FC Cincinnati continues to grind out the remaining league games this season. After falling behind by two goals at Saint Louis FC, the Orange and Blue battled back and recovered a point from the critical match. With three games remaining and a very tight field vying for a playoff spot, even the most faithful of fans are sweating a bit. Next, they face off against the number 2 team in the East hoping to upset Charlotte and give themselves some breathing room in the standings. Here are our 5 Things to Know and the newest March to Matchday Podcast.
Where: Matthews, NC – Sportsplex at Matthews
When: Friday, September 27th at 7:00 p.m. EST
Form: FC Cincinnati – 6th Place (10W-9L-10D, 40 pts.), Charlotte Independence – 2nd Place (13W-7L-9D, 48 pts.)
YOUR FAVORITE PEOPLE THIS WEEK – Ref Assignments:
REF: BARDHYL PASHAJ; AR1: Benjamin Wooten; AR2: Javier Rodriguez; 4TH: John Rush
March to Matchday Podcast – Alex Warren of Talkin Jacks:
Join host Bryan Weigel (@bryanweigel) and guest, Alex Warren of the Talkin Jacks Podcast (@TalkinJacks), part of the @SoccerNSweetTea network as they preview matchday #30 between FC Cincinnati & the Charlotte Independence. 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
Queen City Cup: This game is the second match in the home and away series with Charlotte this season. In June, the Independence came to Nippert with the match ending in a 1-1 draw. The victor of this game will raise the Queen City Cup. Last year, the series ended tied in aggregate with 4 goals for each team, however, FCC took home the cup having scored the most away goals. To collect the Queen City Cup from a tie game, FC Cincinnati will have to score 2 goals on the road to once again score more road goals than Charlotte.
Undefeated in 5 Games: As FC Cincinnati wraps up the season and works to remain in a playoff position, wins are certainly important. But, if you aren’t going to win a game, the worst thing is to concede all three points to another team who are in the hunt for a playoff position. Though fans may want to see more wins, FCC is the only team in the Eastern Conference that is undefeated in their last 5 games.
Needing Points: Despite only notching one point last weekend, Cincinnati is still in control of their destiny. Bethlehem and New York can knock the Orange and Blue down in the standings with games in hand, but missing out on the playoffs can only happen if FCC allows another team to pass them. This puts the pressure on Cincinnati to pick up 3 points in this game. That means defeating the number 2 team in the East.
Patience: If one word could be used to describe FC Cincinnati at the beginning of a game, it would be “patience.” We almost always see their opponents come out aggressive with a high press. FCC absorbs their pressure and waits for opportunities to counter. As the opponent fatigues from their aggressive stance, Cincinnati begins to assert themselves into the game, and we often see very strong second halves from the Orange and Blue. In some cases, FCC even holds back attacking strength until Koch works in second-half substitutes. However, they invite their opponent to come at our defense and this provides many opportunities for the defense to breakdown and potentially leaves them chasing the game. Concerning to the Orange and Blue, Charlotte has scored early in 4 out of their last 5 home games.
Tenacity: Cincinnati has tied 3 out of their last 5 games, and in each case, they came from behind to salvage points in the match. Twice in the dying minutes of the game. There is no doubt that this team has tenacity. They don’t give up, and they always believe that they can get a result. As we play our last 3 games, this attitude and belief is what will help us stay in the playoffs and what will help drive us for another deep cup run.
Viewing Parties
The supporters groups will be taking up residence at their favorite away match viewing locations. See the list below for more information.
Die Innenstadt: Rhinehaus OTR – 19 E 12th St, Cincinnati 45202
The Pride: Ladder 19 – 2701 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45219
Queen City Firm: J Taps Sports Bar & Grill – 6441 Glenway Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45211
The Bailey Bastards: Bucketheads – 6507 Harrison Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45247
Viewing
TV: This contest is set for an 7:00 p.m. EST kickoff Friday evening. The match will be broadcast live on Local CW. The match will also be broadcast at FC Cincinnati’s pub partners or by Streaming internet on USL’s Youtube station.
RADIO: None
@billwwolf for @CincySoccerTalk
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