FC Cincinnati looks to capitalize on dropped points by Louisville City to inch up the table in the USL’s Eastern Conference. The Rochester Rhino’s took game 1 in the season series and the Orange & Blue hope to return the favor as they host the reigning USL champions in Nippert Stadium. This midweek battle should be an entertaining one that will have big implications on any future playoff match ups. We each reveal how we feel things will go down in our Staff Predictions.
Bill Wolf
We can look at the stats between these two teams and they are similar. Goals scored. Goals against. Similar points and records. But I think this game isn’t going to come down to stats. It’s going to come down to heart. Which team wants it more. Rochester has shown that they like to play defensively on the road. They’ll park the bus and try to take one point home. They’re going to make this hard on us, but our boys know what’s at stake. The next 3 games will likely determine whether they finish in 3rd or 2nd place. Second place could earn them 2 home games during the playoffs and potentially more. They want this and they are NOT happy about the loss they took the last time these two teams met. That determination is what will make the difference tonight. They will find a goal somehow. It might be a free kick, it might be a penalty kick, maybe an error on Rochester’s part that we exploit, but we will find the goal and take the 3 points. This game is going to end 1-0 in favor of the Orange and Blue.
Bryan Weigel
I am going out on a limb here and say that FC Cincinnati will win 2-1. My fellow colleagues are higher up on the Growler table than I, so heck, why not be bold. Would love to see FC Cincinnati go right at Rochester. Instead of serving balls to Okoli (serving suspension), FCC will have to create with their feet and quick passing to have any shot of breaking down Rochester. Yeah, the Rhinos will pack it in, and they will probably get a goal on a corner, but the Orange & Blue will have the 12th man at Nippert and this will be a tone setting victory marching toward the playoffs.
Michael Walker
The FC Cincinnati match against the Rhinos opens up a set of 3 very challenging games over the next 7 days. The results from these three contests will go a long way toward determining their final playoff position this season. The games that follow at NYRBII and Charlotte are on the road so they need to get off to a good start against Rochester. The Rhinos are tough defensively boasting the fourth lowest goals allowed total in the USL after 24 games played. FC Cincinnati will need to keep a clean sheet to take all 3 points because I don’t see them putting more than 1 past our stingy opposition. I’m predicting a 1-0 FC Cincinnati win in a tight one at Nippert.
Yosief Tzeghai
FC Cincinnati has a tough task ahead of them. Rochester boasts a defense that is likely the strongest in the USL and FCC will be without their leading goalscorer Sean Okoli. It will be interesting to see who takes the lone striker position in his absence. FCC will still have enough firepower to get on the scoreboard, despite the very defensive style of play they will face. I believe the Cincinnati soccer ball kicking good guys will pull out out a 1-1 draw against the Rhinos.
Nick Seuberling
It’s been forever, OK not really but you get my drift, since FC Cincinnati has last played. You would think that these guys may come out rusty against a very tough opponent in Rochester. But with a big away match against New York looming on Sunday night I think FC Cincinnati goes for the win tonight and gets three points against the Rhinos. I’m going for a 2-1 win.
Brad Weigel
I know for some of you it has felt like an eternity, but FC Cincinnati returns to Nippert for the first home game in nearly a month. The 2015 USL Champion Rochester Rhinos are led by the two headed monster of Christian Volesky and Steevan dos Santos who account for nearly half of the goals and 7 assists for the club. So far this year the Bob Lilley coached team mantra is to win at home and pack it in and shoot for a draw away. They have been successful as of late with 5 consecutive draws on the road, four of which ended 1-1. With Okoli out on yellow card suspension, will Coach Harkes have to go to his magical sorting hat to pull out another new formation? I wouldn’t mind seeing the 4-1-4-1 again with Cummings up top but if so the Orange & Blue must stay fundamentally sound when they press. If they slip up Volesky and dos Santos have the skill to pounce and put one in the back of the net. In the end I think the night will end with a 1-1 draw. In my opinion FC Cincy is the better team but with our major goal threat out and playing 1 game in 3 weeks might lead to a little rust from the team in the Queen City.
Growler Standings
Viewing
TV: The match will be broadcast on CW Cincinnati at FC Cincinnati’s pub partners or or by Streaming internet on USL’s Youtube station.
RADIO: Join the Voice of FC Cincinnati Tom Gelehrter on 1530AM ESPN Radio
TWITTER: Make sure to follow our @CincySoccerLive Twitter account for live twitter updates during the match.
@bryanjweigel for @cincysoccertalk
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