It's a short turnaround for FC Cincinnati as they returned home from an important win over Minnesota United FC and will depart for Nashville just one day later for an Eastern Conference showdown in the Volunteer State.
The matchup with Nashville SC will cap off an emotional eight-day stretch that included a triple-match week, Hell is Real and two road trips. Securing another three road points would also equalize the modern MLS record of 11 road victories and make this FCC one of the most prolific and accomplished road teams in MLS history.
"Every game now, when you look at the opponents and what we're trying to achieve, there's no easy games. Not that there ever really is, but everybody's fighting for a spot," FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan said of the match with Nashville SC on Friday. These games are all going to be very challenging, and our level of focus and intensity, as well as our performances, are going to have to be consistent."
The matchup renews a regional competition that has added another wrinkle: BJ Callaghan was named Head Coach midseason as the club tries to rebuild from a bad start to the year. Callaghan has never been a Head Coach himself but was a trusted assistant for the US Men's National Team. He also served as an assistant for the Philadelphia Union and was on the same staff FCC Head Coach Pat Noonan was on before coming to Cincinnati.
“(We have) A good relationship. We're kind of in contact all throughout the year. Myself. B.J., Jim [Curtin], Chris [Albright], we've all worked together and have had good working relationships. So it's nice to see the progress and the trajectory for B.J. You know, (he) worked really hard in his time in Philly," Pat Noonan said of his now opposing manager. "I got to see that firsthand, and was a club guy and put in the work to help Jim and the team move forward.
"Now he's the manager at Nashville, and certainly there were challenging times, I think, in the first couple weeks with taking on a new project and a new team. But you've seen the last couple games improve, and I'm happy for B.J. with his opportunity because I think he deserves it."
Callaghan has brought his own sensibilities to Nashville SC during his time but has also installed a tactical style similar to the one seen in Philadelphia. Given the short turnaround, that familiarity may be helpful going into this match for FC Cincinnati.
"The structure in the last two games without the ball… A little bit of a diamond shape with the midfield and how they utilize [Hany] Mukhtar pressing deeper, higher, where maybe it looks like a 4-3-3 at times. Very organized, they've certainly been tough to break down, and haven't conceded in the last two games. So, on the defensive side of the ball, I noticed some of those things," Noonan said during his press conference. "They've been really dynamic and found ways to attack with speed, attack the box, attack crosses, you know, they've been very threatening. So, you know, those are some of the things that we focused on."
FC Cincinnati at Nashville SC – Saturday, September 21, 2024 – 7:30 p.m. ET – Geodis Park
Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
TV Talent (English, Apple): Tony Husband (PxP), Ross Smith (Analyst)
TV Talent (Spanish, Apple): Alejandro Figueredo (PXP), Eduardo Biscayart (Analysis)
Radio (English): ESPN 1530
Radio (Spanish): La Mega 97.7 FM
Radio Talent (English): Tom Gelehrter (PXP), Ray Gaddis (Analyst)
Radio Talent: (Spanish): Gustavo Luques (PXP), José Romero (Analyst)
Against Nashville SC
After dropping three points to Nashville SC earlier this season at home, FC Cincinnati is looking to get their points back and take all three this weekend. The Orange and Blue entered that match on a six-game winning streak but conceded twice in quick order (25 and 29 minutes) to fall 2-0.
FC Cincinnati swept the regular season series with Nashville SC in 2023, winning at Geodis Park and TQL Stadium to earn their first two-ever wins against the Tennessee club.
In a third matchup of 2023, Nashville SC prevailed in penalty kicks during the knockout stage of the League Cup en route to a Finals appearance.
All time, the record between these two teams goes in Nashville's favor as FCC is 2-3-3 against NSC across all competitions.
FC CINCINNATI NOTES
On Short Rest – Following another MLS midweek matchday, Saturday marks FCC’s third match in eight days. Under Head Coach Pat Noonan, the Orange and Blue have been strong when playing despite short rest. Since 2022, FC Cincinnati are 16-4-5 when playing a game just three days following another, across all competitions. Two of those four losses (6/24/23 at DC; 6/22/24 vs NE) came on Saturdays following midweek matchdays when FCC had a Wednesday game but their opponent did not.
On one goal games – FC Cincinnati are 13-4 (.765) this season in games decided by one goal. No other club has more than nine wins in such games this season. The 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.
On striking first - FC Cincinnati are 15-1-0 (.938) this season when scoring the first goal, the most wins in MLS (2nd: LAFC, 14) and best win percentage (2nd: MIA, .923; 11-0-2) this year when striking first.
On Lucho – Having played 26 MLS matches, Luciano ‘Lucho’ Acosta leads MLS with 88 key passes. The 2023 MLS Most Valuable Player finished top-three each of the past two seasons. Key Passes track all passes which directly lead to a shot. If the shot results in a goal, that is an assist.
On Revenge – Nashville SC defeated FC Cincinnati on their home pitch at TQL Stadium back in May, 2-0. A win for Cincinnati on Saturday would mark the third Eastern Conference opponent this season which FCC lost to at home, but defeated on the road (New England Revolution, Chicago Fire FC).
Scouting Nashville SC (8-13-8, 32 points, 12th in Eastern Conference, W-W-L-W-L)
Nashville SC has turned around from snapping their eight-game losing streak over the weekend by winning their second game in a row during the midweek to enter this match on a two-game winning streak. Prior to the 2-0 victory last Saturday at Atlanta United, NSC had not won since June 30th, and by defeating Chicago Fire at Soldier Field on Wednesday, they equaled their longest win streak of 2024.
In the midst of perhaps their worst MLS season since joining the league, Nashville SC made a change to their Head Coach at midseason and brought in former USMNT interim Head Coach BJ Callaghan to lead the side. Callaghan, 43, served as an assistant coach alongside FCC Head Coach Pat Noon with the Philadelphia Union in 2018 and 2019. This is Callaghan’s first job as Head Coach.
Nashville SC has never missed the playoffs since joining MLS in 2020 but is on the precipice of doing so. Currently, on the outside looking in, Nashville is one point off the Wild Card spots with 32 points. But down the stretch, play four teams who will be competing with them for the final spot.
Led by 2022 MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar, who has scored six goals this season with eight assists and serves a very similar role to Luciano Acosta for FCC as the lynchpin attacking midfielder of the squad. Mukhtar is having a down season after scoring 17, 26, and 19 goals in the previous three seasons en route to his MVP and Golden Boot win. The German midfielder leads the club in career goals, scoring 74 (next closest being 18), and is second in games played behind Alex Muyl by one game.
The leading goal scorer for Nashville this season, though, is English DP striker Sam Surridge, who joined the club last season in the secondary transfer window but has taken some time to get going with his new club. Perhaps the most dynamic attacking threat, though, is breakout Canadian National Team star Jacob Shaffelburg, who, while only having one club goal and three assists, has been one of the most attacking players on the world stage. Shaffelburg has been absent from the lineup for the two matches for personal reasons but could return on Saturday.
Walker Zimmerman has been the long-time captain of the team since joining as a DP center back ahead of the club's inaugural MLS season. A regular in selection for the US Men's National team, Zimmerman missed some time earlier this season but is back and healthy now. Prior to his time in Nashville, the Defender played for FC Dallas and LAFC, where he won two Supporters Shields and a US Open Cup. He has also been named to the MLS Best XI in each of the past five seasons, won Defender of the Year in 2020 and 2021, and was an All-Star from 2019 to 2023.
In their last match, taking on Chicago Fire at Geodis Park, BJ Callaghan deployed a 4-4-2 formation with a diamond midfield, much like what Noonan and he worked on in Philadelphia. In that diamond, Mukhtar led the way, with Muyl, Annibal Godoy and Brian Anunga behind him. On the back four, Zimmerman manned a defensive group with Shaq Moore and Daniel Lovitz on the wings. Surridge and Teal Bunbury stood alone up top.
In net, Nashville's Joe Willis has been the man to start for the Tennessee team. Willis has made over 140 appearances for Nashville. He is closing in on 300 appearances all-time between his stints with Nashville, Houston, and D.C. United.
