to (the team) this morning was the expectation is that we're going to win a game, so don't lose sight of that fact because we're in the knockout round.”
The needle to thread in this game is made more complicated by the fact that both clubs are through to the knockout stages. Noonan made clear his intentions to expect high levels of compete in his players, but setting up the squad for success in the knockout match (which is a definitive win or go home situation) is also an important feature of the match.
“With where we're currently at with healthy bodies, we are trying to be as mindful as possible with some individual situations and how we go about this to make sure we come out of it in a healthy way.
“Because of the status of a couple of the players there'll be more rotation than probably, you know, I would like or that we would typically do from match to match. So, there'll be some opportunities for a couple guys…it does afford you to not risk putting guys out there when they can get an extra day or two to really get right."
Part of the challenge though is predicting what NYCFC will do in response. The New York club also rested some stars and rotated in important pieces as their opening match went on. Now not knowing what to expect, Noonan says he’s planning for the best of what a strong team has to offer.
“Personnel wise, you know, what's their approach? We don't know. We're going to anticipate their strongest group, but when you look at where they're currently at, and the depth, there's a lot of guys that can step on the field and their level's high,” Noonan said Sunday. “I think they're playing in a really good way right now. And they have been in good rhythm for months.
“I just think it's a really deep team at the moment, the style is not going to change. It’s a team that knows how to move the ball…you see the chances that they're creating. They've been really dangerous."
In the grand scheme of things the expectations of the players on the field will remain the same, that is, in some ways, what has made FC Cincinnati so successful under Pat Nooan in non-MLS matches in such a short period. Even with changes to the starting eleven due to injury or fitness, the mindset remains that victory is what this club strives for.
“I think just making sure we're competing,” defender Ian Murphy said of what is the most important aspect of play headed into the match. “I think it's easy to kind of go into it as ‘that doesn't matter as much maybe because we're already through.’ I think if we just go into it, and we're competing the right way and treating it as we would a regular season game like again, any normal game, I think if we're going to go into it with the right mindset. I think we do well.”
FC Cincinnati vs New York City FC – Monday August 5, 2024 – 8 p.m. ET – TQL Stadium
Stream: Free on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
TV Talent (English, Apple): Nate Bukaty (PxP), Warren Barton (Analyst)
TV Talent (Spanish, Apple): Moises Linares (PXP), Pablo Mariño(Analysis)
Radio: ESPN 1530
Radio: La Mega 97.7 FM
Radio Talent (English): Tom Gelehrter (PXP), Kevin McClosky (Analyst)
Radio Talent (Spanish): Gustavo Luques (PXP), José Romero (Analyst)
All-time versus NYCFC
FC Cincinnati have a long history with the newer New York based club and have dominated the series since the arrival of Pat Noonan as Head Coach of The Orange and Blue. Since Noonan took over the club, FCC is undefeated with a 4-0-2 record and have outscored New York by a margin of 13-6.
Last season, FCC also saw NYCFC outside of MLS play when The Orange and Blue hosted NYCFC for the US Open Cup Round of 32 match and advanced with a 1-0 score thanks to a goal from Brandon Vazquez. Earlier this season FCC also hosted NYCFC where Luciano Acosta’s goal gave FCC a similar 1-0 victory.
Prior to Pat Noonan’s arrival the series was squarely owned by New York, as FCC lost all six meetings between the clubs. At present in the all-time series, FCC is 4-6-2.
FC CINCINNATI NOTES
Staying Hot – FC Cincinnati earned a clean sweep over NYCFC in 2023 - earning three wins in three matches across all competitions, including a victory in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32. That marked the first and only time Cincinnati have beaten a club three times in a season without a loss. With FCC knocking off NYC in March, the Orange and Blue look to win a fifth-straight match against NYCFC, across all competitions.
Case of the Mondays – Monday will mark the first match on a Monday for FC Cincinnati since the club joined Major League Soccer in 2019. Only once did the club play on a Monday in USL - back on September 5, 2016 in a 2-1 win against Saint Louis FC at Nippert Stadium.
Leagues Cup Regular – FC Cincinnati’s Ian Murphy, who on Thursday was signed to an extension through 2026, is the only FCC player to have started in all four matches for the Orange and Blue in Leagues Cup. Only Lucho Acosta has made more appearances for the club since 2022 than Murphy.
Who could be next – FCC’s Round of 32 opponent scenarios, based on Monday’s result against NYCFC, are below: With a win vs NYC: will host East 7’s Second-Place (Atlanta United or Santos Laguna). With a loss vs NYC: will host East 5’s Winner (New England Revolution, Mazatlán FC or Nashville SC).
Scouting NYCFC (11-9-5, 38 points, 5th in MLS Eastern Conference, 0-0-1 in Leagues Cup 2024, 2 points)
NYCFC comes into TQL Stadium with the same group situation as The Orange and Blue, already into the knockout stages with a win in match one over Querétaro, but needing their seeding organized with match two to decide when and where they are playing next. The New York Club defeated Los Gallos Blancos in penalty kicks to open the tournament after a nil-nil draw after 90 minutes but secured their spot 4 to 3 after kicks.
In that match NYCFC Head Coach Nick Cushing, in his second full season as gaffer, deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation that was slightly rotated but still deployed his young exciting stars late in the match to see out the victory. The rotation and player selection may be moot in some ways though as NYCFC played their opening match nearly a week ago whereas FCC is working off a short week playing four days prior. But with both clubs guaranteed to go to the knockouts that will kick off later in the week, mindfulness over workload may reenter the conversation.
Star midfielder and NYC homegrown James Sands played all 90 minutes of the match but was not selected to take a PK in the final moments. Serbian teenager and U22 initiative player Jovan Mijatović came on in the late stages and scored the deceive PK to earn the victory. Designated players Thiago Martins and Talles Magno also started the match, though Santiago Rodríguez did not feature in the match and was not on the match day roster.
Rodríguez is tied for the lead on NYCFC in goals scored with eight, alongside Costa Rican attacker Alonso Martinez. Rodríguez though leads the team in assists as well with seven making him NYC’s most dynamic attacking threat by far.
Along with the defender Martins as a backline anchor, Norwegian left footed defender Birk Risa has emerged as a reliable center back for the club, making 22 starts and tallying over 1800 minutes played this season.
In net for NYC, Matt Freese has been one of the top keepers not only in New York but all of MLS this season, keeping them in many games with his premier shot stopping ability. In his 25 starts in league play, Freese has made 99 saves on 124 shots on target. However, in the Leagues Cup game to open pool play, backup keeper Luis Barraza made his first start of the season. With the club since 2019, Barraza made 24 appearances in 2023 and earned four clean sheets while conceding 31 goals on 93 shots.
