FC Cincinnati take the field at TQL Stadium for the first time in 2022 to host D.C. United. Head Coach Pat Noonan leads the Orange and Blue for his first home game in charge of FCC.
FC CINCINNATI vs. D.C. UNITED – 6 p.m. ET – TQL Stadium
HOW TO WATCH:
Local TV: Star64
Local Stream: fccincinnati.com
Out of Market Stream: ESPN+
Radio: ESPN 1530
Talent: Tom Gelehrter (play-by-play), Kevin McCloskey (analyst), Alex Stec (sideline)
Be sure to follow @FCCincinnati on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for live updates from the match. There's still time to get tickets for the match, you can buy here.
PRE-MATCH PARTY AT WASHINGTON PARK
For the second consecutive year, FC Cincinnati have partnered with 3CDC for pre-match parties at Washington Park before every home match. This Saturday, from 3-5 p.m., fans can head to Washington Park for FCC player autographs and live music from the Naked Karate Girls.
At the pre-match party fans can also enjoy free hot chocolate/coffee, giveaways, and family-friendly activities. Supporter groups will meet in Washington Park at approximately 5:15 pm and fans are invited to join the high-energy march into the stadium.
INSIDE TQL STADIUM
New for 2022, fans will experience new food and beverage offerings from local favorites Lucius Q BBQ, FUSIAN and Sammy’s Craft Burgers & Beer.
Fans in the First Financial Club can enjoy Noonan’s Nine Layer Nachos, named after new FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan. Sway by MadTree will offer two new vodka soda drinks: Strawberry and Guava and Grapefruit and Ginger. Cutwater Distillery will offer Strawberry Margaritas, Long Island Iced Teas and Whiskey Mules.
HEAD TO A PUB PARTNER
Can’t make it to the game and looking for a place to watch the Orange and Blue? FCC have announced the club’s official Pub Partners for the season, which will broadcast all home and away games and feature opportunities for fans to win prizes all season long.
SCOUTING D.C. UNITED (1-0-0, 3 points)
D.C. United opened 2022 with a 3-0 win over Charlotte FC in the expansion side’s inaugural game. Michael Estrada scored a brace, including the winner from the penalty spot in the 37th minute, to lift the Black-and-Red to a season-opening victory.
Ola Kamara, who scored the third goal for D.C. last Saturday, returns after matching the MLS-high last season in goals with 19. He only missed out on the MLS Golden Boot by virtue of the assists tiebreaker with NYC’s Taty Castellanos, who recorded 19 goals and eight assists (compared to Kamara’s five).
Hernán Losada’s team added several players this offseason including Brad Smith and Michael Estrada and return mainstays including Bill Hamid in goal and Steve Birnbaum on the backline.
The squad did lose several key contributors from last season, including most notably Paul Arriola, who signed with FC Dallas. Kevin Paredes, Felipe Martins and newly acquired FC Cincinnati midfielder Junior Moreno are among the departures from last season.
STORYLINES TO WATCH
AGAINST THE FORMER CLUB – A pair of FC Cincinnati midfielders have obvious deep ties to D.C. United. Luciano Acosta appeared in 126 regular season matches for the Black-and-Red from 2016-19. He scored 24 goals, assisted 35 more, and appeared in three playoff matches.
The previously mentioned Junior Moreno, just acquired by FC Cincinnati on February 25, will make his first appearance against D.C. in just his second game with FCC. Moreno made 97 regular season appearances, including 91 starts, with D.C. between 2018-21.
“We are very close friends,” Acosta said about Moreno. “We had been talking before he came here, and the truth is I am very happy that he is here because he person who is very close to me. I try to help him as much as possible so that he gets accustomed to this beautiful city. I try to take him at home, to make him food, things like that.”
CAPTAIN LUCHO – Speaking of Luciano Acosta, should he wear the captain’s armband on Saturday night, it will be the 30th time he has captained FC Cincinnati. He closes in on Kendall Waston, who captained the Orange and Blue in 41 regular season contests, the most in club history.
WELCOME HOME – FC Cincinnati return to raucous TQL Stadium for the earliest home opener in FCC club history, even dating back to pre-MLS days. Since joining MLS, FCC are 1-1-1 in home openers, and this is the second time D.C. United serves as the first home opponent for the Orange and Blue (August 21, 2020 at Nippert Stadium; 0-0)
150 UPCOMING FOR HARIS – The next appearance Haris Medunjanin makes will be the 150th MLS regular season appearance for the veteran midfielder. Entering Saturday he has made 51 regular season appearances with FC Cincinnati (98 with Philadelphia Union).
2022 FC CINCINNATI ROSTER
GOALKEEPER (4): Roman Celentano, Alec Kann, Beckham Sunderland, Kenneth Vermeer
DEFENDER (10): Zico Bailey, Tyler Blackett, Geoff Cameron, Ray Gaddis, Nick Hagglund, Ronald Matarrita, Ian Murphy, John Nelson, Alvas Powell, Gustavo Vallecilla
MIDFIELDER (9): Luciano Acosta, Allan Cruz, Calvin Harris, Yuya Kubo, Haris Medunjanin, Ben Mines, Junior Moreno, Arquimides “Quimi” Ordonez, Harrison Robledo
FORWARD (6): Isaac Atanga, Dominique Badji, Álvaro Barreal, Brenner, Nick Markanich, Brandon Vazquez
