Coming off of a win at Orlando City SC, the Orange and Blue look to bring the winning ways to raucous TQL Stadium when FC Cincinnati host Inter Miami CF on Saturday, March 19. Kickoff for Kids Day is set for 1 p.m.
FC CINCINNATI vs. INTER MIAMI CF – 1 p.m. – TQL Stadium
HOW TO WATCH:
Local TV: Star64
Local Stream: fccincinnati.com
Out of Market Stream: ESPN+
Radio: Fox Sports 1360
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 game.
Tickets are still available, visit fccincinnati.com/tickets.
STREAMING UPDATE
Streaming services that air Star64 will no longer blackout FC Cincinnati games. YouTube TV and other platforms that carry Star64 will begin airing FC Cincinnati games beginning this Saturday.
For any questions, visit the Stream FAQ.
KIDS DAY
Saturday will be Kids Day as FC Cincinnati meet Inter Miami CF. Activations begin at 10 a.m. in Washington Park and include:
- Giveaways
- Petting Zoo
- Face Painting
- Balloon Artists
- Circus Performers
- Kona Ice
- Mascots
- Soccer Activations With Club Ambassadors Omar Cummings and Jimmy McLaughlin
During the match, an 8th grade student from the School of Creative and Performing Arts will sing the National Anthem and a young person will assist with announcements on the PA. For the first time, a youth-size scarf will be available for purchase in the Team Store.
It’s also a great day to join the FC Cincinnati Kids Club! Kids Club members can sign up on Saturday and will receive special boom sticks for the match.
HEAD TO A PUB PARTNER
Can’t make it to the game and looking for a place to watch the Orange and Blue? Head to one of the club’s official Pub Partners for the season, which broadcast all home and away games and feature opportunities for fans to win prizes all season long.
SCOUTING INTER MIAMI CF (0-2-1, 1 point)
Phil Neville’s squad have lost consecutive games, getting outscored 7-1 by a pair of Western Conference foes in Austin FC and LAFC following a season-opening scoreless draw with Chicago Fire FC.
Four players have seen all 270 minutes of action for the Herons, including defender DeAndre Yedlin, the U.S. International who signed with Miami in early February. Midfielder Gregore, defender Christopher McVey and goalkeeper Clément Diop each have started and played every minute in all three games.
Federico Higuaín retired in the offseason, but his brother Gonzalo Higuaín remains with Inter Miami CF as the sole Designated Player on the Herons’ active roster. The former Juventus and Real Madrid star, who has scored three times in his career against FC Cincinnati and was Miami’s leading scorer with 12 goals in 2021, was challenged by Neville following their loss to LAFC last week.
“For us to be successful, he has to perform,” Neville said. “For us to be successful, he has to perform in these moments for this team. That’s the challenge … He is the one that we demand the most goals from. He is the one that we demand the most assists from. Period.”
Forward Leonardo Campana has scored the only goal for Miami this season, the lone goal in their 5-1 loss at Austin FC in week two.
STORYLINES TO WATCH
VAZQUEZ ON FIRE – FC Cincinnati forward Brandon Vazquez’s strong start to the season paid off last Saturday in Orlando, as he scored his first career brace in FCC’s 2-1 win. Vazquez is the MLS leader this season in shots (14) and set career-highs last weekend in shots (6) and shots on target (3). The 23-year-old earned his first career MLS Team of the Week recognition for Week 3.
Vazquez is now tied with Brenner for the second-most goals in the club’s MLS history, scoring his seventh and eighth goals in Orlando, and the duo trails only Allan Cruz’s nine career goals with the Orange and Blue.
EARLY DAY IN CINCY – Saturday marks the earliest kickoff in Cincinnati since May 11, 2019 vs. Montreal, also a 1 p.m. ET kickoff, in a 2-1 win at Nippert Stadium. It is the fourth time since joining MLS that FCC play a game at 1 p.m. ET, the earliest kickoff time in club history aside from the 9 a.m. ET kickoff in the MLS is Back Tournament (July 16, 2020 vs. Atlanta).
In games at 1 p.m. ET or earlier, FC Cincinnati are 3-1-0 all-time.
SOME SUNSHINE – FC Cincinnati entered last weekend 0-7-2 against the two Florida sides in MLS. After defeating Orlando City SC last Saturday, now the Orange and Blue look towards defeating Inter Miami CF, a club which FCC are 0-4-0 against.
A win over Miami on Saturday would be the first multi-game win streak for FC Cincinnati since back-to-back wins at Chicago (June 23) and at Toronto (June 26) of last season.
STAT LEADERS – Several FC Cincinnati players rank among MLS leaders in various statistical categories. Luciano Acosta enters Saturday tied for the MLS lead in key passes, otherwise known as total attacking assists, with Columbus midfielder Lucas Zelarayán (12).
Yuya Kubo ranks fourth in MLS in successful tackles (8) and Alec Kann has completed the fourth-most accurate long balls (26). On a more painful note, Brandon Vazquez has been fouled 10 times this season, tied for fifth-most in MLS.
