MLS preview: FC Cincinnati seeking strong finish before Leagues Cup break
One of the defining features of this FC Cincinnati team has been its strict discipline and focus on the task and match at-hand − until now.
For the first time this year, FCC sees a common thread directly linking multiple matches beyond the one directly in front of it, which is a Wednesday match against New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.
More: How FC Cincinnati honored the memory of Peter 'Big Pete' Noonan against Charlotte FC
The common thread extends from Wednesday to Saturday's home game against Nashville SC at TQL Stadium. FCC needs points from both games in order to feel good about the month-long break from regular season play that begins on Sunday.
The break was built into the 2023 MLS calendar to accommodate the first-ever Leagues Cup, which is a separate cup competition involving Mexican top-flight clubs. When the break ends in late August, just 11 regular-season matches will remain for FC Cincinnati.
"We met today (Monday) and just looked at the schedule and said 'here's what the guaranteed games look like leading up to the Aug. 20 (MLS) game in Columbus,' so all we're focused on is league play for the next (few) days," FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan said Monday. "That certainly starts with New York, and then Nashville at home. And how do we find a way to better our position in the table before we shift our focus to Leagues Cup? We won't discuss Leagues Cup until we finish that Nashville game, and then we'll talk through what that tournament and format looks like. Guys have already kind of been briefed on it but we can't be thinking about that.
"It's certainly, I think, a good situation to know that prior to the break we'll be at the top of the table but how go into that break will be more important to me. We know where we're at. You could go into the break feeling really good. You could go in feeling like you missed an opportunity to maintain a lead and keep distance, so a lot will depend on how we perform (this week). It's important that we recognize the significance of these two games to maintain a lead and not let it slip."
Thanks to results in other matches last week, FC Cincinnati's 2-2 draw at Charlotte FC didn't hurt the club's position. Rather, FCC gained a point on the rest of the Eastern Conference pack and leads Nashville SC by seven points with a game in-hand.
In the race for the Supporters Shield, St. Louis City SC of the Western Conference pulled into second place behind FCC last weekend but is also seven points behind the league leaders.
FCC could use the head-to-head with Nashville to significantly improve its position. Accounting for both matches this week, Cincinnati could be as many as 13 points clear of second place in the East by late Saturday night. Conversely, FCC also could enter the break only one point ahead.
FC Cincinnati is still battling the absences of Brandon Vazquez and Matt Miazga due to USMNT duty after the Americans progressed past Canada on Sunday at TQL Stadium to the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal round.
Newly-acquired and high-profile scorer Aaron Boupendza is considered day-to-day this week, Noonan said Monday, and it remains an open question if he'll play before the Leagues Cup break.
With Ian Murphy suspended for Wednesday's match after his second red card in the team's last three match, the club will be stretched thin on the personnel front yet again.
Fortunately for FC Cincinnati, the first match of its vital two-game swing pre-Leagues Cup will be against an RBNY group with significant absences, too.
The latest on RBNY
The Red Bulls enter Wednesday's match coming off a controversial, upset win against 10-man New England Revolution on Saturday.
A 60th-minute red card assessed to New England's Latif Blessing on Saturday forced the Revolution to shift their intentions for the match, but the Red Bulls still found a late go-ahead goal from Wikelman Carmona in the 88th minute.
The Revolution scored what was thought to be a stoppage-time equalizer only to see the goal called back for an officiating decision. On Monday, the Professional Referees Organization (PRO) released a statement Monday acknowledging the video-assistant referee (VAR) decision for offside on the play in question was made in error.
Controversy didn't lessen the value of the three points RBNY picked up, of course, and they enter Wednesday's game in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, tied on points (26) for the ninth and final playoff position in the east.
The Red Bulls are laboring for goals in 2023. Former FC Cincinnati midfielder and 2019 No. 1 overall MLS SuperDraft pick Frankie Amaya leads the team with just three goals, all of which came in New York's last three matches.
Designated player striker Dante Vanzeir, who scored a late equalizer for the Red Bulls in the May 23 U.S. Open Cup match against Cincinnati, has two goals in 13 appearances.
The Red Bulls are missing seven players due to a combination of injuries, suspension, and international duty. Included among the anticipated absences for Wednesday are Jamaican international Cory Burke, whose "Reggae Boyz" beat Guatemala at TQL Stadium Sunday and face Mexico in a Gold Cup semifinal on Wednesday.
John Tolkin, an 2023 MLS All-Star, is away on USMNT duty and FCC won't mind that after Tolkin impressed in the Open Cup match.
The game
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m., Wednesday | Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey
Stream/radio: Apple TV/ESPN 1530
All-time series: The Red Bulls lead the all-time series against FC Cincinnati with five wins from 12 matches (5-3-4).
Cincinnati.com prediction: FC Cincinnati 2, New York Red Bulls 1.
FC Cincinnati
Record: 13-2-5; 44 points, first in MLS Eastern Conference
Goals for: 32
Goals against: 21
Head coach: Pat Noonan - second season as head coach
Projected starting XI:
Roman Celentano, goalkeeper
Alvaro Barreal, left back
Yerson Mosquera, center back
Nick Hagglund, center back
Ray Gaddis, center back
Santiago Arias, right back
Obinna Nwobodo, midfielder
Junior Moreno, midfielder
Luciano Acosta, midfielder
Quimi Ordonez, forward
Sergio Santos, forward
New York Red Bulls
Record: 6-7-8, 10th place in MLS Eastern Conference
Goals for: 20
Goals against: 21
Head coach: Troy Lesesne, interim head coach
Projected starting XI:
Carlos Coronel, goalkeeper
Hassan Ndam, defender
Kyle Duncan, defender
Cameron Harper, left back
Peter Stroud, right back
Daniel Edelman, midfielder
Cristian Cásseres Jr., midfielder
Frankie Amaya, midfielder
Luquinhas, midfielder
Tom Barlow, forward
Dante Vanzeir, forward
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati vs New York Red Bulls preview before Leagues Cup break
