FC Cincinnati lost to the Colorado Rapids 2-0 on Saturday, its third straight home loss and second straight without a goal. The Rapids took the lead in the 21st minute with a goal from Diego Rubio. FCC seemed to recover, controlling the game in large portions of the second half. While it had more possession and far more shots, Colorado doubled their lead with a quick counterattack from Jonathan Lewis in the 72nd minute. The Orange and Blue made several efforts to score late in the game, but they couldn’t find the back of the net.
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): FC Cincinnati – 2.1, Colorado Rapids – 0.4, per mlssoccer.com
Now onto the ratings:
GK – Kenneth Vermeer: 4
There needs to be a conversation about Kenneth Vermeer. The Rapids may have had only two shots on goal, but they scored on both. The most difficult position — especially for a team like FCC — is goalkeeper. They often get blamed for the result of bad defense. But Vermeer’s positioning leaves a lot to be desired. He did not leave his line effectively in the run-up to the first goal, and he was literally caught flat-footed for the second.
Wilson ➡️ Barrios ➡️ Rubio ➡️ Net
A thing of beauty. 😍 pic.twitter.com/h7tXV58b0t
— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) June 20, 2021
RB – Joseph-Claude Gyau: 5
FCC has several players adapting to new positions this season and Gyau just might be the least successful of these experiments. Gyau struggles with his defensive positioning and awareness, and it is a constant liability for the team. The Rapids did their homework and attacked FCC on the left throughout the match.
CB – Geoff Cameron: 6.5
The former United States international continues to be the standout performer in defense. Cameron was proficient with his passing, unbeaten in the air and successful in his duels (winning 11 of 14). While he attempted six tackles, he only completed one, and he could have done better in the build-up to Colorado’s second goal.
CB – Gustavo Vallecilla: 5
Cincinnati’s other starting center back could only play for one half against the Rapids after suffering a hit to his face, so there isn’t much to judge. But when he was on the field, he wasn’t very effective. Vallecilla lost three of four duels and did not attempt a tackle in 45 minutes.
LB – Edgar Castillo: 5
This was Castillo’s debut for FCC, as well as his 400th appearance in Liga MX and MLS. The veteran stepped in for Rónald Matarrita, who is still recovering from a calf injury. Matarrita has been one of the Orange and Blue’s most valuable players this season, so Castillo had big shoes to fill. He did well enough but was unable to provide the same outlet in attack.
CM – Allan Cruz: 6
Returning from a stint with Costa Rica in the Concacaf Nations League, Cruz is beginning to find some consistency again. He won 12 duels, the most of the match, in addition to five aerial duels and three interceptions. Cruz managed two shots as well, but both were off target. He has earned head coach Jaap Stam’s trust, but it’s the lack of balance in the coach’s midfield selections that’s causing problems.
CM – Yuya Kubo: 6
For all of the concern about converting the Japanese forward into a central midfielder, Kubo is finding a bit of a groove. He completed 90% of his passes, won 11 duels and attempted a team-high seven tackles. But Kubo and Cruz are not able to consistently protect the defense. Both of Colorado’s goals saw the pair trailing back as the Rapids took advantage of the space behind them.
RM – Álvaro Barreal: 7
Barreal consistently found ways to be dangerous, no matter where he was on the pitch. He put up six shots, forcing two spectacular saves from William Yarbrough and a header that bounced off the crossbar. He also completed several crosses, blocked two shots on defense and recorded three tackles. Barreal is one of the players fans don’t want to see leave the pitch, and his continued development is one of the few bright spots this season.
CAM – Luciano Acosta: 7.5 (Man of the Match)
Every week, Lucho proves just how important he is to FCC. He led the team in completed dribbles, completed passes, chances created and was the most fouled player in the match. Almost every memorable chance FCC had on offense was started by Acosta. He was always on the ball and trying to create opportunities for his teammates.
LM – Isaac Atanga: 5
Atanga received a decent share of the criticism online during and after the match. In his defense, he was literally all over the place. So far, Stam has lined him up as a left winger. The idea, seemingly, is to mirror Barreal, who plays on the right and cuts in on his left foot. But Atanga is not an inverted winger. And in this match, Atanga was playing as a central forward for most of the first half. Atanga only attempted two passes in 63 minutes, half of the number of shots he took. The match lowlight was his poor finish one on one vs. the Rapids keeper in the first half.
ST – Brenner: 5
Brenner moved to the left wing for long periods of time when Atanga lined up in the middle. While he put two shots on target, he was often too far away from goal to play his best game. Stam needs to find a way to unlock Brenner, or the offense will continue to struggle. Brenner has not scored since his penalty kick against Nashville SC in the season opener.
SUB – Nick Hagglund (46th Minute): 6
Hagglund replaced the injured Vallecilla at halftime. He continues to be FC Cincinnati’s most dangerous weapon on corner kicks and performed well in defense. Hagglund was the last defender for Colorado’s second goal, but Jack Price was given acres of space to set up the assist with a pass in between the onlooking Cameron and Gyau.
Jonathan Lewis makes it ✌️ from the tight angle! #CINvCOL pic.twitter.com/UOl4W3Yknd
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 20, 2021
SUB – Jürgen Locadia (63rd Minute): 7
FC Cincinnati’s other big-money striker seems determined to score a few more times before his loan deal ends this month. Locadia came close to scoring twice in 30 minutes, but two big saves from Yarbrough kept the clean sheet for Colorado.
SUB – Brandon Vasquez (77th Minute): 6.5
Vasquez replaced Castillo, which was unusually aggressive from Stam, but it was appropriate given the scoreline. It was a smart substitution because Vasquez provided two decent chances at goal: a cross to Barreal whose ensuing header hit the crossbar and a free-kick that found the target and forced a save.
SUB – Haris Medunjanin (77th Minute): 5
Medunjanin came in for Kubo but wasn’t nearly as impactful as his fellow substitutes. He only managed 13 passes, two recoveries, and not much else.
SUB – Franko Kovaćevič (82nd Minute): N/A
Kovaćevič was a late sub for Brenner.
Injury Notes: Zico Bailey (hip), Calvin Harris (meniscus), Rónald Matarrita (calf), Maikel van der Werff (sports hernia).
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