Brandon Vazquez hattrick lifts FC Cincinnati past Chivas Guadalajara | Replay
Some 18 hours after FC Cincinnati’s Leagues Cup match against Club Deportivo Guadalajara started, FCC prevailed over “Chivas” to clinch the top spot in its group.
The match started Thursday just after 8 p.m. but was pushed into Friday afternoon as severe weather and lightning forced Cincinnati and Guadalajara to abandon the game Friday around 1 a.m. The abandonment followed a three-hour, 39-minute delay.
The wait was worth it for FC Cincinnati as it toppled 10-man Chivas, 3-1, at TQL Stadium in a heavyweight bout between the league leaders of Major League Soccer and Liga MX.
When the match resumed Friday, it was played behind closed doors after 25,143 attended Thursday.
"A little unconventional in how this one played out but I'm really pleased with the performance over the course of the two days from our group against a really strong opponent," FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan said during post-match remarks on Friday. "We accomplished our goal being at the top of the group and getting another game here at TQL (Stadium)."
Brandon Vazquez was a late addition to the starting lineup after Sergio Santos was scratched due to an injury Thursday while warming up for the start of the game. That twist of fate proved fortuitous, though, as Vazquez took scored 90 seconds into the match. He would later record his first FC Cincinnati hattrick.
The goals were the eighth, ninth and 10th for Vazquez in all competitions for FC Cincinnati this year, respectively. His season-long haul including USMNT tallies in 2023 swelled to 14 goals.
The Vazquez goals withstood the final 82 minutes and the overnight suspension of the match, even as Chivas scored seconds after play restarted Friday on a throw-in deflected for a goal in the 60th minute.
"I don't want to say it was 99 out of 100 chances they score that flick header but... fair play to them," FC Cincinnati center back Matt Miazga said. "That kind of woke the game up because we're up two-nil with a man up and they probably didn't want to play, just honestly speaking. But that livened the game up."
Vazquez, who grew up supporting Chivas, responded with his third score 13 minutes later to put the game out of reach.
"I always prepare for games the same way whether I'm starting or not. I eat the same meals, preparing, getting sleep and resting up," Vazquez said. "I really found out that I was starting five minutes before the team walked out so I had to throw shin guards on, put the jersey on and go outside to warm-up properly. It was a little weird."
Vazquez walked out of TQL Stadium on Friday with a match ball signed by his teammates under his arm. The hattrick allowed him to join Philadelphia Union's Daniel Gazdag and Minnesota United FC's Bongokuhle Hlongwane with a tournament-leading four goals.
The victory allowed FC Cincinnati (1-0-1, five points) to clinch the top spot in the Leagues Cup “Central 3” group, which includes Chivas and Sporting Kansas City. It also triggered FCC’s progression to the knockout stage of Leagues Cup.
Cincinnati will remain at TQL Stadium for the Round of 32. FCC will play Friday against a to-be-determined opponent.
FC Cincinnati will play the runner up from the “Central 4” group including Toluca (Liga MX), Nashville SC, and Colorado Rapids. Toluca currently leads the group with Nashville holding down the runner-up position after completing its two group matches.
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FC Cincinnati, group winners
FC Cincinnati remains unbeaten at TQL Stadium in 2023 (14-0-2) and has sent mighty Chivas Guadalajara packing.
Brandon Vazquez completes his hattrick (73')
Brandon Vazquez scored his third goal of the match off a feed from Alvaro Barreal. Then some real shoving ensued. Three yellow cards were issued following the fracas. The hat-trick is Vazquez's first for FC Cincinnati.
Chivas scores immediately after play resumes (60')
Play restarted with a Chivas throw-in in their attacking third and it was deflected straight into the side-netting for 2-1. That's a stunning start to the resumption of the match. Antonio Briseno was credited with the goal.
Back underway (60th minute, 2:05 p.m. Friday)
We resume the match exactly where we left off last night.
Everyone's back at TQL Stadium to finish the game
We have 30-plus minutes to go in the Leagues Cup group stage match between FC Cincinnati and Chivas Guadalajara. The game was stopped with "59:39" on the clock. According to article 10.8 of the Leagues Cup 2023 Competition Regulations, which state the match must continue with the same score, in the same minute it was interrupted (60th minute), and with the same players on the field and substitutes available. In the same way, the participating clubs will only be able to make the same number of remaining substitutions allowed at the time of the suspension and the sanctions imposed during the match will be maintained.
Ticket-holding fans aren't permitted to re-enter TQL Stadium for the conclusion of the game. The match will be carried on MLS Season Pass and on local radio on ESPN1530.
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Previous reporting: FC Cincinnati is about 30 minutes from securing its progression to the 2023 Leagues Cup knockout rounds, but that's as close as it will come until Friday afternoon.
With 59:39 on the game clock, FC Cincinnati's Thursday match at TQL Stadium against Chivas Guadalajara was delayed to due lightning, and later severe weather. The delay lasted three hours and 39 minutes before officials suspended the match with FC Cincinnati leading 2-0 via goals from Brandon Vazquez in the second and eighth minutes, respectively.
After 1 a.m. Friday, Leagues Cup officials announced the match would resume at 2 p.m. Friday.
"Due to safety considerations resulting from inclement weather and forecasted thunderstorms in the Cincinnati area, Leagues Cup announced that the Leagues Cup Group Stage game scheduled for Thursday, July 27 between FC Cincinnati and Chivas Guadalajara will resume on Friday, July 28 at 2pm," officials said in a statement.
Should FC Cincinnati see out its 2-0 lead, it would clinch the top spot in the "Central 3" group and book a knockout-round match at TQL Stadium with the opponent, date and time to be announced.
Live updates from the match and throughout the weather delay:
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Welcome to Cincinnati.com's live coverage of FC Cincinnati (0-0-1, two points) versus Chivas Guadalajara (0-0-0) in the 2023 Leagues Cup. Refresh the page throughout the match for live updates and analysis, and follow Enquirer FC Cincinnati beat reporter Pat Brennan on Twitter for further updates (@PBrennanENQ).
FC Cincinnati-Chivas postponed, 1:08 a.m.:
Stadium officials announced the match was postponed due to "ongoing severe weather in the area." More details will be available at fccincinnati.com as soon as possible.
Weather update, 12:20 a.m.:
We're approaching three hours in the severe weather/lightning delay. There's still 59:39 on the game clock. The rain has subsided but lighting, which is the key safety factor, continues to flicker.
Weather update, 10:24 p.m.:
A severe weather warning is still in effect around TQL Stadium with frequent flashes of lightning as we approach the one-hour mark of this delay. No time for the resumption of play has been set.
Weather update, 9:31 p.m.:
Lightning is in the immediate area and the match was stopped with 59:39 on the game clock. Per FC Cincinnati, "Fans in The Bailey and field seats must exit the seating bowl for safety."
The second half is underway
The match is back underway, although rain has arrived.
Weather update, 9:10 p.m.:
TQL Stadium officials notified spectators that "weather with lightning is approaching. No action is needed at this time. Updates will be made when available."
Halftime: FC Cincinnati romping over Chivas
Club Deportivo Guadalajara, or "Chivas," definitely grew into the contest but not enough to make a dent in their 0-2 deficit. And even after they got a foothold in the game, Gilberto Sepulveda was red-carded for denying Aaron Boupendza an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Brandon Vazquez's eight-minute brace is still the difference.
Chivas down to 10 men for DOGSO (45+)
Aaron Boupendza was hauled down by Gilberto Sepulveda and initially given a yellow card, but the play was reviewed by the video-assistant referee (VAR) and required a fieldside monitor review. After that review, Sepulveda's yellow card was rescinded and he was issued a straight red card for denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (that's affectionately known in the soccer community by the acronym, "DOGSO."
Vazquez is writing a fairy tale (8')
Brandon Vazquez is torching the club he idolized growing up. He banged home Alvaro Barreal's centering feed. Barreal was played in by Luciano Acosta. Again, Vazquez probably didn't know he was starting tonight more than 15 minutes before kickoff after he was scheduled to start the match on the bench. He's on the field due to a Sergio Santos injury sustained during warmups.
Underway and FC Cincinnati quickly take the lead (2')
Brandon Vazquez might not have known he was starting 15 minutes before kickoff (see below) but once he was appointed to replace Sergio Santos due to a reported injury during warmups, Vazquez wasted little time impacting the game. He scored a beautiful curler from about 20 yards out to open the scoring.
A late lineup alteration for FC Cincinnati
Sergio Santos was lifted from the starting XI for FC Cincinnati shortly before kickoff. He'll be replaced by Brandon Vazquez, who appeared on the field in a full kit and started rigorously warming up with team trainers just minutes before kickoff. The team than confirmed the switch via social media.
The backstory of FC Cincinnati-Chivas
Thursday is match day No. 2 for the 2023 Leagues Cup "Central 3" group. It's the last of two games for FC Cincinnati and the first for Chivas. FCC tops the group on two points ahead of the match via its penalty-shootout win against Sporting Kansas City (one point) on Sunday. Group play concludes Monday when Chivas travels to Sporting.
More: FC Cincinnati prevails in PK shootout over Kansas City in Leagues Cup opener | Replay
FC Cincinnati made five changes to Sunday's starting lineup. A outright win or a penalty-shootout win would guarantee FCC's progression to the knockout stage of Leagues Cup, and a win clinch FCC winning the "Central 3" group.
An outright win for Chivas would move it ahead of FCC with one match to play and ensure it progresses to the knockout rounds.
The starting lineups for FC Cincinnati, Chivas Guadalajara
FC Cincinnati starting XI: Alec Kann (goalkeeper), Nick Hagglund, Matt Miazga, Ian Murphy, Alvaro Barreal, Ray Gaddis, Obinna Nwobodo, Marco Angulo, Luciano Acosta (captain), Aaron Boupendza, Sergio Santos.
Cincinnati bench: Alvas Powell, Joey Akpunonu, Yuya Kubo, Yerson Mosquera, Roman Celentano (goalkeeper), Brandon Vazquez, Paul Walters (goalkeeper), Malik Pinto, Quimi Ordonez, London Aghedo, Bret Halsey, Junior Moreno.
Chivas starting XI: Jose Rangel (goalkeeper), Alan Mozo, Gilberto Sepulveda, Jesus Orozco, Ricardo Marin, Erick Gutierrez, Fernando Beltran, Roberto Alvarado, Cristian Calderon, Jonathan "Yael" Padilla, Victor Guzman.
Chivas bench: Antonio Briseno, Pavel Perez, Alexis Vega, Isaac Brizuela, Jesus Sanchez, Ronaldo Cisneros, Manuel Mayorga, Miguel Jimenez (goalkeeper), Fernando Gonzalez, Alan Torres, Oscar Whalley (goalkeeper), Juan Brigido.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Brandon Vazquez hattrick lifts FC Cincinnati past Chivas | Replay
