Five players from FC Cincinnati’s first draft class played Saturday in the club’s first preseason win: A 1-0 result against the Colorado Rapids.
Defender Logan Gdula and forward Rashawn Dally played the entire second half, while goalkeeper Jimmy Hague and midfielder Tommy McCabe entered the match in the 75th minute. No. 1 pick Frankie Amaya made his debut in the 80th minute.
“It means the world because it’s always what I dreamed of,” Gdula said of his first appearance with a Major League Soccer team. “To finally get to accomplish your goals just shows people that dreams can be a reality sometimes. It’s definitely a big step for me.”
If getting selected in the MLS SuperDraft was their first welcome to being a professional, Saturday morning’s preseason game was an opportunity to showcase their ability and prove they belong in the league.
“It was a good thing to get three points,” Gdula said. “Making your debut, you get nerves out in the first 10 minutes. It was a good feeling being able to play with MLS guys for the first time It’s definitely a great feeling.”
Head Coach Alan Koch complimented the draft selections after the game.
“To get lots of the draft picks out there was huge,” Koch said. “It was awesome and I thought that they all did well. The guys that played longer minutes had a couple tough challenges, but you can expect to have tough challenges. It’s how they respond to those challenges, which was a big positive.”
