It all comes down to Philadelphia once again. Decision Day 2024 holds deep value for both teams playing in it. In a matchup that already has a deep history and often leads to friction, the added stakes only make for more drama.
For FC Cincinnati, a win is needed to secure their spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup in 2025. It's also necessary to start building the momentum leading into the MLS Cup Playoffs, starting next week. For Philadelphia Union, they are in desperate need of a victory to clinch a playoff spot and if they are unable to secure all three points on Saturday, their season will come to an end.
"There's plenty on the line for both teams," FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan said Thursday in a press conference. "We've had good matchups in the past few years. And I think it's been well documented, some of the distaste that both teams have, you know, when you ask certain players. But like I've always said, we have a great deal of respect for them, and we know the challenges that they pose when we match up against each other and it's going to be no different on Saturday, it's going to be a very challenging game, but also good just because of both teams playing for something, and it'll certainly make for a playoff atmosphere and a playoff-type game."
Battles with Philadelphia have always had massive implications. Between MLS Cup Playoffs duels and knockout stage games in Leagues Cup, these two sides seem to always meet in matchups with additional meetings.
With the season now coming to a close, though, and the playoffs looming large, FC Cincinnati needs this result to help halt a three-game losing streak and set themselves up for a playoff match. And while the game on Saturday will have no implications on FCC's seed in the Eastern Conference – they are locked into the third seed and awaiting other fixtures to determine their opponent – this match has all the importance of a do-or-die game and Noonan is looking for his team to behave as such.
"We get a very meaningful game, which is important for us," Noonan explained Thursday. "If you're going into playoff games and the games that you're going into don't have a level of meaning or significance to them, that's challenging on the group."
"In some ways we're still looking for a few answers. I think over the last month, there's been inconsistencies in our performances that certainly leave some questions out there about the strongest group, you know, the right personnel going into different types of games and different matchups. But I think we know more about, you know, who we are and what we should expect than a team still searching for answers…So my message has been to try to just do the simple things well, play your role, play as a team. And when we do that, when you analyze games, and when you look at our play, that's when we're at our best, and that's what we need to be moving forward."
FC Cincinnati vs Philadelphia Union – Saturday, October 19, 2024 – 6 p.m. ET – Subaru Park
HOW TO WATCH
Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
TV Talent (English, Apple): Steve Cangialosi (PxP), Danny Higginbotham (Analyst)
TV Talent (Spanish, Apple): Bruno Vain (PXP), Andres Agulla (Analyst)
Radio (English): Fox Sports 1360
Radio (Spanish): La Mega 101.5 FM
Radio Talent (English): Tom Gelehrter (PXP), Jimmy McLaughlin (Analyst)
Radio Talent: (Spanish): Gustavo Luques (PXP), José Romero (Analyst)
Against Philadelphia Union
The rivalry continues to grow between these MLS Eastern Conference sides as, once again, FC Cincinnati and Philadelphia Union meet in a vital matchup for the futures of both teams. FCC is looking to clinch their spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup, while Philly is looking to snag a place in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
The last time FC Cincinnati faced off with Philly, the Union won 4-2 in the Round of 16 of the Leagues Cup. In the earlier MLS match this season, FCC outscored Philadelphia in a 4-3 offensive tilt at TQL Stadium. The last time The Orange and Blue went to Subaru Park, they scored twice in the second half to snag a 2-2 draw on the road.
All-time, Philly owns the series record, with FCC going 4-7-3. FCC has never won at Subaru Park, with a 0-3-2 record in Chester.
FC CINCINNATI NOTES
Win Away – In order to reach 11 road wins this season, the Orange and Blue will have to do something the club has never done: win at Philadelphia Union. The club’s six trips to Subaru Park without a win are the most in any venue without a win. Cincinnati have already beaten three MLS opponents this year for the first time on their home field: Columbus Crew, FC Dallas, San Jose Earthquakes.
The Champions – FC Cincinnati are locked in to the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference ahead of the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. Cincinnati will face one of three clubs in the Round One Best-of-3 Series: New York City FC, Charlotte FC or New York Red Bulls.
FC Cincinnati are also battling with Seattle Sounders FC and Real Salt Lake, each on 56 points, for the final two MLS spots in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup based on Supporters’ Shield rankings. A win Saturday, and Cincy qualify. FC Cincinnati also qualify with a draw against Philly if either RSL or SEA draw. Even with a loss, FCC qualify if either RSL or SEA lose, also.
History – Saturday is the ninth matchup for Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan against his former side, where he previously was an assistant coach (Jan. 2018 - Dec. 2021). The two sides have met three times each of the past three seasons. Noonan’s record is 4-2-2 against the Union. Five of the last eight matchups have been decided by one goal, including Cincy’s dramatic 4-3 win over the Union at TQL Stadium on June 19. After the Union equalized for a third time on the night in stoppage time, Luciano Acosta’s 90’+10 game-winner was the latest goal scored by FC Cincinnati in regulation, all time.
Close Games – FCC are 13-6 (.684) this season in games decided by one goal. This season’s 13 one-goal wins are tied for fourth-most in the MLS post-shootout era, and it comes one season after FCC’s 14 one-goal wins were the third-most in history behind the 2021 New England Revolution’s 18 wins.
Check in with FCC 2 - In their third MLS NEXT Pro season, FC Cincinnati 2 finished atop the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference with 54 points and a 16-8-4 (2 SOW) record. The Orange and Blue qualified for the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs for the first time and will face 8th seeded Crown Legacy FC on Sunday night at Scuadamore Field at NKU Stadium.
First-team midfielder Gerardo Valenzuela netted a hat trick in their Decision Day 3-1 win over Orlando City B. First-team goalkeeper Paul Walters started in the win as well as did defender London Aghedo.
Scouting Philadelphia Union (9-14-10, 37 points, 11th in Eastern Conference, L-L-T-W-W)
The Union enters this match fighting for their playoff lives. With 37 points, Philly sits three points out of the playoff line but needs some assistance from around the league to secure their spot. A win, though, would give them significant momentum and hold several tie-breakers. Anything other than all three points, though, leaves them on the outside looking in for the first time since 2017.
Union has found some better form in recent weeks. Still, the strong stretch coming out of Leagues Cup 2024 hasn’t been enough to overcome a stretch in the middle of the season where Philly won just once in 17 weeks. Since that stretch, though, Philadelphia has gone 5-4-1 to reenter the playoff conversation.
Daniel Gazdag continues to be the go-to man for the Philadelphia Union, bagging 17 goals this season on 51 shots. Only four of them came from the penalty spot. The Hungarian forward is in his fourth season with Philly and has scored a combined 57 goals in 118 appearances. The breakout star for the Union this season, though, has been Tai Baribo, who, in the aftermath of Julian Carranza being sold overseas, has scored nine goals in his 16 starts.
Mikael Uhre, 30, also ranks highly on the goal ranks for Philly with 10. He also scored in Leagues Cup 2024 earlier this season when FCC and Philadelphia met in the round of 16.
Andre Blake has been the keystone for Philadelphia at many points in the season. Missing several stretches of the 2024 season due to injury, the Jamaican Goalkeeper and club captain has been dominant when he has been available, and team results have largely correlated with his presence. Blake has appeared in 13 matches this season for Philly but only played a full 90 in 10 of them and are 4-3-4 when he does.
On the defensive side of the ball, Kai Wagner and Jakob Glesnes continue to be mainstays for the club, each recording over 2700 minutes played in MLS action this season. Wagner, a wingback, leads the team with 31 starts and 2815 minutes, and Glesnes (a more traditional center-back) makes 30 starts with 2740 minutes played.
The FC Cincinnati connection to Philadelphia Union is always a talking point for these matchups as the coaching and technical staff are so deeply entrenched with history. Pat Noonan and Chris Albright both spent significant time with Philadelphia before coming to FCC in 2022. Head Coach Jim Curtain has been at the helm of Philly since 2014 and has won Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2022. Curtain has been known for being flexible with his formations and matching Pat Noonan’s five-at-the-back formation when the two play each other. Perhaps most famously, though, Philly has found success with their 4-4-2 diamond formation, placing the four midfielders in a diamond shape with one attacking mid, one defending mid, and two central midfielders between them.
