The eyes of the world will be on Cincinnati this weekend. Literally and figuratively.
A brief glance at the fixture chart for this weekend's set of games shows no more intriguing games on the calendar for that time slot. Two of the top teams in the entire league, a potential playoff matchup preview and rematch, that also happens to be a meeting of one of the most passionate and closely bordered clubs in the league?
Check. Check. Check, for the average, neutral viewer.
Luciano Acosta taking on a fierce rival from just up the interstate? Acosta playing a team who booed him at the MLS All-Star Game this summer despite being voted captain? Taking on a player who, per an MLS Social Media post-poll, leads the MLS MVP Power Rankings in Cucho Hernandez.
Check. Check and Check again.
Even more to that point, the average, neutral viewer is in for a treat this weekend as the doubleheader of Hell is Real, followed immediately by El Trafico (the annual meeting of LAFC and LA Galaxy, another pair of top clubs this season) makes nicely for a night of soccer on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
It's a boon for the league, really. FC Cincinnati and Columbus Crew routinely race past the pace car of viewership given their respective media markets and then immediately follow that matchup with one of the largest media markets the nation has. What a night of football viewership. On top of all that, FC Cincinnati could clinch its playoff spot with a result this weekend.
A surplus of entertainment for a casual, September Saturday night.
But with those eyes, with that attention, come heightened expectations—both for the viewer and, more importantly, for the players themselves.
Rivalry games bring out a different energy than every other match, even though matchups with Columbus Crew (for example) are just one of 34 in a regular season. But from watching those "one of" games, you'd be hard-pressed to think the players think that way about games against Columbus.
"It's the game you have to get up for to be a part of this club," goalkeeper Roman Celentano said ahead of the last meeting between these two teams. "I'm all for guys using bad feelings as fuel."
"A win feels great and a loss feels terrible. And we obviously want to win every game," DeAndre Yedlin added around that same time.
“I know our guys are looking forward to the challenge,” FCC Head Coach Pat Noonan said ahead of the home edition of the Hell is Real matchup. “The trainings have been really good. I think the energy within the group has been good…sometimes there can be a lull in that break. But that wasn't the feeling that I got from our training. So guys have been excellent.”
Games like Saturday's are important for more reasons than one, which adds to the amplified attention and appreciation players have for the matchup. Top of mind is obviously the regional rivalry, and that has made this game important regardless of where each team has been at the table in years past.
But Noonan has repeatedly contextualized games against top teams as vital to their larger goals on the season. Namely, earning home-field advantage in the MLS Cup Playoffs. That's a goal that covers all 34 MLS regular season games but has a compounding effect against teams like Columbus or other top-of-the-table teams. A six-point swing (three points for a victory means the opponent can't earn those three points) could be the difference, in this instance, between hosting Columbus at TQL Stadium in a playoff matchup or driving the 110-mile stretch to play in enemy territory.
So focus is amplified. Intensity dialed up.
FC Cincinnati has had plenty of time to think about this match with very few distractions. The international window this week gave The Orange and Blue the weekend 'off' while Columbus had to play Seattle to make up for a previously rescheduled game. (Which, sidebar, was one of the most bizarre MLS matches this season.) The break provided time to rest, recover, and game plan. As of Wednesday morning, all available players were fully involved in training and geared up for the final stretch of the season.
FCC, despite getting some needed reinforcements/returns in players like Luciano Acosta and Yamil Asad, will be understaffed in other ways. Miles Robinson and Ian Murphy, key pieces to the success of the 2-1 victory earlier this season, will be out on yellow card accumulation suspension. Another signed reinforcement, center-back Teenage Hadebe, has not yet even arrived in Cincinnati, so it is difficult to see him playing a role in the weekend game.
The unavailabilities, rather than absences, add complexity to the match. The defensive core was a massive part of the victory at Lower.Com Field as Columbus Crew are famous for their possession-based style that promotes short but complex passing outlets that challenge the defense all game. Columbus excels when they're able to open up space and play between the lines; Matt Miazga, after the first edition of Hell is Real this season, said the key to success in that game was being able to "suffocate them" and control the pace so Columbus couldn't. Now, FC Cincinnati will have to replicate its success without any of the three defenders who starred in the first round.
A tall task, but a challenge the boys are up for.
Very rarely are there opportunities to set a precedent with the average viewer. The chance comes this weekend, given the stakes and league-wide intrigue this match would bring. So, while the opinions of the nationwide viewing audience do not literally impact the players on the field for FC Cincinnati (the attention certainly helps the organization from a larger perspective, but I digress), this is an opportunity to set a precedent for the stretch run of the regular season. A chance to set the tone for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs and a chance to take another three points off of Columbus Crew.
The heat turns up for Hell is Real. Everyone knows this. But a win on Saturday could be the spark needed to ride a hot streak through the regular season.
