FC Cincinnati beat CF Montréal 2-1 on Saturday, completing their first comeback win in MLS history. Luciano Acosta thought he put FCC on the board first, but the goal was disallowed because of an offside call. One minute later, Montréal’s Romell Quioto missed a sitter in front of a wide-open net. Not long into the second half, Quioto made a well-timed run into the box that drew Kenneth Vermeer off his line and set up a goal for Djordje Mihailovic. But Jürgen Locadia scored the equalizer in the 70th minute. And with five minutes to go in regular time, Rónald Matarrita’s free kick found the head of Gustavo Vallecilla for the winning goal. The Orange and Blue outshot Montréal and earned a massive three points.
Check out Cincinnati Soccer Talk’s post match report here for more details.
Rules:
- Each player starts off with a 6 as a standard rating. Six signifies an “average performance” for the match.
- Players will receive additions or subtractions to their score based on individual moments and the overall team performance.
- We’ll look at multiple criteria such as statistics and the Audi Player Index (API), Who Scored, and Stats Zone to assess a player’s rating.
- A player may receive an N/A if they are subbed in/off before any quantifiable statistics are available.
Expected Goals (xG): CF Montréal – 2.5, FC Cincinnati – 1.7, per mlssoccer.com
Now onto the ratings:
GK – Kenneth Vermeer: 4
The Dutch veteran dealt with multiple individual errors from his defenders against Inter Miami CF last weekend, and many gave him the benefit of the doubt. But that patience is already wearing thin. Vermeer continues to make costly decisions in the box. If a keeper is going to leave his line, he has to — has to — make the stop. Vermeer dived at nothing and left the goal vulnerable. Sure, Geoff Cameron let Mihailovic walk right past him, but if Vermeer doesn’t leave his line it doesn’t become a problem.
RWB – Joseph-Claude Gyau: 6.5
The change to a 5-3-2 formation proved successful, and Gyau looked more comfortable. As a converted winger, Gyau has struggled to adapt to being a full-time defender this season. Against Montréal he returned to the wingback position he played frequently at in 2020. Gyau had the highest pass completion percentage on the team, attempted five dribbles and made two tackles. He’s still learning when to go forward and when to stay back, but the 5-3-2 suits him well.
RCB – Caleb Stanko: 6.5
This was Stanko’s first start of the season, and he got the nod at center back over Nick Hagglund. While it isn’t his natural position, his ability as a midfielder translated well to coach Jaap Stam’s game plan. He’s not an ace with the ball at his feet, but he is more comfortable than most center backs. He tied for the most tackles in the match, completed 80% of his passes, and three of his four clearances were headed. It’s unclear if the 5-3-2 was a tactical adjustment for Montréal or a permanent change, but Stanko performed well enough to earn more consideration.
CB – Geoff Cameron: 8.5 (Man of the Match)
The rest of Cameron’s performance makes up for the mental error that contributed to Mihailovic’s goal. Cameron continued to act as a field general in defense, barking orders and helping FCC stay organized and disciplined. He defended Vermeer when Vermeer was kicked after collecting a heavy touch from Quioto. He didn’t give up on the corner kick in the 70th minute, heading the ball back towards the goal for Locadia to score. And the veteran tied for most tackles in the match and won the most duels. Cameron is tough and is always the first guy to celebrate a goal with his teammates.
LCB – Gustavo Vallecilla: 7.5
What a second act for the young Ecuadorian. Vallecilla opened his account with FCC in just his second match. It was a beautiful set-piece goal, and he played his part to perfection. Timing his run to the back post just as Matarrita’s cross lofts into the box and diving at the right moment to head the ball into the back of the net. He wasn’t as strong defensively as his partner, but a winning goal does wonders for ratings.
LWB – Rónald Matarrita: 8
Man of the Match was a toss-up between Cameron and Matarrita. There was some criticism of signing the Costa Rican left-back in the winter because of the price, but Matarrita has proven once again how valuable he is to FCC. This match marked his third assist for the Orange and Blue, contributing to half of the team’s goals this season. The free kick he played for Vallecilla’s goal was so gorgeous it should replace the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. Matarrita was fine defensively, but prior to his assist his passing numbers were subpar.
RCM – Yuya Kubo: 6
The lineup card seemed to indicate that Kubo would be positioned as a wide forward once again, but alas there he was in the midfield again. Stam is committed to the experiment, but it’s starting to show some results: Kubo had two tackles and two clearances in the match. While he did complete 88% of his passes, the vast majority were in his own half, and he only attempted one dribble (unsuccessfully) in 90 minutes.
CM – Allan Cruz: 7
“Tico Kante” earned a second straight start after his performance in the home opener, and he continues to impress. Cruz completed 90% of his passes, won four duels and had two tackles. He missed a one on one chance against the keeper where he attempted a chip shot that missed high, although there’s a strong argument to be made that the goalkeeper fouled him on the play.
LCM – Luciano Acosta: 7
It wasn’t a stellar match from Acosta, but he’s still dangerous on an “off” day. Brenner’s offside position disallowed Acosta’s goal, but that didn’t deter him. Acosta created five chances during the match. He was active in midfield, winning six duels and finishing three of four dribbles. He also lost six duels and was dispossessed four times. But without him, FCC wouldn’t be nearly as threatening in attack.
FW – Álvaro Barreal: 5
The promising Argentine showed flashes of brilliance during the match but did not maintain his momentum from the home opener. Playing slightly out of position as a second striker, Barreal only completed 68% of his passes, lost eight of 10 duels and didn’t complete any of his four attempted dribbles. He was subbed off for Locadia at the hour mark, and it proved to be a good decision by Stam.
FW – Brenner: 5
Cincinnati’s record signing is still struggling to find his footing after scoring from the penalty spot in the season opener. Brenner’s effort is unquestionable. He constantly looks to get involved in possession, dropping deep and making passes (82% pass completion in the match). But he only managed one shot in 90 minutes. It’s still early, but Brenner needs to find himself in front of goal more often.
SUB – Jürgen Locadia (59th Minute): 7
The real surprise and delight of the match was Locadia’s 30-minute cameo. He replaced Barreal and made an immediate impact. It only took 10 minutes for the designated player to score his second MLS goal. Cameron kept the play alive, but Locadia’s effort was truly impressive. He was moving away from goal and managed to head the ball across his body, leaving the goalkeeper flat-footed. It was like a shot of adrenaline for FCC. The team captured momentum and looked hungry for the win. They never wanted to settle for a draw.
SUB – Haris Medunjanin (86th Minute): N/A
Medunjanin was a late sub for Caleb Stanko.
SUB – Brandon Vasquez (86th Minute): N/A
Vasquez was a late sub for Allan Cruz.
Injury Notes: Franko Kovaćevič (hamstring), Tom Pettersson (achilles), Maikel van der Werff (sports hernia)
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