After racing out to a quick lead in the early moments of The Orange and Blue’s second Leagues Cup match, the weather would not allow the match to be completed as scheduled and was officially suspended in the 60th minute due to severe weather.
Leagues Cup issued the following statement:
Due to safety considerations resulting from inclement weather and forecasted thunderstorms in the Cincinnati area, Leagues Cup announced that the Leagues Cup Group Stage game scheduled for Thursday, July 27 between FC Cincinnati and Chivas Guadalajara has been suspended, and the game will resume on Friday, July 28 at 2 p.m. ET.
More information to come.
FC Cincinnati led 2-0 at the moment of stoppage and the ball was out of play for a Chivas throw-in along their right defensive half.
Both teams were ushered off the field as lightning filled the area around TQL Stadium. A nearly four-hour delay ensued before officials deemed a return to play not possible.
Brandon’s brace gets things started
After being named a starter just moments before opening kickoff, Brandon Vazquez got The Orange and Blue off to a flying start. It took the striker less than 90 seconds to put FCC on top and eight minutes to secure his brace.
Vazquez, who’s childhood club is Chivas Guadalajara, earned his first in a moment of sheer brilliance. From just beyond the 18-yard box, Vazquez made a move to the inside past two defenders to open up space for himself and unleashed a shot that curled around the keeper and into the mesh for the opening goal of the match.
His second goal, and third of the tournament, came six minutes later. Álvaro Barreal, who entered the match leading all players in Leagues Cup in key passes, created the space on the left side to then perfectly place a centering pass on the foot of a streaking Vazquez, who struck it true and doubled the lead.
FC Cincinnati goes a man up
In the dying moments of the first half, Aaron Boupendza received a perfect long pass from Nick Hagglund that sprung the striker for an attack on goal. But Boupendza was dragged down on his chance and a yellow card was issued to the culprit, Gilberto Sepúlveda. Before the free kick could be taken from just steps outside the box on the goalkeeper's left-hand side, the referee went to VAR and determined Sepúlveda halted a goal scoring opportunity and showed him a red card.
It was the third game in a row that FC Cincinnati opponents have received a red card, and the second consecutive game where that red card came in the first half.
Rain, rain, go away
For the third time in as many matches, FCC’s game was delayed due to lighting in the immediate area.
The delay came in the 60th minute of play after a clearance by goalkeeper Alec Kann who sent the ball to the touch line. Official Benjamin Pineda did not allow Chivas to put the ball into play before blowing his whistle and declaring the match halted.
The delay lasted three hours and 56 minutes before the postponement was announced. The longest in the history of TQL Stadium and did not see play resume until the early hours of Friday morning.