MLS Preview: Before FC Cincinnati lifts the Supporters Shield, it faces New York Red Bulls
FC Cincinnati and its fan base will pause the Supporters Shield celebrations for about 90-plus minutes on Wednesday.
They'll have to. Even though FC Cincinnati on Saturday clinched the Supporters Shield with three matches to play, it can still break the league's single-season points record in the standings if it wins out. The next club opposing the pursuit of FCC advancing its historic season is New York Red Bulls.
The clubs meet Wednesday at TQL Stadium (7:30 p.m.) in a match between the MLS Cup favorite and a playoff hopeful in New York, which is three points back of the final Eastern Conference playoff berth.
Win or lose, the celebration will then pick up again for FC Cincinnati after the final whistle on Wednesday. The club has announced a Supporters Shield celebration, which will likely see players touch the actual Shield trophy itself for the first time.
Fans are being asked to remain in their seats following the conclusion of the game. But until then, the celebrations are definitely paused.
"That's the idea. I think, rightfully so, we enjoyed the evening (Saturday) and you want to extend that a little longer but the reality is with the quick turnaround and a Wednesday game, we quickly turn the focus to Red Bull Wednesday," Noonan said Monday. "What I told them is we'll enjoy that moments after the game, hopefully after a good performance and result, to share the moment with the fans, the entire staff, all the players and families."
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If celebrating the hoisting of the trophy after a positive outcome isn't enough motivation on Wednesday, Noonan said he mentioned to the players that the single-season points record is still available to them.
Other than that, the primary objective over the final three matches is to stay healthy, which will be accomplished via some lineup alterations. Noonan in his post-match comments Saturday in Toronto and again on Monday indicated he'd deviate from his preferred starting lineup during this final phase of the regular season.
A 13-year postseason streak at risk for 'RBNY'
The Red Bulls enter Wednesday's match sitting 12th in the east and looking to salvage a playoff seed from a long, challenging season. The club's MLS-record 13-year streak of consecutive playoff appearances is at risk.
RBNY fired manager Gerhard Struber and also twice went on winless runs of five matches or more this year. The team's play has indicated its playoff streak will end.
But, seeing as they'll be desperate to keep the streak alive, FC Cincinnati center back Nick Hagglund indicated FCC is preparing for a real scrap on Wednesday.
"You know what you're gonna get in a Red Bulls game," Hagglund said on Monday. "It's gonna be chaotic. It's gonna be a lot of pressure and they're desperate. That's one of the most dangerous types of teams... The job's not done. We still have work to do in the league and we have work to do in the playoffs, so gotta turn the page quick."
The game
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m., Saturday | TQL Stadium, Toronto
Stream: Apple TV
All-time series: The Red Bulls lead the all-time, all-competition series against FC Cincinnati with a 4-5-4 record.
Cincinnati.com prediction: FC Cincinnati 2, New York Red Bulls 1.
FC Cincinnati
Record: 189-4-8; 65 points, clinched home field throughout MLS Cup playoffs and Supporters Shield
Goals for: 53 (No. 3 in east)
Goals against: 35 (No. 2 in east)
Head coach: Pat Noonan - second season as head coach
Projected starting XI:
Roman Celentano, goalkeeper
Alvaro Barreal, left back
Yerson Mosquera, center back
Matt Miazga, center back
Ian Murphy, center back
Junior Moreno, midfielder
Obinna Nwobodo, midfielder
Luciano Acosta, midfielder
Brandon Vazquez, forward
Aaron Boupendza, forward
New York Red Bulls
Record: 8-13-10; 34 points, 12th place in Eastern Conference
Goals for: 30 (No. 14 in east)
Goals against: 38 (No. 7 in east)
Head coach: Troy Lesesne
Projected starting XI:
Carlos Coronel, goalkeeper
Kyle Duncan, right back
Andrés Reyes, center back
Dylan Nealis, center back
John Tolkin, left back
Luquinhas, midfielder/winger
Frankie Amaya, midfielder
Daniel Edelman, midfielder
Omir Fernandez, midfielder/winger
Tom Barlow, forward
Elias Manoel, forward
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Before FC Cincinnati lifts Supporters Shield, it faces NY Red Bulls
