Orlando City (11-8-9, 42 pts) hits the homestretch this Saturday, traveling to TQL Stadium to battle FC Cincinnati (4-16-8, 20 pts) this Saturday, October 16 at 7:30 p.m ET. The match, presented by City Furniture, will be locally televised on FOX35 PLUS and LionNation TV, with pre-game coverage starting at 7 p.m. ET. Radio broadcasts will be available on Real Radio 104.1 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 - General Manager Chris Albright (Philadelphia Union), 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), RB Chris Duvall (Portland)
Key Departures - Head Coach Jaap Stam, 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 - While Cincinnati has suffered through another dismal season, one of their marquee offseason acquisitions has been as good as advertised. Attacking midfielder Luciano Acosta has made plenty of chicken salad this year, scoring six goals and adding nine assists. He has been involved in more than half of Cincinnati’s 29 goals scored this year.
Take a look at FC Cincinnati’s full roster here.
Team Form
As alluded to above, Cincinnati’s misfortunes have continued in their third season in MLS. The Orange and Blue were eliminated from Audi MLS Cup Playoffs contention with last weekend’s loss against Philadelphia Union and have lost six straight matches. Head coach Jaap Stam became the third Cincinnati manager to lose his job within the club’s first three years in the top flight when he was let go on September 27. New General Manager Chris Albright, hired from Philadelphia after helping the Union craft a Supporters’ Shield winning season in 2020, will be tasked with finally getting FC Cincy on the right track.
Head-to-Head
Orlando City remains undefeated against FC Cincinnati, holding a 2-0-2 record and a +7 goal differential in the series. Nani has particularly enjoyed playing against Cincinnati–the captain has four goals and an assist against the Orange and Blue in his career and has recorded a goal contribution in every single match ever played between the two teams. This season, the Lions handled Cincinnati 3-0 at home on May 1 before playing to a 1-1 draw in Ohio on August 7.
Rasmussen University Fact
FC Cincinnati has “won” the MLS Wooden Spoon, awarded to the team with the fewest points in the league, in each of their first two seasons. Cincy is currently five points “ahead” of Toronto and Austin for this year’s Wooden Spoon with six matches to play. If they “accomplish” the feat again, they will become the first team in MLS history to finish bottom of the league in three consecutive seasons. San Jose Earthquakes has the all-time record for Wooden Spoons with four total.
