Coming off three wins in as many matches, FC Cincinnati returns to Nippert Stadium for the 5th match in a 5-match homestand to take on rival Louisville City FC in the US Open Cup Third Round. Here are 5 Things to Know going into Wednesday night’s match as well as the new March to Matchday Podcast.
Where: Cincinnati, OH – Nippert Stadium
When: Wednesday, May 31st at 7:00 p.m. EST
League Form: FC Cincinnati (4W-4L-3D, 15 pts.) 4th Place, Louisville City FC ( 4W-1L-3D, 15 pts.) 3rd Place
Last Out in USOC: FC Cincinnati 1-0 over AFC Cleveland, Louisville City 9-0 over Tartan Devils
March to Matchday: US Open Cup Podcast Special – FCC vs. LCFC
Join host Bryan Weigel & guest Brad Weigel for the newest addition to Cincinnati Soccer Talk lineup. March to Matchday will provide an in-depth preview of the upcoming opponent as well as how FC Cincinnati can best defeat them. This show will hopefully fit in your drive time to work, to the pub on game day or lead you right up to game time. We hope you enjoy March to Matchday!
Don’t forget you can now download and subscribe to Cincinnati Soccer Talk on iTunes today! The podcast can also be found on Stitcher Smart Radio now. We’re also available in the Google Play Store.
5 Things to Know
Who’s In: FC Cincinnati is coming off a win on Saturday in which featured the normal starting XI. Coach Koch has an interesting decision on who he will rotate midweek for this grudge match. Fordyce only went 60′ and didn’t seem to perform well in the heat. Could Koch use Marco Dominguez who impressed in the first USOC match and came off the bench vs. Toronto? This move and others could help deal with keeping a fresh squad. As we all know Djiby Fall is eligible and will be “hungry” for this match. Look for the striker to be “licking his chops” in getting a LouCity again. LCFC did have a bye this weekend in USL play, but due to only having 17 field players under contract, may have to use a “full-strength” squad.
What’s At Stake: The Golden Nugget to the winner is Columbus Crew SC at home in the 4th Round of the Open Cup. For FC Cincinnati, this would provide a great match to sell to the fan base and another event to pack Nippert. This match also has significant bragging rights attached for the two fan bases. According to striker Danni König, Carl Lindner III visited with the team recently and stressed the significance of winning this match. With all players eligible, Kadeem Dacres, Aodhan Quinn and Luke Spencer will want to best their former team in a match with huge implications.
When Will FC Cincinnati’s Offense Wake Up: Neither of these two teams has been overly impressive in the attacking third. Louisville averages 1 goal per match while FCC is just better at 1.1 per match. FC Cincinnati is going to need to show they can be more creative in the penalty area to relieve some stress applied to the wings in recent matches. Cincinnati is converting 11.1 % of chances vs. Louisville’s 9.5%, so will the Cincinnati attack be able to hold more possession and dictate the game offensively to Louisville? Djiby Fall will need to perform better than his match vs. Cleveland, but I think he has the motivation to go for blood.
Where Will You Be: This is a big test for the FC Cincinnati ticket office and the fan base. Tickets to Wednesday’s match were not included with Season Tickets, so all ticket holders had to purchase individual tickets at full price to the midweek contest. Couple that with the rivalry match and that a win brings Columbus, I hope as many fans can attend. I realize that it may be hard to stomach purchasing midline or club tickets at face value on short notice, but I would at least challenge you to buy tickets somewhere in Nippert. This match is huge and we need you there!
Why Does O’Connor Lie So Much: “The opposing staff & FO is attacking me personally”, “the field melted our player’s shoes and caused burns”, “Djiby bit our player”. Why does this embarrassment complain and lie all day long? O’Connor has drawn the ire of many FCC fans over the past year with his comments, and it almost makes you think what he will try to pull in a game of this magnitude. He is always complaining and I think it could try to put FCC on edge or take the pressure off his own team. Hopefully the Orange & Blue faithful will give this coach a hard time and Nippert and he will think twice about his next comment.
Bonus: Just Watch the Video-
Stay tuned to Cincinnati Soccer Talk for more news and information leading up to the Louisville City FC match!
Supporter Groups Pregame Match Parties
We encourage all fans to get down to Clifton early and enjoy themselves at the areas many restaurants and pubs. Many Supporter Groups hang out in the “Short Vine” area where you can join in the march to Nippert Stadium. Some of these locations can be rowdier than others, but families and opposing fans are encouraged to come out and join the various groups. The Supporters March Should begin at approx. 6 p.m.
Die Innenstadt: Mecklenburg Gardens – 302 E University Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45219
The Pride: Ladder 19 – 2701 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45219
Queen City Firm: Mio’s Pizzeria Pub – 2634 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45219
Queen City Mafia: Short Vine Bearcat Statue Lot – 2700 Block of Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45219
The Legion: Taste of Belgium Clifton – 2845 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45219
The Bailey Bastards: Hang Over Easy – 3 W Charlton St, Cincinnati, OH 45219
For more information and how to join the supporters march, check out our matchday guide!
Viewing – TBD
@bryanweigel for @CincySoccerTalk
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