Orlando City (8-4-5, 29 pts) hits the road for its second game this week, taking on FC Cincinnati (3-7-6, 15 pts) at the brand-new TQL Stadium on Saturday, August 7, at 7:30 p.m ET. The game will be locally televised on FOX35 PLUS and LionNation TV, with pre-game coverage starting at 7 p.m. Radio broadcasts will be available on FM 96.9 the Game in English and Acción 97.9 FM in Spanish.
Here’s everything you need to know about Cincinnati:
Key Transactions and Player News
Key Additions - CF Brenner (São Paulo), AM Luciano Acosta (Atlas), LB Rónald Matarrita (NYCFC), CB Gustavo Vallecilla (SD Aucas, loan), CB Geoff Cameron (Queens Park Rangers), GK Kenneth Vermeer (LAFC)
Key Departures - General Manager Gerard Nijkamp, CM Frankie Amaya (New York Red Bulls), CB Kendall Waston (Saprissa), LB Greg Garza (retirement), AM Siem de Jong (Heerenveen), GK Spencer Richey (Seattle Sounders), CB Tom Pettersson (Lillestrøm SK)
Player News - Former USMNT starter Geoff Cameron has provided stability to the Cincinnati backline since signing from the English Championship in mid-May. Cincinnati has conceded 14 goals in Cameron’s 12 starts, while conceding a shocking 15 in the four matches he did not start, including a 3-0 win by Orlando City on May 1 before his signing. Cincinnati has lost just once in Cameron’s last eight starts.
Take a look at FC Cincinnati’s full roster here.
Team Form
There’s good news and bad news for Cincinnati. On the plus side, they have not conceded a goal in 213 minutes and have only lost twice in seven matches since the beginning of July. However, they have not scored in 299 minutes and did not actually win any of those other five games, meaning they are winless in seven going back to June 26. Big money signing Brenner has struggled at center forward, scoring just three goals in 16 appearances.
Head-to-Head
Orlando City has thoroughly handled Cincy through their first three matches, sporting a 2-0-1 record and a +7 goal differential against the 2019 expansion side. Nani and Tesho Akindele have both feasted on Cincy with three goals apiece, including one each in the 3-0 win earlier this season at Exploria Stadium. Júnior Urso also scored against the Ohio side this year.
Rasmussen University Fact
This will be Orlando City’s first trip to TQL Stadium, Cincinnati’s new 26,000-seat venue which opened on May 16 for a cost of $250 million. The stadium will host the United States vs. Mexico World Cup qualifier on November 12, making Cincinnati the first city other than Columbus to host a US-Mexico qualifying game since 1997.
