Hell is real – or will be soon.
On Saturday, FC Cincinnati play Columbus Crew SC at MAPFRE Stadium for the first #HellisReal Derby in MLS history.
The match that once seemed impossible is now hours away from reality.
After the clubs met in the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and Cincinnati famously won 1-0 at Nippert Stadium, they rematch in league play for the first time.
Pressure is high. Both clubs are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and need results if they’ll make the MLS Playoffs. Add bragging rights into the mix – and a reminder they’ll meet again on Aug. 25 – and this match should pack plenty of story lines, drama and, hopefully, goals.
Here are the three things to watch ahead of the rivalry match.
Ron Jans’ baptism by fire.
Jans was appointed FCC’s fourth head coach in club history on Sunday night. He arrives at the Orange and Blue having been the sports director at FC Groningen in his native country, the Netherlands.
This week marked his first at Cincinnati and first week back coaching since he was at PEC Zwolle in 2017. He’s called it an enjoyable experience, but nothing will compare to coaching his first MLS match in a derby atmosphere.
Beginning Saturday night, Jans dictates the club’s path on the field. Although he’s new to the club, he said all the pressure should be placed on him.
“The pressure is now on my shoulders,” he said having taken over for assistant coach Yoann Damet. “I’m delighted to do that.”
Jans also has increased pressure to pick his first XI because the team got much better this week.
The Orange and Blue were busy in the MLS summer transfer window, which finished at 1 a.m. on Thursday morning. The club added four players: Maikel van der Werff, Andrew Gutman, Joseph-Claude “Joe” Gyau and Derrick Etienne Jr.
Each arrive in Cincinnati with different circumstances.
For van der Werff, he’s started the past two matches and will moving forward. Since the day he arrived in Cincy, he’s been FCC’s starting center back beside Kendall Waston.
Gutman’s 18-month loan from Celtic provides stability at left back, which has been needed since Greg Garza was injured on May 19 in Orlando. Gutman will probably start against Saturday in his MLS debut, which allows Mathieu Deplagne to move to his natural right back spot.
For the wingers, Gyau and Etienne Jr., the former is an American who’s never played an MLS match. The latter is a proven MLS talent on loan from the New York Red Bulls. How does Jans utilize them, if at all?
It’s worth noting Gyau trained with the club Thursday morning during practice. Etienne Jr. was expected to join up with FCC for his first session on Friday morning.
Consider this the first leg of a two-match affair.
Generally, derbies are high-key matchups that stand alone and have weeks if not months of build up. This match has that – to an extent.
But as soon as it ends, the clubs will be two weeks away from a rematch at Nippert Stadium on Sunday, Aug. 25. For long-time soccer fans in Cincinnati, this match in Columbus probably marks a moment where the old MLS club they supported meets the one they support now.
When the teams play in Nippert Stadium, it’ll be FC Cincinnati’s biggest match of the season, with only the season opener against the Portland Timbers seeming as comparable.
Match info
What: FC Cincinnati at Columbus Crew SC
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Where: MAPFRE Stadium
Weather Forecast: Sunny, 75 degrees
TV: WSTR Star64
Local Video Stream: FloFC
Out of Market Video Stream: ESPN+
Local Radio: WDJO (99.5 FM) | 107.9 FM | 1480 AM)
Audio Stream: TuneIn App, fccincinnati.com
Tickets: Purchase your ticket here.
Player to Watch and his Health Carousel Player Resume
Club Connections
- Kekuta Manneh made 19 appearance for Columbus Crew SC in 2017.
- Allan Cruz and Luiz Diaz were both at Herediano earlier this year.
- Nick Hagglund played with Jordan Hamilton at Toronto FC from 2014-19. Josh Williams joined in 2015-16.
- Frankie Amaya and Aboubacar Keita have played together on the U.S. Under-20 National Team.
- Logan Gdula and Jon Kempin played together on loan at Hartford Athletic.
- Maikel van der Werff and Eloy Room played together at Vitesse from 2015-17.
- Youness Mokhtar played under Ron Jans at PEC Zwolle in 2016-17. General Manager Gerard Nijkamp was the technical director at the time.
- Forrest Lasso and Romario Williams played for the Charleston Battery in 2016-17.
- Crew SC Head Coach Caleb Porter coached Fanendo Adi (2015-18), Alvas Powell 2013-17, and Darren Mattocks (2013-17). Porter also coached Mattocks at the Univeristy of Akron in 2010-11.
- Adi, Powell and Mattocks played with David Guzman between 2017-18 in Portland.
