What a night to be an FC Cincinnati fan! Saturday night saw a lot of firsts for the 2nd year club. It was the first time that the team scored 4 goals in a match. It also saw the club’s first hat trick goal scorer in Djiby. Lastly, the USL attendance record for a season opener now officially belongs to the Orange and Blue.
Photo Credit: Alex Vehr
The match started out quite even between Saint Louis FC and FC Cincinnati with both sides feeling each other out for the most part. It was a physical affair early on as well as the defensive duo of Wes Charpie and Austin Ledbetter committed some hard fouls on Djiby. It seems as though the physical play with the FC Cincinnati forward may have spurred him on to a record setting night.
In the 35th minute, FCC’s Matt Bahner made a great read on an outlet pass from the Saint Louis defense. He intercepted and played the ball right into the path of Kenney Walker who laid it right back in front of the FCC right back. Bahner, the West Chester native, playing in his first official game at Nippert Stadium, calmy received the ball in the newly widened corner and played a perfect cross onto the head of guess who, Djiby, to make the score 1-0.
From there, the Djiby onslaught continued. In 1st half stoppage time, the Senegalese striker bulged the nets again. The goal coming from a broken play off a cross from Tyler Polak. Polak sent a ball into the area that was headed high above the box but not very deep. Harrison Delbridge had snuck up from his CB position on the previous corner, headed forward right to the feet of Djiby, who calmly turned and fired it into the net for a 2-0 half time lead. It was the first goal for FC Cincinnati, this year, that was scored with their feet. The previous 3 goals had come off the head of Djiby.
The halftime lead didn’t stay 2-0 for long as, once again, that man Djiby fired home from close range to make it 3-0 in the 48th minute. The build up play from FC Cincinnati was fantastic as Kenney Walker found a streaking Corben Bone. Bone calmly slotted the ball past Saint Louis FC keeper Devala Gorrick, and Djiby tapped it home.
On a night when pretty much everything FC Cincinnati did worked, the Orange and Blue continued to attack. This time Kenney Walker played a perfect cross into the 6-yard box where Djiby headed home to make it 4-0 in the 62nd minute.
With the win, FC Cincinnati climbs to 2-2-0 with 6 points and climbs 7 spots to 6th place early into the 2017 season.
Box Score
FC Cincinnati Starting XI (4-3-3): Hildebrandt (GK); (R-L) Bahner, Berry, Delbridge (88′), Polak (13′); Quinn, K. Walker, Bone; Dacres, Mansaray (67′), Fall (80′)
Subs: Jaye (GK), Fordyce, Craven (80′), Luke, McLaughlin (67′), McMahon (88′), Wiedeman
Saint Louis FC Starting XI (4-4-2): Gorrick (GK); (R-L) Sheldon, Charpie, Ledbetter, Cochran; Stojkov, Rudolph (55′) Bjurman, David (55′); Ahmetovic (55′), Volesky
Subs: Filla (GK), Howe, Plewa, Stanley, Guzman (55′), Alvarez (55′), Angulo (55′)
Goals
- 35′-FC Cincinnati- Fall (assisted by Bahner)
- 45’+2-FC Cincinnati- Fall (assisted by Delbridge)
- 48′-FC Cincinnati- Fall (assisted by Bone, K. Walker)
- 62′-FC Cincinnati- Fall (assisted by K. Walker)
Discipline
- Yellow- Mansaray (FCC)- 39′
- Yellow- Guzman (STLFC)- 39′
Player Ratings
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Three Things (or more)
Fireworks Night for FC Cincinnati? No Just Preki Being Preki
After the 3rd goal of the night, things heated up between FC Cincinnati manager Alan Koch and Saint Louis FC Preki. The two needed to be separated by the 4th official at midfield. It was a physical match, and Preki appeared to have taken exception on a hard foul near the FC Cincinnati bench.
Austin Berry returned to the starting lineup for FC Cincinnati. The Cincinnati native had been struggling with injuries early on in the 2017 season.
Corben Bone got his first start of the season and played vital role in the match for FC Cincinnati. His linkup play between the midfield to the forwards made a major impact on the match.
Mitch Hildebrandt and the FC Cincinnati defense notched their 2nd Widmers Clean Sheet of the season in the 4-0 win over Saint Louis FC. Saint Louis FC suffered their first loss of the season and had come into the match averaging 3 goals per game.
Another Recording Breaking Attendance Number
With 23,144 at last night’s match, FC Cincinnati now owns the record attendance for a season opener. Also of note, FC Cincinnati had the 2nd highest attendance in the US this weekend.
.@fccincinnati had the second highest attendance over the weekend, including every MLS game
Orlando 25527#FCCincy 23144
Vancouver 221201/
— Bob Williams (@WilliamsBob75) April 16, 2017
.@fccincinnati Portland 21144
Red Bulls 20104
San Jose 18000
Montreal 17144
Chicago 16914
Philly 16553
Houston 16125
Colorado 15087
Crew 123192/
— Bob Williams (@WilliamsBob75) April 16, 2017
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@nickseuberling for @CincySoccerTalk
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