Despite a second-half equalizer, two preventable goals led to three points dropped at Nippert Stadium, as FC Cincinnati lost, 2-1, to D.C. United on Sunday night.
These are takeaways from the result:
Stam: “It is disappointing”
Since they’ve joined MLS, the Orange and Blue have never rescued a point when they concede first in a match. So, it felt like a major hurdle was bypassed in the 66th minute when Brandon Vazquez equalized the match by nutmegging visiting goalkeeper Chris Seitz.
But just as FCC could’ve prevented the first goal that they conceded in the 36th minute, the same happened in the 78th, when the club lost the ball building from the back and Chris Odoi-Atsem punished the home side.
“It is disappointing,” head coach Jaap Stam said after the match. “We all know that nobody is doing this on purpose. The thing is, you make it difficult for yourself to win games and get points if you concede goals like that. Then, you need to get back to the game. You need to chase it. You need to score. You need to equalize, which we do. Then after that, it happened again, which is very disappointing. If we keep on doing this, and in other games we’ve had it as well, it is becoming difficult to get points.”
The injury report read like a typical starting lineup
Feel free to call it an excuse, but it’s a justified one.
Allan Cruz, Mathieu Deplagne, Greg Garza, Yuya Kubo, Jürgen Locadia, Spencer Richey, Przemysław Tytoń, Kendall Waston and Maikel van der Werff all missed the match with injuries.
When Saad Abdul-Salaam injured his hamstring during the second half, he didn’t even go to the bench. He walked straight toward the locker room.
A team that lacks bodies is losing opportunities to earn points.
That’s opened avenues for some players, like third-string goalkeeper Bobby Edwards and full back Zico Bailey, but it reiterates that FCC’s biggest portion of the season has arrived and key players are missing.
Credit to players like Rashawn Dally, who was on loan, returned and has played in the two matches he’s been available.
“I’m just taking advantage of (the minutes) and just enjoying the game as I play,” Dally said.
But FCC’s leading goal scorer, Kubo, is out, while Vazquez is second on the team with two goals. The other forward – Locadia – has one.
Another glance at the Eastern Conference standings
Cincinnati is four points outside a playoff spot with as many matches remaining. Chicago Fire FC, who are in 10th, have a game in hand, though.
Here’s a guide to the next opponents, with the next two games against Western Conference sides at Nippert Stadium:
- Minnesota United FC (fifth place, Western Conference)
- Sporting Kansas City (third place, Western Conference)
- at Atlanta United FC (11th place, Eastern Conference)
- at Inter Miami CF (12th place, Eastern Confernece)
What comes next:
FC Cincinnati host Minnesota United FC next Saturday in the second meeting between the teams this month. FCC lost, 2-0, when they played at Allianz Field on Oct. 3.
That was the first match in which the team reverted back to a 4-3-3 formation.
