Series Preview: FC Cincinnati start playoff run against NYCFC
Damon Gumbert
The Orange and Blue’s third straight playoff run commences Monday when NYCFC travel to Cincinnati and TQL Stadium.
These two teams have already played three times this season, with FCC winning two of those three matches and both wins coming at TQL Stadium. NYCFC won the last battle between the two teams, a dominating 3-2 performance. That match was also not played at NYCFC’s usual home stadium, Yankee Stadium, and was instead played at Red Bull Stadium in New Jersey.
In head-to-head matches NYCFC holds a one match lead over FCC, with a 6-2-5 record between them. Momentum is on the side of the Orange and Blue though, after NYCFC won the first five meetings against Cincinnati. Since Pat Noonan was named Cincinnati’s head coach in December of 2021, FCC has only lost once to New York, managing a 5-2-1 record over the following three seasons.
12 different players have scored against NYCFC for Pat Noonan’s side since his introduction with Luciano Acosta tied for the most goals against NYC in that time with three, also adding four assists to his record. Even in times when FC Cincinnati’s offense was struggling, playing New York was the recharge that they needed to get back on their game. Following Acosta’s injury before the Leagues Cup break this season the attack looked listless without their captain, scoring one or less goals in their final three matches before the break and only notching one against Queretaro, Liga MX’s last place team. The team then exploded with four goals from four different scorers (Kubo, Bucha, Santos, Asad) against New York.
With the exception of their last meeting, it seems that Noonan’s defense has been hard for NYC to figure out, with three clean sheets over the last six meetings. Something that FC Cincinnati had then that they will be without for this playoff series is Matt Miazga, the reigning MLS Defender of the Year who suffered a season ending injury in June. Miazga’s leadership and presence on the backline has been missed, with FCC’s defense struggling mightily.
New York’s defense has not been much better, having not secured a clean sheet since their Leagues Cup group stage match against Queretaro in July.
A series win for either team would set up a big rivalry match in the quarter finals against either Columbus or New York Red Bulls. The Red Bulls have not been able to find an answer to Wilfried Nancy and his club this season, losing both their matches and giving up six goals between the two matches. FC Cincinnati may actually want to play Columbus in the second round, having beat them in Columbus and walking away with a tie in Cincinnati. On the other hand, they have been unable to beat RBNY, allowing five goals and only scoring two in their two matches. NYCFC would rather not face Columbus after losing all three matches against them this season, while they would love to play the Red Bulls whom they have beaten twice this season including a resounding 5-1 victory.
Regardless of who they may face, FCC will have to show that they have what it takes to make a run in the playoffs against NYCFC. The match kicks off Monday at 6:45 p.m. Match two is scheduled for a 5 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, Nov. 2. If a third match is necessary, it will be played at TQL Stadium one week later on Nov. 9. You can watch all MLS playoff matches on AppleTV+ and all FC Cincinnati games at Streetside Brewery, where you can get one dollar off your beer purchase by mentioning The Post Cincy.
