Cover Photo Credit: FC Cincinnati
February 23, 2024 (CINCINNATI, OH) – A big update on everything going on with FC Cincinnati ahead of the MLS Regular Season Opener on Sunday against Toronto FC.
Cavalier SC 0, FC Cincinnati 2
- CONCACAF Champions Cup – Round 1
- Independence Park, Kingston, Jamaica
- February 22, 2024 – 9:00 pm EST
- Fox Sports 2, ViX
Lineups
Cavalier FC: White; Cadet (McLeary 85′), King, Laing, Calvin, Atkinson, Allen, Ming, Russell (Watson 46′), Thomas, Irving (C)
FC Cincinnati (3-4-1-2): Celentano; Murphy, Miazga (Keller 84′), Robinson; Halsey (Powell 60′), Nwobodo, Bucha (Pinto 84′), Kubo; Acosta (C), Baird (Ordoñez 77′), Santos (Valenzuela 60′)
Scoring Summary
45’+5′ Sergio Santos (Assist: Bret Halsey)
87′ Malik Pinto (Assist: Quimi Ordoñez)
Discipline
90′ Yellow Card – Richard King (Cavalier FC)
Headlines
Pavel Bucha, Miles Robinson, Corey Baird, and Kipp Keller make their FC Cincinnati debuts.
Malik Pinto’s first FC Cincinnati goal comes in the club’s first ever CCC match. Pinto becomes the 41st player in FC Cincinnati MLS history to score a goal for the Orange and Blue.
Aaron Boupendza unavailable due to visa issues, uncertainty on his ability to return to the United States from Jamaica, will be available Sunday for MLS regular season match against Toronto FC.
Arquimides Ordoñez records his first assist for FC Cincinnati on Pinto’s goal. The Cincinnati native was the first Homegrown player to appear for the club back in 2021.
20 year old midfielder Gerardo “Dado” Valenzuela appeared for 30 minutes in Thursday’s match, the longest appearance for Valenzuela with the first team. Valenzuela logged 7 minutes of regular season play last season for FC Cincinnati.
Summary
FC Cincinnati’s first ever CONCACAF Champions Cup match was on the road in Jamaica. Cavalier FC, currently atop the Jamaican Premier League table, primarily sat back and conceded possession to the reigning MLS Supporters’ Shield champions, opting to counter against FC Cincinnati.
For Cincinnati, a full-USMNT back line of Ian Murphy, Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and GK Roman Celentano limited the chances on the counter for Cavalier FC. The Jamaican side managed just 5 shots, with Celentano only recording 1 save, early in the first half.
FC Cincinnati scored right before the halftime break, Bret Halsey taking on the Cavalier defense, finding Santos in the box for an easy finish. Cincinnati, with the last kick of the half, went up 1-0.
Cincinnati would find their second goal thanks to a couple of substitutes, a Quimi Ordóñez back heel pass to Malik Pinto, who slotted the chance into the bottom right corner to double the Cincy lead.
Reigning MLS Landon Donovan MVP winner Luciano Acosta won the MVP honors on Thursday, despite the lack of a goal contribution in Cincinnati’s 2-0 win.
FC Cincinnati’s home leg of the round one matchup will take place at TQL Stadium on Wednesday, February 28, 2024.
FC Cincinnati vs Toronto FC
- MLS Regular Season – Matchday 1
- TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
- February 25, 2024 – 2:30 pm EST
- MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+
2023 Head to Head
June 21 – FC Cincinnati 3 (Arias 35′, Acosta 54′, Badji 63′), Toronto FC 0
September 30 – Toronto FC 2 (Osorio 39′, 44′), FC Cincinnati 3 (Vazquez 28′, 35′, Boupendza 72′)
Headlines
For better or for worse, the core of Federico Bernardeschi, Lorenzo Insigne, and Jonathan Osorio remain at Toronto FC to start the 2024 season. The 2023 Wooden Spoon recipients face off against the 2023 Supporters’ Shield winners to start the 2024 MLS season.
I, personally… and maybe it’s just me, continue to think that this Toronto team can cause problems in the attack. They proved the opposite last season, tied for scoring the fewest goals in regular season play with the Colorado Rapids. The Rapids brought in USMNT midfielder Djordje Mihailovic to help the attack… and Toronto brought in… uhhh… nevermind.
To me, Toronto’s problem lies with their backline. How original, right? They were the second worst defensive team by goals conceded per match, averaging 1.7 goals conceded per match in MLS play. Bernardeschi, Insigne, and Osorio all have enough individual quality to cause problems for any backline in MLS, even one headlined by USMNT centerback Miles Robinson in Cincinnati. They did so in the away fixture last season, when Osorio bagged a brace late in the first half to erase a 2 goal deficit and enter the halftime break tied. With Miazga suspended, it’s an even greater opportunity for the experienced forwards to potentially expose FC Cincinnati’s lack of true depth at the wingback positions, as well as that third centerback without Miazga or Hagglund. Will it be Kipp Keller at RCB? Alvas Powell? Time will tell, but regardless, tough task ahead.
That’s me being optimistic about Toronto. Head coach John Herdman has never coached a men’s club team, aside from Toronto late last season. He was part of a disappointing Canadian squad at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, and will be tested as he tries to deal with what seems like a fractured locker room. Toronto FC come into 2024 as the favorites for the Wooden Spoon, and with problems both on the offensive AND defensive side of the ball, it’s hard to see much hope.
FC Cincinnati come into this match after a strong 2-0 win on the road against Cavalier FC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup on Thursday. Sunday begins a 7 day stretch of 3 matches: Sunday vs Toronto FC, Wednesday vs Cavalier FC, Saturday at Chicago Fire FC. How much rotation can we expect from FC Cincinnati?
For the Orange and Blue, Aaron Boupendza is available for the match. Boupendza did not travel to Jamaica for the away leg of the CCC Round One matchup due to Visa issues. Boupendza would have faced issues getting back into the United States immediately after the match, and the club decided to have him stay in Cincinnati with the congested schedule ahead.
FC Cincinnati will have a banner presentation on Sunday to commemorate the 2023 Supporters’ Shield winning season. TQL Stadium will see the banner go up into the rafters before the match kicks off at 2:30 pm EST.
Canvas Kit
FC Cincinnati launched their new secondary kit, named the “Canvas Kit” on Friday, February 16. The kit is available to purchase in store, as well as online at MLSStore.com.
The Canvas Kit is unique, with every kit having “a unique patterned orange and blue design trimming the sleeves, side panels and neck”. No two kits are alike!
PSRA, PRO
MLS and PRO have locked out PSRA referees, so MLS will use replacement referees to start the season, announced the day of each match. Furthermore, this directly affects MLS’ plans to implement new rules, most notably the announcement of VAR decisions live in stadium, as these new additions to the MLS will be postponed for an indefinite amount of time.
Matt Miazga
Matt Miazga had his 3 match suspension from a post-match altercation in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs at Red Bull Arena reduced to 2 matches on Friday, February 23rd. Miazga completed his league recommended Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health (SABH) Program during the offseason, and his appeal led to the one match reduction in his suspension. He will be suspended Sunday against Toronto FC.
Miazga served his first match of the three (now two) match suspension in the MLS Cup Playoffs against the Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference Final. Miazga was also suspended in the Eastern Conference Semifinal against the Philadelphia Union for yellow card accumulation.
Luca Orellano
FC Cincinnati announced on Friday, February 23 that the club finalized the loan of Argentine winger Luca Arellano from Brazilian Serie A club Club de Regatas (CR) Vasco da Gama. The loan is good for the 2024 MLS season, with an option to buy. A former teammate of Alvaro Barreal at Velez Sarsfield, Orellano has predominately played as an inverted left winger on the right side. He is expected to slot in at the left wing-back (LWB) position in Pat Noonan’s 3-4-1-2 system.
Orellano played with FC Cincinnati during the preseason as one of two unnamed trialists. The other, Pavel Bucha, who made his FC Cincinnati debut on Thursday in a 2-0 win over Cavalier FC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
“I’m proud to join FC Cincinnati. I was attracted to this club because of the project they are building, and I really wan to give my 100 percent to this club and the fans. I’m very excited to meet all the supporters and play at TQL Stadium.”
Luca Orellano, FC Cincinnati Communications
Alvaro Barreal
Alvaro Barreal took to social media on Wednesday, February 21 to thank FC Cincinnati, the fans, and the city for his four years with FC Cincinnati. FC Cincinnati is currently finalizing a loan deal to send the 2023 MLS All-Star to Brazilian Serie A side Cruzeiro, sources confirm to Area Sports Network.
Barreal, 23, was expecting a move to Europe this winter, but a deal never materialized. Barreal signed an extension in 2023 that included club options for both the 2024 and 2025 seasons, but Barreal was ready for the move this offseason after staying last summer window during FC Cincinnati’s Supporters’ Shield run.
Sources indicate the loan to be valued at around $4 million, with an option to buy. FC Cincinnati have the option to terminate the loan if an offer over the $4 million mark comes in, and Cincinnati would have a significant sell-on percentage attached. Velez, the club FC Cincinnati signed Barreal from in 2020, has a 25% sell-on currently, meaning 25% of any money FC Cincinnati makes on Barreal, Velez would keep.