FC Cincinnati almost came away with a come-from-behind victory, but was instead forced to share the points thanks to a 97th-minute equalizer from Inter Miami CF.
The first half started terribly for FCC. Almost immediately from kickoff, Miami was on the front foot and attacking the FCC goal. Had it not been for a crucial intervention from Tyler Blackett on DeAndre Yedline, the back of the goal would have billowed for the first of the night.
Following this attempt, Miami continued their attack but didn’t get as close until later in the match.
FCC started the match in the opposite fashion, as the offense really didn’t understand what it wanted to do. The team had trouble not only chaining passes together but also holding possession.
Miami had continued wide open spaces to work and used that space well. They seemed ready to score on every possession in the attacking third.
That first goal finally happened in the 23rd minute, as Geoff Cameron made an atrocious attempt at a tackle and just stepped on a Miami attacker mere inches outside the FCC box. Gonzalo Higuain stepped up an nailed the ball into the back of the net for the first goal of the match.
After this goal, FCC was immediately working to level the scoresheet, and they did. Alvas Powell picked up the ball and looked at his options. Following this, he played the ball across the face of goal and Brenner ran into tap it into the back of the net.
FCC continued its attack right after the goal, looking like it was hungry to get another.
However, Miami also seemed raring to do the same. In the 37th minute, that indeed happened as the FCC backline badly misplayed a pass to Higuain, as they hoped to play an offsides trap. That didn’t work well and the ball was picked up by Higuain, and he easily maneuvered around Cameron to kick Miami ahead once again.
But, Brenner would not allow Miami’s second lead of the night to stand for much longer. Lucho Acosta intercepted the ball and saw Brenner making a great run diagonally across the field and played a beautiful pass to him. Brenner got the ball on the right side of the Miami penalty box and coolly slotted it into the net.
The rest of the half seemed to be ready for the teams to enter the locker rooms, but VAR had another idea. VAR saw Blackett clattering into Mota as a foul, but it looked as if Blackett was pushed into him. VAR didn’t it that way, and instead gave the penalty to Miami. Higuain once again stepped up and blasted it into the top corner, giving him a first-half hat trick.
The second half started almost exactly as the first one started, with Miami nearly scoring.
A couple of minutes later, it appeared that Miami got their fourth of the night. But, this time, VAR was ready to rule in FCC’s favor. VAR ruled that the initial pass in the attack was offsides, and the goal was disallowed.
Following this event, both sides saw plenty of attempts, with Miami predictably seeing the better and more enticing chances.
It felt as if FCC was growing into the game with about 15 minutes left in the match. Then, in the 81st minute, that became a fact, as Alvaro Barreal had the ball and dribbled on the touch line. He saw Brandon Vazquez near the penalty area and played the ball near the goal, where Vazquez ran to and tapped it into the net for the equalizing goal.
FCC also wasn’t done, as only five minutes later Barreal was back at it once again, but this time played a rainbow of a pass to Brandon “Pancake Man” Vazquez, who made a great touch to control the ball and then slotted it into the bottom corner.
Following this goal, FCC did its best to try and waste as much time as possible. However, Miami ended up with one final chance, and, when it felt like the match would finally be called, Miami continued to play and Christopher McVey had what felt like ages to hold onto the ball and rocketed it into the goal for the final goal of the match.
I’m tired. I’m tired of writing the same things in these match reports about how outstanding the offense is, but it being let down by some of the most disappointing moments of defending we’ve seen from this team in its history, and we’ve seen a lot.
Things need to change, whether that’s the normal shape or the players who are starting. Cameron is well past anything known as his prime and consistently puts the team in terrible positions. Tyler Blackett is the same, but without having anything of a prime yet.
This backline is costing the team a chance at the playoffs, which might be important for recruitment and actually making the team better in a real sense, and that’s a shame.
Matchday 23 – Inter Miami CF vs FC Cincinnati
Result: Inter Miami CF 4, FC Cincinnati 4
BOX SCORE
FC Cincinnati Starting XI:
Roman Celentano (GK), Álvaro Barreal, Tyler Blackett (Nick Hagglund 53’), Geoff Cameron (John Nelson 54’), Ian Murphy, Alvas Powell (Ray Gaddis 53’), Junior Moreno (Haris Medunjanin 65’), Obinna Nwobodo, Luciano Acosta (C) (Yuya Kubo 85’), Brenner, Brandon Vazquez
Bench: Alec Kann, Allan Cruz, Calvin Harris, Arquimides Ordonez
Inter Miami CF Starting XI:
Drake Callender (GK), DeAndre Yedlin, Chris McVey, Damian Lowe, Ryan Sailor, Jean Mota, Alejandro Pozuelo (Bryce Duke 80’), Gregore Silva (C), Gonzalo Higuaín (Leo Campana 69’), Robert Taylor (Jean Corentin 80’), Indiana Vassilev (Ariel Lassiter 61’)
Bench: Nick Marsman, Aime Mabika, Victor Ulloa, Emerson Rodrigez, Joevin Jones
Scoring Summary:
MIA – Gonzalo Higuaín 23’
CIN – Brenner (Powell) 28
MIA – Gonzalo Higuaín (Pozuelo) 37’
CIN – Brenner (Acosta) 40’
MIA – Gonzalo Higuaín (PK) 45+5’
CIN – Vazquez (Barreal) 81’
CIN – Vazquez (Barrealo) 86’
MIA – Chris McVey (Jean) 90+7’
Discipline:
CIN – Geoff Cameron 22’
MIA – Indiana Vassilev 60’
CIN – Álvaro Barreal 90+4’
Next up:
Home vs Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 6
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