Two of five FC Cincinnati players on loan ended their 2019 seasons this past weekend when the USL Championship season concluded Sunday night. Forrest Lasso, Nazmi Albadawi and Ben Lundt keep their postseason hopes alive, while Logan Gdula and Hassan Ndam began their offseason.
Here’s a look at how the FCC players performed on loan in their final games, in addition to their 2019 overall:
Forrest Lasso
Position: Defender
Club: Nashville SC
Result: 3-0 win against Atlanta United 2
Lasso scored the opening goal for Nashville SC in a 3-0 win against Atlanta United 2. In the 23rd minute, the center back connected with Justin Davis’ corner kick for a back-post header to give Nashville the lead.
Wearing the captain armband, Lasso completed 43 passes with a 93% accuracy, while winning all six of his duels – four were aerial duels. The defender also made six clearances, a tackle, an interception and blocked a shot.
Nashville SC finished second in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference with 67 points. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, who finished with 68 points, won their match – and the conference – Sunday night with a 90th-minute goal.
During the regular season, Lasso made a dozen starts and appearances, totaling 1,055 minutes. While the goal against Atlanta was his only one in 2019, he provided two assists, won 80% of his tackles and completed 78.4% of his passes in USL Championship play.
Nazmi Albadawi
Position: Midfielder
Club: North Carolina FC
Result: 1-0 win against Saint Louis FC
The Palestine international played the last three minutes of the match, which ensured three points and knocked Saint Louis FC out of the 2019 postseason. During his brief appearance, Albadawi completed five passes, won a duel and made a tackle.
Overall, Albadawi led all FCC players in minutes played this season in the USL Championship with 1,420. He made 18 appearances, including 16 starts, for North Carolina FC, who he joined on May 29 when Tommy McCabe was recalled to Cincinnati.
Albadawi scored three goals and provided four assists. In addition, the center midfielder completed 84.7% of passes and won 77.8% of his tackles.
Logan Gdula
Position: Defender
Club: Hartford Athletic
Result: 2-1 win against Tampa Bay Rowdies
The rookie defender completed 84.2% of his passes and won nine duels – four of which were aerial duels – in Hartford Athletic’s win against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Playing as a center back, Gdula also won two tackles and made two interceptions. He was booked in the 62nd minute for an argument.
The win ended Gdula’s first professional season, which included constant change. Drafted No. 13 in the MLS SuperDraft in January, he was loaned to Phoenix Rising FC in February, but got injured and never made the matchday squad.
In May, he left Phoenix to join Hartford on loan, but that loan stint ended in June when FC Cincinnati called him into the squad. Gdula featured in the 18 at Minnesota United FC on June 29, but never debuted and rejoined Hartford in August.
Utilized across the Athletic backline, the fullback made 15 appearances, 14 starts and played 1,281 minutes for the USL Championship expansion side. Gdula had an 85.3% passing accuracy and won 72.4% of his tackles.
Ben Lundt
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Louisville City FC
Result: 2-1 win at Memphis 901 FC
Lundt hasn’t played since early June because of an injury. Before then, he made 12 starts and earned four clean sheets for the reigning league champions. With his option picked up by FC Cincinnati, the German goalkeeper will be an Orange and Blue player in 2020, and finished 2019 with a 71.1% save percentage in his rookie season.
Hassan Ndam
Position: Defender
Club: Charlotte Independence
Result: 3-1 win against Ottawa Fury FC
Ndam practiced with FCC last week at the Mercy Health Training Center, despite being on loan with the Charlotte Independence. Overall, Ndam made five appearance for Charlotte, which included four starts and 321 minutes played. He also completed 78.6% of his passes and 71.4% of his tackles.
Here’s a look at the USL Championship Eastern Conference standings for clubs playing in the postseason:
- Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC: 68 points
- Nashville SC: 67 points
- Indy Eleven: 63 points
- Louisville City FC: 60 points
- Tampa Bay Rowdies: 58 points
- New York Red Bulls II: 57 points
- North Carolina FC: 56 points
- Ottawa Fury FC: 52 points
- Charleston Battery: 46 points
- Birmingham Legion FC: 43 points
USL Championship Playoffs dates for FC Cincinnati players on loan:
Wednesday:
No. 7 North Carolina (Albadawi) vs. No. 10 Birmingham
Saturday:
No. 2 Nashville (Lasso) vs. High Seed
No. 4 Louisville (Lundt) vs. No. 5 Tampa Bay
Nashville will face the highest seed from these four teams, which are competing for two spots in the Eastern Conference semifinals: No. 7 North Carolina, No. 8 Ottawa, No. 9 Charleston, No. 10 Birmingham.
