FC Cincinnati approached their three-game, eight-day road trip with enthusiasm. At the time, the club had eight points through eight games. With three wins, the team could exceed their existing total in just over a week.
The Orange and Blue are still stuck with eight points, however.
They lost, 1-0, to the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday night at Avaya Stadium. The club now has eight points from 11 matches, which is roughly a third of the way through the 2019 regular season.
Here are three takeaways from the match:
Road trip results in consecutive defeats
Throughout the three-game trip the side just completed, FCC had goal-scoring opportunities, but they never materialized into tangible results. When San Jose went down to 10 men in the 51st minute, it was a chance for the visitors to outnumber their opponent, control play and end both the scoring and points droughts. Ultimately, the Earthquakes prevailed.
FC Cincinnati are looking for their first goal from open play – and win – since a 2-0 result at New England.
The biggest positive from Saturday night was …
… Frankie Amaya.
Before the match in San Jose, Amaya had only played twice for the club this season. Both appearances were as a substitute.
With a roster filled with midfielders, FCC opted to send him on a short-term loan to Orange County SC (USL Championship), where he made two appearances and earned his first pro start.
The loss against the Earthquakes was his first MLS start. The 18-year-old looked lively and played comfortably. He finished with a 95.5% passing accuracy in 22 passes over his 67 minutes. Additionally, he made four tackles and gained possession seven times.
Obviously, it’s early in his career, but a performance like Saturday should be seen as a momentum builder for the midfielder and an optimistic sign for FC Cincinnati supporters.
What’s next for FC Cincinnati
The road trip is over.
Now, the club returns home and will host the Montreal Impact next Saturday at Nippert Stadium. Including that match, two of the next three matches are at home, which gives Cincinnati an opportunity to snap the current losing streak and goal drought.
