FC Cincinnati 2 earned a 4-0 win against Northern Kentucky University at Mercy Health Training Center this morning in the team’s first friendly of preseason. The match consisted of two 35-minute halves with added stoppage.
U-19 Academy midfielder Gerardo Valenzuela opened the scoring with a quick goal in the fifth minute before adding a second late in the first half to send the Orange and Blue into the break with a lead. Two additional second half goals would help FC Cincinnati 2 see out what was a comfortable win to open the club’s 2023 preseason slate.
“The start of the game, and through the first half, was very fluid,” said Assistant Coach Shavar Thomas who managed the team while Head Coach Tyrone Marshall completes the Elite Formation Coaching License program.
“We moved very well with the ball and without the ball. We had very good build up play on the two goals that we scored in the first half, and we saw a lot of really good things out of the team today.”
Defender Kai Thomas, along with midfielder Salim Adams, played the full 75 minutes while offseason signing Jesús Castellano got his first taste of match action for FC Cincinnati 2 playing the opening half.
“It feels good to be back in Cincinnati,” said Thomas who recently returned from training with the first team in Clearwater, Fla. “We had a strong first half and we were able to set the tempo of the match and control how we played. It was a good test to see where the group was at and a good result.”
FC Cincinnati 2’s preseason continues at MHTC where the Orange and Blue will next face the Michigan Stars on Feb. 19.
