FC Cincinnati seek the club’s first win at home over a Western Conference foe since 2019 when the San Jose Earthquakes come to town for the very first time. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10 at TQL Stadium.
The Orange and Blue currently occupy the seventh and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with just five MLS contests remaining.
Saturday is Noche Latina, as FC Cincinnati will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with special fan activations before and during Saturday’s game. For more information, visit the Matchday Guide.
Tickets remain for Saturday’s game. Visit the ticket page at fccincinnati.com/tickets, or call 513-977-KICK to learn more.
FC CINCINNATI vs SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2022 – 7:30 p.m. ET – TQL STADIUM
HOW TO WATCH
Local TV: Star64
Local Stream: fccincinnati.com
Out of Market Stream: ESPN+
Radio: FOX Sports 1360
Talent: Tom Gelehrter (play-by-play), Kevin McCloskey (analyst), Alex Stec (sideline)
Be sure to follow @FCCincinnati on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for live updates from the game.
GAME ACTIVATIONS
As part of the Noche Latina platform, fans on Saturday can head to Washington Park beginning at 4:30 p.m. for on-site experiences including Hispanic food trucks, La Mega Media and Salsa dancing. The Amador Sisters will perform live music on the East Plaza, and Spanish-language public address announcing and Hispanic music will be heard throughout the night inside the stadium. A special Noche Latina Scarf will be available for sale in the Team Store.
For more information on all the activations surrounding Saturday’s matchup, including pre-game festivities and Washington Park activities, visit the Matchday Guide, here.
Can’t make it to the game and looking for a place to watch the Orange and Blue? Head to one of the club’s official Pub Partners for the season, which broadcast all home and away games and feature opportunities for fans to win prizes all season long.
ROAD CLOSURE
Due to a special event, Central Parkway will be closed in both directions between Race and Elm Streets. The closure will begin at noon on Saturday and will run through 2 a.m. Sunday morning. Westbound traffic will be detoured down Race Street, across Court Street and up Elm Street. Eastbound traffic will be detoured down Plum Street, across 7th Street and up Vine Street. Please allow extra time traveling to and from TQL Stadium.
ALL-TIME SERIES
The San Jose Earthquakes lead the all-time MLS series over FC Cincinnati, 1-0-0
SCOUTING THE SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (7-12-9, 30 PTS, 13TH WESTERN CONFERENCE)
It was a sluggish start to the season for San Jose, who find themselves one point ahead of last-place Houston Dynamo FC in the Western Conference. The Earthquakes went winless in their first seven, earning just three points over that span. The Quakes picked up their first win against Seattle at the end of April before dropping the next two and have not been able to salvage the season.
Road matches have plagued San Jose this season, as the Earthquakes hold a 1-9-4 record away from PayPal Park. The Earthquakes are conceding over two goals a game on the road and carry a -12 goal difference in those matches. The last time San Jose took points on the road was in a 3-3 draw against Austin FC on Aug. 6.
Individual performances have given the San Jose faithful promise. The Earthquakes have one of the best attacking duos in MLS in forward Jeremy Ebobisse and midfielder Cristian Espinoza.
Ebobisse and Espinoza have combined for 21 goals and 14 assists this season. Ebobissee is tied for sixth in the Golden Boot race while Espinoza’s 12 assists are good for the fourth-best mark behind Kai Wagner (13), Carles Gil (13), and FC Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta’s 16. Espinoza’s two-assist night against LAFC on Aug. 20 powered the Earthquakes to a 2-1 win against the Western Conference leaders.
Goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski has made 99 saves, the most in MLS this season. He has also allowed the most goals in MLS this year (52) which can be attributed to the Quakes holding the second-worst tallies in MLS in goals against (55) and shots against (164), both only in front of D.C. United (59 GA, 167 SA).
FC CINCINNATI NOTES
WELCOME TO THE QUEEN CITY – For the second straight game at TQL Stadium, FC Cincinnati welcome an opponent to Cincinnati for the first time in MLS competition after hosting expansion side Charlotte FC last Saturday. It is the third time an opposing side makes their first ever visit to Cincy this season (April 24 - LAFC).
Following Saturday, only three active MLS clubs have yet to face FCC in the Queen City (ATX, DAL, SEA).
THE WILD WEST – The Western Conference has not been kind to FC Cincinnati since the Orange and Blue joined MLS in 2019, with FCC holding a 3-15-4 record against WC foes (1-2-2 this season), including a 2-7-3 record in the Queen City (0-1-2 this season).
FCC’s last home win over a Western Conference opponent was July 6, 2019 at Nippert Stadium, a 3-2 win over Houston Dynamo.
THE UNBEATEN ORANGE AND BLUE – FC Cincinnati are unbeaten in eight straight games, the longest active unbeaten streak in MLS, a streak that is also the longest in club history. Only six clubs have had a longer unbeaten streak at any point this season in MLS, with the longest streaks reaching 10 straight unbeaten (New England Revolution: April 30 – July 3 and Portland Timbers: June 18 – August 6).
Additionally, FC Cincinnati hold a nine-game unbeaten streak at TQL Stadium, the second-longest active home unbeaten run in MLS this season only behind the Philadelphia Union’s 15-game run. The current Eastern Conference leaders are undefeated all season at home.
LUCHO’S BACK! – After missing Wednesday’s game at New York City FC due to suspension for yellow card accumulation, FC Cincinnati midfielder Luciano Acosta is available for selection against San Jose.
Acosta leads MLS in leads MLS in assists (16), assists at home (11), and assists from open play (10). He has recorded 10 assists in his last eight home games at TQL Stadium.
UNCHARTED WATERS – FC Cincinnati have just 13 players on the roster who have ever played against the San Jose Earthquakes in an MLS game. Of those 13, none appeared in the lone 2019 matchup between Cincinnati and San Jose, as both Nick Hagglund and Allan Cruz were on the matchday roster for that one but did not see action off the bench.
Dominique Badji, still searching for his first goal with FC Cincinnati, has scored three times against the Quakes in his career, twice while with the Colorado Rapids and once with FC Dallas. Luciano Acosta scored against San Jose in 2019 while with D.C. United, and one of Alvas Powell’s six career MLS goals came against the Earthquakes back in 2014.
NOONAN’S TAKE
Head Coach Pat Noonan on the team’s positioning
“I think they sense it. Each week, each game that passes and where we're at, I've said multiple times, where we're at in the table is something that they're aware of. And I think while the performance wasn't great against New York City, it was an important point as far as where we're positioned right now and with games remaining. It's in our hands, and we have a chance tomorrow to step on the field and get an important win."
2023 FC Cincinnati Season Ticket Memberships are now available. Season Ticket Members are guaranteed the best seats at the best prices for every match at TQL Stadium in 2023, in addition to access to exclusive events, discounts on merchandise and more!
2023 Season Tickets are on sale now at fccincinnati.com/tickets. Fans looking for more information can contact a dedicated FC Cincinnati representative at (513) 977-5435 or e-mail tickets@fccincinnati.com.
Single match tickets to any of FC Cincinnati’s remaining home games are also available now, head to fccincinnati.com/tickets or call 513-977-KICK, to learn more.
FC Cincinnati are playing their fourth season of MLS competition in 2022, and their second playing at TQL Stadium. For up-to-the-minute information about FC Cincinnati, visit the team’s official website at fccincinnati.com, or follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FCCincinnati. Additionally, fans are encouraged to download the team’s official mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play for instant access to mobile tickets, team content and match notifications.
