FC Cincinnati eliminated Philadelphia Union in the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals with a late, dramatic 1-0 win in front of a sellout crowd Saturday night at TQL Stadium.
With the win, the Orange and Blue will host in-state rivals Columbus Crew next Saturday, December 2 at TQL Stadium in the Eastern Conference Final. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET (MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
Tickets for the Eastern Conference Final go on sale this Monday, Nov. 27 at 10 a.m. for FCC Season Ticket Members and Orange & Blue Reserve Members. The public on-sale begins at 1 p.m. For more information visit FCCincinnati.com/Playoffs23.
It took FC Cincinnati over 90 minutes to break the match’s scoreless deadlock, but it was center back Yerson Mosquera who netted the game-winning goal four minutes into second-half stoppage time.
Three defenders combined for the winner, with Álvaro Barreal driving down the field and picking out Ian Murphy in the box, who headed on to an open Mosquera. The Colombian took a touch and found the back of the net.
Mosquera’s goal was his third with FC Cincinnati. The goal marked the latest regulation game-winning goal in club history.
FC Cincinnati are now 7-3-4 all-time in win-or-go-home games, including 6-2-3 under Head Coach Pat Noonan. The Orange and Blue are also just the eighth MLS ever to win at least 26 games, across all competitions, in a single season.
FC Cincinnati will host the Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference Final next Saturday, December 2 with kickoff set for 6 p.m. ET. The match will stream exclusively on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
FC CINCINNATI GAME REPORT
FC Cincinnati vs Philadelphia Union
Date: November 25, 2023
Competition: Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference Semifinals
Venue: TQL Stadium
Attendance: 25,513 (sellout)
Kickoff: 8:25 p.m. ET
Weather: 38 degrees, cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY: 1-2-FT
CIN: 0-1-1
PHI: 0-0-0
CIN – Yerson Mosquera (Murphy, Barreal) 90+4’
PHI – None
GAME NOTES
• Yerson Mosquera’s goal was the latest regulation game-winning goal in club history at 90’+4 … The previous latest game-winning score was 90’+3 by Brandon Vazquez on May 7, 2022 at Minnesota United FC.
• FC Cincinnati have now scored six goals in second-half stoppage time in 2023 (Arias vs PIT: 90’+3 – 6/6; Nwobodo at RBNY: 90’+3 – 7/12; Boupendza vs NSH: 90’+9 – 7/15; Acosta vs SKC: 90’+8 – 7/23; Acosta at MTL: 90’+7 – 9/20; Mosquera vs PHI: 90’+4 – 11/25) … Entering this season, FCC had scored four all-time goals in second-half stoppage time.
• FC Cincinnati improved to 3-6-3 all-time against the Union, but 3-1-2 in the Pat Noonan era.
• FC Cincinnati are 7-3-4 all-time in 14 win-or-go-home games.
• The Orange and Blue are also just the eighth MLS ever to win at least 26 games, across all competitions, in a single season.
• Saturday marked the 17th sellout of TQL Stadium this season.
• Saturday marked the coldest temperature at kickoff (38°F) for a home game in club history – the third coldest behind March 18, 2023 at CHI (22°F) and February 26, 2022 at ATX (37°F).
• Saturday was the latest calendar kickoff for an FC Cincinnati game in club history, surpassing Decision Day 2021 (November 7 vs ATL).
LINEUPS
CIN: Roman Celentano, Álvaro Barreal, Ian Murphy, Yerson Mosquera, Alvas Powell, Ray Gaddis, Yuya Kubo (Marco Angulo 90’+8), Junior Moreno, Luciano Acosta (C), Aaron Boupendza (Dominique Badji 88’), Brandon Vazquez
Substitutes not used: Alec Kann, Santiago Arias, Sergio Santos, Malik Pinto, London Aghedo, Bret Halsey, Gerardo Valenzuela
Head Coach: Pat Noonan
PHI: Andre Blake, Jack Elliot, Olivier Mbaizo, Damion Lowe, Nathan Harriel, José Martinez (Jesús
Bueno 80’), Daniel Gazdag, Alejandro Bedoya (C), Jack McGlynn (Chris Donovan 90’+8), Mikael Uhre (Quinn Sullivan 90’+8), Julián Carranza
Substitutes not used: Joe Bendik, Matt Real, Jakob Glesnes, Jeremy Rafanello, Joaquin Torres, Tai Baribo
Head Coach: Jim Curtin
STATS SUMMARY: CIN/PHI
Shots: 11 / 16
Shots on Goal: 6 / 4
Saves: 4 / 5
Corner Kicks: 8 / 5
Fouls: 14 / 17
Offside: 5 / 0
Possession: 55.4 / 44.6
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
PHI – Damion Lowe (Yellow Card) 11’
CIN – Ray Gaddis (Yellow Card) 30’
PHI – Julián Carranza (Yellow Card) 51’
CIN – Aaron Boupendza (Yellow Card) 76’
OFFICIALS
Referee: Ismail Elfath
Ast. Referees: Cameron Blanchard, Jeremy Kieso
Fourth Official: Allen Chapman
VAR: Kevin Stott
AVAR: Kyle Atkins
