Matchday 26 Information:
- Who: FC Cincinnati (14-2-6, 48 points) vs New York Red Bulls (11-7-5, 38 points)
- When: Saturday, July 15, 2023 – 7:30 PM EST
- Where: TQL Stadium – Cincinnati, OH, USA
- How To Watch: Apple TV – MLS Season Pass
2022/23 Matchups:
- July 23, 2022: FC Cincinnati 1 (Vazquez 52′) – Nashville SC 1 (Bunbury 6′)
- March 25, 2023: Nashville SC 0 – FC Cincinnati 1 (Vazquez 48′)
Key Storylines:
- The Return: Brandon Vazquez and Matt Miazga are BACK. The duo arrived back to training on Friday after the USMNT’s loss to Panama in PKs of the Gold Cup Semifinals.
- New DP Striker: Aaron Boupendza has been increasing his training levels since his arrival on Monday, and is expected to be available for the match.
- Tough Stretch: Nashville SC has NEVER lost three matches in a row in their club’s history. They’re at risk of doing so in Cincinnati, coming in on a 2 match-losing streak and losing 4 of their last 5 matches.
- MVP Matchup: Two of the leading MLS MVP Candidates in Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar and Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta face off Saturday. Acosta (11 goals, 7 assists) has a goal contribution in 5 of Cincinnati’s last 6 matches. Mukhtar (13 goals, 8 assists) only has 1 goal contribution over Nashville’s last 5 matches.
- Nashville’s Shaq Moore and Daniel Lovitz were both issued a Red Card on MLS Matchday 25 against Philadelphia. They’ll be without the services of both fullbacks in Cincinnati.
- No MLS Matches: After Saturday’s match, MLS and Liga MX will commence the Leagues Cup. This means the next MLS match for the Orange and Blue will take place in Columbus – the “Hell is Real” derby.
- Team Store: FC Cincinnati’s Team Store reportedly ran out of number 1. So, no Acosta, Arias, Badji, Barreal, Celentano, Kann, Miazga, Mosquera, Santos, or Vazquez jerseys will be customizable at the match.
FC Cincinnati Yellow Card Watch
- 1 Yellow Card from Suspension: Obinna Nwobodo, Matt Miazga, Sergio Santos
- 2 Yellow Cards from Suspension: Alvaro Barreal, Luciano Acosta, Yerson Mosquera
Key Player: Luciano Acosta (CIN)
Luciano Acosta may have a DP striker available at his disposal on Wednesday. With Matt Miazga making his return to the backline and Brandon Vazquez making his return to the attack, that allows Acosta to do more of what he does best: float into space and create chances. Aaron Boupendza made his arrival at the club on Monday and has been participating in training. He’s expected to make his MLS debut on Saturday.
Photo Credit: @FCCincinnati (via IG)
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