Cover Image via FC Cincinnati
Written by: Kyra Campbell
FC Cincinnati are advancing to the Leagues Cup Round of 32 after their 3-1 victory over Liga MX giants Chivas. FCC finish the group stage atop Central 3 and will face the second place team out of Central 4 in the next round.
Thanks to its standings in the group after the first matchday, FCC was able to roll out a rotated lineup. Alec Kann once again got the start in goal. Ian Murphy, Matt Miazga, and Nick Hagglund made up the backline, giving Yerson Mosquera the night off. Alvaro Barreal and Ray Gaddis started at the wingback positions. The midfield consisted of, as usual, Obinna Nwobodo and Luciano Acosta, with Marco Angulo starting in Junior Moreno’s typical spot. Aaron Boupendza started at striker next to Brandon Vazquez, who got the start after Sergio Santos was scratched from the lineup late.
Cincinnati was off to a great start in the 2nd minute when Brandon Vazquez scored to put FCC up 1-0 early. Vazquez would double the lead just six minutes later. After going down 2-0, Chivas tried to settle into the match and did have some threatening possession, but nothing came of it. The half ended with Guadalajara’s Gilberto Sepulveda being shown a straight red for DOGSO right before halftime. The match restarted after halftime and play continued until the 60th minute, when severe weather entered the area around TQL and caused a long weather delay. Eventually, after a nearly four hour delay, the game was postponed until Friday at 2pm, when the remaining 30 minutes would be played.
Right after play kicked off today, Chivas got one back off a long throw-in on the restart that Antonio Briseno headed in, bringing the score to 2-1. Right after the goal, Yuya Kubo came in for Boupendza. Then, in the 73rd minute Vazquez would complete his hat-trick, once again putting FCC up two goals at 3-1. After the goal, a scuffle broke out and both Barreal and Angulo received yellow cards. In the 76th minute, Moreno subbed in for Angulo. FCC brought on a trio of more substitutions in the 89th and 90th minutes in Alvas Powell, Malik Pinto, and Bret Halsey to see out the 3-1 result that would send them to the knockout round.
FC Cincinnati’s next Leagues Cup match will be on August 4th at TQL Stadium. The opponent and exact time of the match have yet to be determined.