FC Cincinnati nonetheless have lots to play for after changing into the primary MLS membership to clinch a playoff spot.
Their rapid activity is to halt visiting Orlando Metropolis’s four-game unbeaten streak on Saturday night time.
League-leading FC Cincinnati (17-3-6, 57 factors) punched their ticket to the playoffs for a second straight season with Wednesday’s 2-1 comeback victory at Atlanta United. MVP candidate Luciano Acosta and Brandon Vazquez scored 5 minutes aside late within the second half to erase a 1-0 deficit and ship Cincinnati to its fourth victory in 5 MLS matches.
“We have maintained our place persistently all 12 months, and that is what’s allowed us to safe the spot this early,” Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan.
“Hopefully that is simply one other milestone that the blokes can be thankful for — that is en path to our larger targets.”
Like profitable the Supporters’ Defend and making a deep run within the playoffs. That instantly contains persevering with their dominance at residence, the place FCC have outscored opponents 27-8 whereas going 12-0-1. Cincinnati is seeking to turn out to be the primary MLS workforce to report greater than 37 factors via 14 residence matches.
FCC performed Orlando to a scoreless draw on the street in March. Nevertheless, Orlando (12-6-8, 44 factors), third within the Japanese Convention, is amid a 3-0-1 league stretch. That features a 2-0-1 effort on the street, the place its 22 factors earned are probably the most in league play.
Orlando secured a kind of factors with its personal comeback Wednesday for a 1-1 draw at Charlotte FC. After the hosts broke via by way of Enzo Copetti’s profitable penalty strike within the 81st minute, Martin Ojeda equalized seven minutes later for Orlando.
“We are going to preserve constructing. We are going to preserve going as a result of we’re entering into the appropriate course,” Orlando midfielder Felipe stated.
Whereas Ojeda registered his fifth objective of the season, teammate Facundo Torres has netted simply three of his team-leading 10 targets via 11 street matches.
Acosta, in the meantime, has 13 targets and 11 assists this season, and is coming off his fifth match of recording no less than one in every of every.
—Area Degree Media
