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Growler Cup: Matchday 11- FC Cincinnati vs. Toronto FC II

2017 Growler Cup

Last Saturday, FC Cincinnati was able to get their first win in their past 6 USL matches but find themselves in 7th place heading into the weekend. This week the Orange & Blue face their 3rd consecutive “MLS2” team as last place Toronto FC II makes their way to Nippert. Last season, FC Cincinnati took a pair of 2-1 wins against the Canadian team headlined by Mitch Hildebrandt’s double save off the line in the away leg. Each and every game we do our best to predict the outcome of the FC Cincinnati match. Here’s how some of the staff here at CST feel things will transpire Saturday night.

Ken Hoetker

TWORONTO comes to town and FCC should have no problem handling them, right? Wrong! Four days after the Toronto game FCC plays their rival LCFC in the Open Cup and this could cause a little bit of a conundrum for our manager, Alan Koch. I think FCC is going to save some legs for LCFC, especially since LCFC doesn’t have a game this weekend. To save those legs we could throw a lineup at Toronto that looks closer to our USOC game against AFC Cleveland. So we probably will have 2 non-regulars in the back line and another 2 or 3 in midfield. Because of this decrease in experience in our lineup I am picking a 1-0 loss. (Each time I have picked a loss we have gone 2 Wins and 1 Draw)

Brad Weigel

Danni Konig take a bow! What a performance as the new man started to settle into his new digs. You could see how he drew energy from the crowd and used it as fuel to net twice. Now I’m still worried that we can’t get goals from anybody outside the #9 spot but this team is too good to drop points against Toronto. They’ve had a jammed packed week and am sure they won’t be looking forward to the 8-9 hr. bus trip ahead of them. I think there could be room for more Konig goals with a 3 man backline as long as our squad can control and penetrate their 5 man midfield. I’m picking a 4-1 win as Konig records the 2nd hat trick in club history. C’mon You FCC!!!

Bill Wolf

Torontwo has only won one game this season and they did it by crossing over and playing a team from the west. Since that first game this season, they have been winless. They’ve only scored 3 times in 10 games while giving up 12 goals. Like all two teams, their roster can be unpredictable but the first team has a lot of games in this same period and help from daddy seems unlikely. The real question is how FCC prioritizes this league game vs. the midweek Open Cup game against their rival Louisville. But, with players coming off the disabled list and the team starting to gel in the final third, it feels like we shouldn’t have much problem winning this one. Though I’d love to see a goalfest, I think we’ll work in some players to give us rested legs Wednesday. I’ll predict only 2-0 as we pull back a little.

Bryan Griffin

Casuals will be hoping for a breeze or slight drizzle on Saturday because Nippert will be filled with Orange and Blue smoke. Toronto II, visiting Koch and club, will be on the wrong end of a spectacular performance. Cincinnati will give the T2 keeper a full days work and end the match with a 3-0 victory.

Other Staff Picks: Yosief 2-0, Seubs 3-1, Boston 2-1, Bryan 3-0

Standings

ICYMI: Check out our 5 Things to Know before Saturday’s match.

Check out our thoughts on FC Cincinnati’s recent news about a possible Soccer Specific Stadium.

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