After snapping their winless streak last Saturday in a 2-1 win over the Montreal Impact, FC Cincinnati return to the field Sunday afternoon at Orlando City SC with a chance to build on momentum in Interim Head Coach Yoann Damet’s second match.
The Orange and Blue will play an Orlando side looking for their first win in nearly a month. But Damet and his players said the focus is on Cincinnati, not the opposition.
“I’ve always liked playing away,” Damet said. “It’s a different environment and it’s a good way to find extra motivation. When you play away, you have to focus even more on yourself. You know it’s going to be a battle for 90-plus minutes, so we spoke about changing the mentality and a togetherness. I think when you play away that’s definitely what you need to find on the field.”
Midfielder Kekuta Manneh, who played in the second half against Montreal, said the players are looking forward to the challenge in Orlando and beyond.
“Last week is out of the way and we want to see if we can replicate that or do a better job than we did at home,” Manneh said. “It’s hard to say doing a better job considering you just won a game, but just by being consistent on the field and doing everything right … that’s our objective.”
Match Info
FC Cincinnati at Orlando City SC
Kickoff: 3 p.m.
Where: Orlando City Stadium
Weather Forecast: Partly Cloudy, 87 degrees
TV: WSTR Star64
Local Video Stream: FloFC
Out of Market Video Steam: ESPN+
Local Radio: WDJO (99.5 FM | 107.9 FM | 1480 AM)
Audio Stream: TuneIn App, fccincinnati.com
Player to Watch and his Health Carousel Player Resume
Opponent’s Player to Watch: Forward Nani
The former Manchester United player has five goals and four assists through 10 regular-season matches this season. That said, none have occurred since April.
Overall, Nani has played 112 times for the Portugal National Team, where he has scored 24 goals. He played in every match when Portugal won the 2016 UEFA Euro Championship.
Club Connections:
- Emery Welshman and Danilo Acosta played together with the Real Monarchs in 2016.
- Tesho Akindele played with FC Dallas between 2014-18. He played with Victor Ulloa during that spell. Roland Lamah later joined in 2017 and 2018.
- Will Johnson played on the Portland Timbers alongside Alvas Powell in 2013-15. He also played with FCC assistant coach Pa-Modou Kah in 2013-14 and Fanendo Adi in 2015.
- Benji Michel was in Portland’s organization between 2016-18 and played with Powell, Adi and Darren Mattocks.
- Orlando assistant Sean McAuley was with Portland between 2012-18. He also worked with Emery Welshman in 2012.
- Sasha Kljestan and Hassan Ndam were in the New York Red Bulls organization together in 2017.
- Technical Director Luke Sassano, Oriol Rossell and Dom Dwyer played together at Sporting Kansas City in 2012.
- Kekuta Manneh and Dillon Powers played for the Austin Aztex in 2012.
- Brian Rowe played with Kendall Waston on the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2018.
- Director of Sports Performance Gary Walker was at Manchester United with Nani between 2008-2015.
Club Connections with former Louisville City FC personnel
- Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor coached against FCC between 2016-18. When he left the USL for MLS, he brought along Daniel Byrd and Thabane Sutu on his coaching staff.
- Greg Ranjitsingh and Kyle Smith played for Louisville between 2016-18. Smith is from Cincinnati and went to La Salle High School. He later played for the Cincinnati Dutch Lions in 2014-15.
