One year ago in Leagues Cup, FC Cincinnati headed into the final game of Phase One with four points and a goal differential of +1. They eventually lost the final game of the tournament 2-1 and finished 11th in the MLS tournament table.
With last year’s result in the back of their heads, FC Cincinnati started their redemption tour on Tuesday with a 3-1 win over Pachuca and were eager for their second of three matches of Phase One against Pumas UNAM, who sit at the bottom of the Liga MX tournament table.
Although Pumas dropped their first match on Tuesday, losing 3-0 to Charlotte FC, Pumas are 2-0-1 in Liga MX play, and are arguably the toughest opponent The Orange and Blue will matchup against in Phase One.
“I love the experiences that our group gets against top teams. You see how difficult it is… the game certainly wasn't comfortable. These are strong teams with a history of success, and it's great for our guys and our club to continue to be in these competitions and playing against the best teams in the region,” FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan said about facing Liga MX competition in Leagues Cup. “It's something that I think our guys look forward to because they know now, having done this for years and having a good sample size of games, how to find success. So hopefully we can keep moving forward and have another strong game and result.”
FC Cincinnati went on to win 2-0, riding the back of goalkeeper Evan Louro’s clean sheet, the club’s first since April 25 against Red Bull New York, to go into the final matchday with 6 points and a +4 goal differential, good enough for second in the MLS tournament table.
Relying on a rotated lineup on Tuesday against Pachuca, FC Cincinnati saw players like Kevin Denkey and Miles Robinson back in the lineup.
However, even with their presence and the 2-0 result, Louro has tallied 11 saves in the past two matches. Opposing teams are getting too many shots on target, which is a notable concern for Noonan heading into the final match of the tournament.
“(The clean sheet) certainly wasn't because we shut them down. We relied on having to make a couple of really big saves and a couple missed opportunities on their end. But still, nice to see a zero as far as goals conceded,” said Noonan about the defensive performance. “It's been a while, so we're in a good position, and we need to do it one more time to advance in this tournament.”
The missed opportunities for both sides began from the jump, as FC Cincinnati were unable to cash in on a Kevin Denkey goal in the sixth minute, as Evander got caught offsides. Pumas also had some missed opportunities early, with one shot bouncing up off the post and hugging the crossbar before being cleared away.
The first half was shaping up to be a 0-0 draw, until Pavel Bucha got The Orange and Blue on the board with a goal off the outstretched arm of Pumas goalkeeper Keylor Navas to go into the locker room up 1-0.
“I think it's a lot about mindset. Running into the box, and just believing that the ball will find me, and then I have to take those chances and score,” said Bucha about his offensive approach. “Last match I was lucky that that ball from Brian (Anunga) found me in the box completely open. And then again, Evander's clever pass found me open in the box, and I just stayed calm, took two or three touches, shot on the goal and put one in.”
The goal was Bucha’s fifth in Leagues Cup, tying Brandon Vazquez for most goals by an FC Cincinnati player in the tournament. It also marked his 19th career goal with FC Cincinnati, which is tied for eighth most in club history.
Bucha reaching the milestone speaks as a testament to his attitude on the pitch, and willingness to do whatever it takes to win.
“He'll do whatever he can to help the team have success. Even if it's uncomfortable, he's going to work to try to make the right decisions and the right movements and things that we ask of that position on the field, said Noonan about Bucha’s work ethic. “It's nice to see the production go along with the hard work because he's been involved in a lot of big moments for us recently and helping us you know with goals and assists. So, hopefully we can continue that.”
Entering the tournament, Noonan stressed the importance of focusing less on the goal differential and more on simply getting the win. However, if opportunities present themselves, it’s important to take them.
For much of the second half, FC Cincinnati surrendered possession, falling back to defend their own net. Relying on this approach, the score remained 1-0 heading into second half additional time.
With time dwindling in the match and opportunities becoming increasingly narrow, Kenji Mboma Dem scored a left footed shot from just outside the box to make the score 2-0 and increase their goal differential by one heading into matchday three.
Ender Echenique was credited with the assist, setting up the play after stretching the field and leading the FC Cincinnati counterattack.
“As soon as Ender (Echenique) got it to me, I had nothing on my mind. Just get it in the back of the net,” said Mboma Dem about his thoughts before scoring the goal. “I'm comfortable going from right to left, and it looked like I'd have more space on my left foot. So, once I was on my left foot, those are those spaces that I'm moving to be able to shoot, and then it's all about getting on target.”
Mboma Dem’s goal served as the dagger, securing the 2-0 win which marked Noonan’s 100th in his career with FC Cincinnati.
“It's not something I search out, but it's a testament to the body of work of all of us together. Just like when players have individual accolades, staff members, it's all of us working together to try to achieve our goals,” said Noonan about reaching 100 career wins with FC Cincinnati. “I don't want to diminish it. I'm very appreciative, but I'm appreciative because of how you get there with the people that you work with.”
“And so, when everybody's moving in the right direction and working for each other, and you have talented people around you, good things can happen,” said Noonan. “I appreciate that it's done in front of our fans who give us incredible support. So, while I don't take it lightly, it's not the end goal. We know what the end goal is.”
FC Cincinnati caps off Phase One against Atlas next Tuesday, Aug. 11 at TQL Stadium, where The Orange and Blue hope to secure their first three-game Leagues Cup sweep.
