FC Cincinnati advanced to the Quarterfinals of the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup following Tuesday night’s 1-1 (5-3 after a penalty shootout) Round of 16 victory over the New York Red Bulls. After extra time, the match finished in a draw following 120 minutes of game action.
With the win, the Orange and Blue will host an Open Cup Quarterfinal matchup on June 6 or 7 against the winner of Wednesday night’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs Columbus Crew Round of 16 fixture.
Across all competitions this season, FC Cincinnati are 11-1-4. The 1-1 draw with the Red Bulls after extra time maintains Cincinnati’s unbeaten record under Head Coach Pat Noonan in games played just three days following another match (5-0-2).
Cincinnati’s lineup featured seven changes from the Starting XI in Saturday’s Hell is Real win over the Columbus Crew. The Orange and Blue weathered early pressure from New York, with the Red Bulls registering the first nine shots of the match. FC Cincinnati’s first shot attempt would come up empty in the 40th minute from Santiago Arias, but two minutes later, Cincinnati’s Yuya Kubo would net the opening goal of the night.
The buildup to the goal began with Arias breaking loose down the left side and sliding it to Luciano Acosta at the top of the box. The captain then found Marco Angulo, who backheeled a pass to Kubo with his back to goal. Kubo took a touch and fired a shot through a crowded box into the bottom corner.
Kubo’s 42nd minute goal was his sixth-career goal across all competitions for the Orange and Blue, and his first since the Leagues Cup Showcase against Liga MX side Chivas last September.
The Orange and Blue absorbed pressure for the rest of the evening until second-half stoppage time, when New York’s Dante Vanzeir broke the resistance two minutes after the 90th minute, scoring a late equalizer to send the game to extra time.
After neither side found a breakthrough in the extra 30 minutes, the contest went to a penalty shootout, Cincinnati’s first since July 20, 2020 in the MLS is Back Tournament against Portland Timbers (Portland advanced 4-2).
Cincinnati went first in the shootout and converted all five penalties – the fifth and final scored by Álvaro Barreal – and would secure the shootout win after goalkeeper Alec Kann saved New York’s first attempt from the goalscorer Vanzeir.
Kann made seven saves on a night where New York fired off 35 shots, but just eight on target.
Dating back to the club’s USL era, the Orange and Blue all-time in the U.S. Open Cup are 11-4-3, with Tuesday marking the club’s third penalty shootout in the competition (2-1).
FC Cincinnati return to MLS play to face the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, May 27 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. ET and the match will be streamed on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app and carried over the radio locally on ESPN 1530.
FC Cincinnati’s next home game at TQL Stadium comes against Chicago Fire FC on June 3. Tickets are available at FCCincinnati.com/Tickets or by calling (513) 977-5425 (KICK).
FC CINCINNATI GAME REPORT
FC Cincinnati at New York Red Bulls
Date: May 23, 2023
Competition: U.S. Open Cup – Round of 16
Venue: Red Bull Arena
Kickoff: 7:33 p.m. ET
Weather: 60 degrees, clear
SCORING SUMMARY: 1-2-ET-F
RBNY: 0-1-0-1 (3)
CIN: 1-0-0-1 (5)
RBNY – Dante Vanzeir 90+2’
CIN – Yuya Kubo (Marco Angulo) 42’
PENALTY SHOOTOUT SUMMARY (KICK TAKEN)
CIN: Luciano Acosta (1) – Good
Junior Moreno (3) – Good
Dominique Badji (5) – Good
Yerson Mosquera (7) – Good
Álvaro Barreal (9) – Good
RBNY: Dante Vanzeir (2) – Saved
Elias Manoel (4) – Good
Wikelman Carmona (6) – Good
Cristian Cásseres Jr. (8) – Good
GAME NOTES
• In 11 matchups against the Red Bulls since joining Major League Soccer, FC Cincinnati are 3-4-4 … nine of the 11 matchups have featured two combined goals or less.
• Dating to FC Cincinnati’s USL era, all-time in the U.S. Open Cup, the Orange and Blue are 11-4-3 in the competition, and 4-2-1 since joining MLS in 2019.
• FC Cincinnati are 2-1 in penalty shootouts all-time in the U.S. Open Cup, with a win over the Chicago Fire in 2017 (3-1) and a defeat to Minnesota United in 2018 (1-3).
• Tuesday marked the second penalty shootout for FC Cincinnati since joining MLS, the first since the 2020 MLS is Back Tournament Round of 16 against the Portland Timbers (2-4 loss).
• Cincinnati’s congested schedule will continue with the Orange and Blue set to play eight games in 25 days now between May 17 and June 10.
• Under Pat Noonan, FCC are 5-0-2 in games played three days following another game.
• Yuya Kubo scored his sixth all-time goal across all competitions for FC Cincinnati … his most recent goal prior to Tuesday came in non-league play also, in the Leagues Cup Showcase on Sept. 21, 2022 vs Chivas.
LINEUPS
CIN: Alec Kann, Santiago Arias (Álvaro Barreal 73’), Ian Murphy, Yerson Mosquera, Nick Hagglund (Joey Akpunonu 90+10’), Alvas Powell, Malik Pinto (Ray Gaddis 73’), Obinna Nwobodo, Marco Angulo (Junior Moreno 84’), Luciano Acosta (C), Yuya Kubo (Dominique Badji 64’)
Substitutes not used: Evan Louro, Matt Miazga
Head Coach: Pat Noonan
RBNY: Ryan Meara, John Tolkin, Sean Nealis (C), Hassan Ndam, Dylan Nealis (O’Vonte Mullings 80’), Cristian Cásseres Jr., Peter Stroud (Luquinhas 80’), Dante Vanzeir, Dru Yearwood (Cory Burke 69’, Matthew Nocita 90+10’, Carlos Coronel 120+2’), Cameron Harper (Wikelman Carmona 58’), Tom Barlow (Elias Manoel 58’)
Substitutes not used: None
Head Coach: Troy Lesesne
STATS SUMMARY: RBNY/CIN
Shots: 35 / 6
Shots on Goal: 8 / 4
Saves: 2 / 7
Corner Kicks: 10 / 3
Fouls: 20 / 24
Offside: 3 / 2
Possession: 63.5 / 36.5
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
RBNY – Hassan Ndam (Yellow Card) 10’
RBNY – Cristian Cásseres Jr. (Yellow Card) 22’
RBNY – Sean Nealis (Yellow Card) 28’
CIN – Santiago Arias (Yellow Card) 69’
CIN – Dominique Badji (Yellow Card) 89’
RBNY – John Tolkin (Yellow Card) 89’
RBNY – Ryan Meara (Yellow Card) 89’
CIN – Álvaro Barreal (Yellow Card) 90+2’
RBNY – Wikelman Carmona (Yellow Card) 99’
OFFICIALS
Referee: Fotis Bazakos
Ast. Referees: Ian McKay, Max Smith
Fourth Official: Ernie Constantine
POSTGAME QUOTES
FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan
On the result
“The game was certainly a test of character, and all I could say is, I'm beyond proud of this group to come out on top, under the circumstances. On a night where you could tell the legs weren't there, and we were up against it and just found a way. It was really impressive. And the credit is solely with them.”
On Alec Kann
“Well, I'm not surprised that he was a big part of us winning the game. I think just his composure, positioning, shot stopping. He made plenty of good saves. Like you said, there was a lot that either were missed off target or blocked, but when he needed to, he made plays for us. I don't think there's anything he could do about the goal. So, aside from that, spectacular performance. And then he made the one play in the PK shootout that allows us to advance. So couldn't be happier for him. You know how much it means to him and to the group. One, with him being on the field winning games, and two, just like I said, adding another game to the schedule. So he's been outstanding.”
