FC Cincinnati scored four times from the 79th minute on, erasing a 2-0 deficit and coming from behind to win 4-2 over New York City FC on Monday night at TQL Stadium.
With the win, FC Cincinnati win Leagues Cup Group East 1 and will host Mexican club Santos Laguna on Friday, August 9 at TQL Stadium. Kickoff time is to be announced, and tickets will go on sale on Tuesday, August 6 beginning at 10 a.m. ET for FCC Season Ticket Members and Orange and Blue Reserve Members, and at 1 p.m. ET for the general public, at FCCincinnati.com/Tickets or by calling (513) 977-5425 (KICK).
FC Cincinnati won for the first time in club history when trailing by two-plus goals. All four goals came from FCC substitutes, the first time in Leagues Cup history that occurred. In MLS play, no team has ever received four goals from four different substitutes.
AS IT HAPPENED
NYC: Santiago Rodríguez, GOAL – 26’ (0-1) – New York’s Santiago Rodríguez was the beneficiary of skillful play in attack by Julian Fernandez. Fernandez worked into the Cincinnati box with a few quick stepovers before cutting in on his left foot and finding Maxi Moralez near the penalty spot. Moralez laid off to a wider option in Rodríguez, who rolled one into the Orange and Blue’s goal.
NYC: Jovan Mijatovic, GOAL – 61’ (0-2) – Jovan Mijatovic doubled the lead for New York, scoring his first goal for the club in the 61st minute. Christian McFarlane tested Paul Walters from the edge of the area with a powerful strike, but Walters parried the attempt away. Mijatovic picked up the rebound and finished from a tight angle.
CIN: Pavel Bucha, GOAL – 79’ (1-2) – The goals came fast a furious for the Orange and Blue beginning in the 79th minute with Pavel Bucha’s first Leagues Cup goal. Gerardo Valenzuela played a ball in towards Bucha who received at the edge of the area. Bucha kept the New York City defense off balance, electing to cut back instead of continuing on to goal. The move created enough space to fire off low shot at the near post to beat Luis Barraza low.
CIN: Yamil Asad, GOAL – 82’ (2-2) – Yamil Asad brought the match level just three minutes later after a brilliant run out of his own half. Asad galloped through midfield and down the left wing as the New York City defense denied passing options for Asad. Asad cut into the middle of the park and curled a powerful shot past a recovering New York defense form outside the box.
CIN: Yuya Kubo, GOAL – 86’ (3-2) – Second half substitute Chidozie Awaziem set up Cincinnati’s third goal of the night with a long bouncing pass in towards Yuya Kubo. Awaziem’s pass beat a lunging New York City defender giving Kubo the space needed to beat Barraza low once again.
CIN: Sergio Santos, GOAL – 89’ (4-2) – And Sergio Santos capped off a second half trouncing of New York City in the 89th minute. Kubo was once again involved, this time in the buildup, as he advanced the attack with a challenging header at midfield, sending the ball towards Valenzuela. A stroke of luck for the Orange and Blue saw the ball bounce off Valenzuela back and into the path of Santos who broke in on goal and finished well.
FC Cincinnati will host Mexican club Santos Laguna in the Leagues Cup Round of 32 on Friday, August 9 at TQL Stadium. The match will air on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Fans can listen to the match locally in English on iHeart Media ESPN 1530 and in Spanish on La Mega 97.7 FM.
Tickets will go on sale on Tuesday, August 6 beginning at 10 a.m. ET for FCC Season Ticket Members and Orange and Blue Reserve Members, and at 1 p.m. ET for the general public, at FCCincinnati.com/Tickets or by calling (513) 977-5425 (KICK).
GAME NOTES
- FC Cincinnati will compete in the Leagues Cup Knockout Stage for the second straight season … Santos Laguna will be the fourth different Liga MX club FCC face.
- Tonight marked FC Cincinnati's first win in club history when trailing by 2+ Goals … Last year, FCC earned a draw three times when trailing by 2 goals (3/18 at CHI; 7/8 at CLT; 9/16 at PHI).
- Yamil Asad scored for the second consecutive game … It marked the first time he scored in consecutive appearances since July 3 and July 17, 2021 for D.C. United (vs DC, at PHI).
- Gerardo Valenzuela netted his second multi-assist match (June 15 at SJ).
- Chidozie Awaziem netted his first goal contribution for FC Cincinnati.
- Homegrown Goalkeeper Paul Walters made his FC Cincinnati debut Monday night, becoming the seventh FC Cincinnati Academy product to appear for the first team (Ordoñez, Robledo, Jimenez, Pinto, Valenzuela, Thomas).
- Walters’ 8 saves matched a professional high, his previous coming with FCC 2 twice.
- NYCFC scored in TQL Stadium for the first time since June 29, 2022 in the 4-4 draw between the sides … FCC had held NYCFC scoreless in three straight matches in the Queen City.
FC CINCINNATI GAME REPORT
FC Cincinnati vs New York City FC
Date: August 5, 2024
Competition: Leagues Cup – Group Stage
Venue: TQL Stadium
Attendance: 22,098
Kickoff: 8:10 p.m. ET
Weather: 87 degrees, clear
SCORING SUMMARY: 1-2-F
CIN: 0-4-4
NYC: 1-1-2
CIN – Pavel Bucha (Valenzuela) 79’, Yamil Asad (Nwobodo) 82’, Yuya Kubo (Awaziem) 86’, Sergio Santos (Valenzuela) 89’
NYC – Santiago Rodríguez (Moralez) 25’, Jovan Mijatović 61’
LINEUPS
CIN: Paul Walters, Bret Halsey (Yamil Asad 72’), Ian Murphy (London Aghedo 46’), Kipp Keller, Alvas Powell (Chidozie Awaziem 46’) Luca Orellano (Sergio Santos 79’), Malik Pinto (Pavel Bucha 63’), Obinna Nwobodo (C), Gerardo Valenzuela, Corey Baird, Kevin Kelsy (Yuya Kubo 63’)
Substitutes not used: Roman Celentano, Evan Louro, Miles Robinson, Stiven Jimenez, Moises Tablante
Head Coach: Pat Noonan
NYC: Luis Barraza, Christian McFarlane (Kevin O’Toole 74’), Birk Risa, Thiago Martins (C), Tayvon Gray (Mitja Ilenic 59’), James Sands (Keaton Parks 59’), Justin Haak (Mounsef Bakrar 90’), Santiago Rodríguez, Maxi Moralez, Julián Fernández (Hannes Wolf 74’), Jovan Mijatović
Substitutes not used: Tomas Romero, Matt Freese, Rio Hope-Gund, Maximo Carrizo, Alonso Martínez, Strahinja Tanasijević, Agustin Ojeda
Head Coach: Nick Cushing
STATS SUMMARY: CIN/NYC
Shots: 20 / 15
Shots on Goal: 8 / 9
Saves: 7 / 4
Corner Kicks: 4 / 3
Fouls: 10 / 6
Offside: 3 / 4
Possession: 49.5 / 50.5
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
NYC – Julián Fernández (Yellow Card) 33’
CIN – Obinna Nwobodo (Yellow Card) 78’
NYC – Hannes Wolf (Yellow Card) 90’+3
OFFICIALS
Referee: Ismael Rosario López
Ast. Referees: William Arrieta, Cory Richardson
Fourth Official: Deily Gomez
VAR: Melissa Borjas
