With top spot in the group on the line FC Cincinnati hosted New York City FC in a rare Monday night game at TQL Stadium that went the distance. The Orange and Blue mounted a late game comeback, scoring four times in the final ten minutes to earn victory, and advance to the knockout stages of Leagues Cup with a 4-2 win and as winners of group East 1.
The four goals scored, all coming from substitutes to the game, and a heroic night from homegrown keeper Paul Walters (who equaled his professional record in saves with 8) earned FC Cincinnati a match with Club Santos Laguna of Liga MX in the knockout stages.
Mindful of fatigue and team fitness, Pat Noonan selected a lineup that was looking to win but clearly provided an opportunity for those who rarely get starts to prove their metal. Midfielder Malik Pinto made the starting XI in place of Pavel Bucha, and Bret Halsey also made the start at left wingback where Yamil Asad had started on Thursday.
Breakthrough prospect Paul Walters also made his debut with the squad, starting in the place of Roman Celentano as goalkeeper. Despite being a first time roster player Walters, a signee from the FC Cincinnati Academy, has primarily appeared for FC Cincinnati 2 in MLS NEXT Pro action and had been dominant for the side, making eight starts and conceding just 11 goals with a 6-2 record for the second team.
Despite the rotated lineup, FC Cincinnati controlled the opening 20 minutes of the match and peppered the NYCFC goalkeeper with dangerous looks. A corner kick tap from Halsey rolled along the white paint of the goal line but couldn’t muster the spin to cross it, a shot from Kevin Kelsy was saved by the keeper and a Gerardo “Dado” Valenzuela volley from a corner kick beat the keeper but wrapped off the post and out in what was inches from a goal of the tournament candidate.
But in a moment truly against the run of play, NYCFC took the lead in the 25 minute thanks to some clean passes through the box and a quality shot from New York DP Santiago Rodriguez, who found the perfect ankle to curl a shot around Walters to the back post and in.
After that score, Paul Walters closed the door for the rest of the half. With the confidence of a lead at their back NYCFC pushed forward for another but Walters was there to make stop after stop, tallying four – each more heroic than the last – to keep the deficit at just one headed into the half.
Looking to stick to the game plan but continue pushing for a goal to equalize, Noonan made four quick substitutions to refresh the lineup. Chidozie Awaziem and London Aghedo were brought on at halftime, with Yuya Kubo and Pavel Bucha also deployed as subs just after the 60 minute mark.
Again, despite the momentum of the game seeming to lean the hosts way the visitors capitalized on their quick chances and doubled the lead on a shot initially saved by Walters but the rebound was picked up by Jovan Mijatovic and sent to the top of the netting from point blank range.
But the fight did not leave FC Cincinnati.
In the 79 minute, Pavel Bucha opened up space and leaned into a shot he slotted into the lower corner past the diving keeper to bring the game to 2-1. With the confidence of the deficit now halved and over 10 minutes to play, The Orange and Blue fought for more. Pushing forward with gusto, the recent substitute Yamil Asad had his own striker moment and curled a shot of his own past a diving keeper to equal the score in just two minutes.
Now tied, with a draw sending things to penalty kicks, FCC did not rest on their laurels. Again it was a sub that forced the breakthrough for The Orange and Blue. Yuya Kubo received a perfectly placed entry pass from Awaziem and launched a shot on frame from dead center of the box and gave FC Cincinnati the lead with five minutes to play.
To cap the night off and eliminate any extra anxieties in stoppage time, Sergio Santos (another sub) put the game to rest with a breakaway goal in the 89th minute to make it 4-2. In what was already a jubilant moment, Santos sprinted to the opposite end of the field and dropped to a knee to celebrate his goal and recent engagement he announced on Instagram.
Santos nearly earned a fifth goal on the night, but an offside call pulled it back but the score remained in FC Cincinnati’s favor through the five minutes of stoppage time and FCC was victorious again in Leagues Cup. Dating back to the 2023 Leagues Cup, FC Cincinnati is undefeated in the competition with an all-time 3-0-2 record.
FC Cincinnati had already secured their spot in the knockout stages prior to the match thanks to a win over Liga MX club Querétaro FC in FCC’s first group stage game last week. The victory secures the club’s spot at the top of the table for group East 1 and sets up a matchup with Club Santos Laguna of Liga MX in the Round of 32. Santos, aka Guerreros, advanced to the knockouts after a PK shootout victory over Atlanta United FC. FCC will host Santos at TQL Stadium on Friday August 9 with an 8 pm kickoff.
