Yamil Asad came to FC Cincinnati a couple of months into the season as a trialist in need of some fitness and sharpening of his game. He had been without a club through the end of the 2023 season and 2024 preseason.
The then 29-year-old Argentine midfielder worked out with the team for just over a week, proved his value and earned himself a contract with the club. Pat Noonan then moved Asad from a midfielder to a wingback, and Asad has taken off ever since.
"Yamil brings a great amount of experience and quality to FC Cincinnati," said Chris Albright, FC Cincinnati General Manager, on March 28 when the signing was announced. "He's a creative and versatile player who will be a good fit with our group and I'd like to welcome him to the club."
That quote has essentially forecasted Asad's season. In 27 games this season across all competitions, Asad has scored six goals and added five assists while being a kind of chameleon in his role. He has started matches and been an offensive-minded connecting piece. He has come on as a late-game sub with the intention of bringing veteran stability and defensive responsibility.
But he has always been a reliable team player and does whatever is needed for the team. Lately, he has been providing match-winning goals, as in both of the team's most recent games, he has supplied the needed scoring touch.
However, given the pathway he took to the team, Asad believes he has surpassed even his own expectations.
"I knew that I was coming to a great team with great players. I knew Lucho and I knew that we could make great plays, and as many minutes as you can play is better, but for sure I am (surprised)," Asad said Monday night after scoring the game-winner against NYCFC. "I may not know the wording in English, but yes. I am just happy to help the team."
"I just think he reads the game at a high level," FCC Head Coach Pat Noonan said Monday after the match. "I think Yamil's awareness in the game in different phases of play, of how he anticipates to cut out passes…just having a knack for being in a good spot and being able to take advantage of an opportunity. That's not an easy finish, for a ball to come across the goal like that and be able to keep it under the bar. He's got a feel for the game and making plays."
Asad also shared Monday that the reason, if not otherwise known but now confirmed, that he came to Cincinnati was to play with his longtime friend Luciano Acosta. The duo had paired up in DC for a short time but have a history going back to their native Argentina well before that.
"I'm very happy for him because he deserves this, he works a lot," Acosta said of Asad. "I have a good connection with him. I have known him a long time, all my life. He's one of my best friends, and when we play together, I feel very comfortable and very happy."
Awaziem prepares for a battle, so he isn't surprised when one comes
The playoffs may be foreign to Chidozie Awaziem, who only joined FC Cincinnati three short months ago. Still, the prospect of playing in big games is hardly a new sensation to the Nigerian Centre Back.
Monday night's performance at TQL Stadium earned FC Cincinnati the 1-0 clean sheet and victory. In large part, the defensive core was responsible for the result. Defenders met the challenge and battled back against NYCFC attackers who came into the match with physical play. That kind of game wasn't unexpected; it's how most games with NYCFC have gone, and the nature of postseason or Cup competition play ramps up the stakes and the tensions along with it.
"We expected this kind of game," Awaziem said of the match. "I don't expect wingers or strikers to be easy on me, because I don't go easy on them. It was quite physical. We were able to contain them and try to block all the attacks, and try to stop them from hurting us."
The combination of Teenage Hadebe, Miles Robinson and Awaziem dominated the match by challenging their opponents with speed, cohesion, and strength. FC Cincinnati dominated possession, but in the moments when NYCFC were able to break out, there was a center back there to snuff out the challenge.
"I think we did pretty good. That's not just me…Miles and Teenage, we had the coordination and we put on a good shift there," Awaziem added. "I think we're pretty good because we communicate better. We communicate well with all the players, we all have the same mental coordination. We have to communicate better to make sure that we keep a clean sheet. And this is what we wanted, and I'm glad we did it."
The clean sheet was needed to earn the victory, and it's expected that a similar defensive effort will continue in the MLS Cup Playoffs as the team looks to win the MLS Cup this season. The next challenge Awaziem predicts is one the team needs to overcome in Game 2: replicating this performance and taking it on the road.
"The biggest challenge is that they are playing at home, but we just try to put all that aside and just put on the same mentality, the same attitude that we put on today," Awaziem elaborated. "I think that's going to help us a lot. We just try to close our ears to the fans and just focus on what we have to do…and I believe, having this team, we're going to do it."
