Fired up by last weekend’s 4-1 Cascadia victory, the Portland Timbers (2-5-2) charged into the West End to face FC Cincinnati (6-1-2) for a cross divisional match up. It would be a pair of goals for FCC that would extinguish the Timbers and send them packing with the 2-1 loss.
If you missed the press release from FCC and the MLS, you may have done a double take as both teams donned their respective 2023 ‘One Planet’ kits. The jerseys were created from recycled plastics and worn by every team in the MLS competing this weekend. This was an effort to raise awareness of plastic waste and commemorate Earth Day.
This wouldn’t be the only new look for FC Cincinnati as a clean shaven, new hairdo, Luciano Acosta was a welcome sight for FCC fans. Acosta had missed the previous week’s thrashing taken at St Louis with a shoulder injury. From the jump Acosta’s presence was felt when in the 2nd minute he found himself in a dangerous spot behind the Timbers’ backline. In the 19th minute Acosta found Brandon Vazquez with a beautiful through ball that led to free kick opportunity. Another gorgeous through ball in the 23rd minute was spoiled by Sergio Santos’ soft attempt at goal when Vazquez was open about 10 yards from the goal.
Santos would make up for the blunder in the 34th minute when he laid out for a diving header for the match’s opening goal. After a few more first-half chances, FC Cincinnati would carry that lead into the halftime whistle.
The second half opened with Portland controlling most of the possession. However, decision errors and a stout FCC defensive performance plagued the Timbers. In the 56th minute FC Cincinnati started to ramp up the pressure again with a deep Ray Gaddis run resulting in Alvaro Barreal putting the ball in the side netting. A similar run by Acosta in the 59th minute resulted in the ball bouncing wildly in the Timbers’ box before it found Vazquez. Vazquez hammered the ball into the back of the net for the second goal of the night.
The Timbers would have an answer when in the 60th minute Santiago Moreno delivered a cross to Dairon Asprilla to bring the lead back to a one goal difference.
FC Cincinnati would adjust and focus on seeing the match out. The final 30 plus minutes saw very few nervy moments but a healthy dose of substitutions and hard tackles. After 90+8 minutes, the final whistle sounded, and FC Cincinnati collected all three points for the fifth time out of its first five home matches
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CIN: Roman Celentano, Álvaro Barreal, Yerson Mosquera, Matt Miazga, Nick Hagglund, Ray Gaddis (Alvas Powell 77’), Junior Moreno, Obinna Nwobodo (Macro Angulo 89’), Luciano Acosta (C) (Malik Pinto 89’), Sergio Santos (Dominique Badji 64’), Brandon Vazquez
Substitutes not used: Alec Kann, Ian Murphy, Joey Akpunonu, Isaiah Foster, Ian Murphy, Arquimides Ordoñez
POR: Aljaz Ivacic, Justin Rasmussen (Eric Miller 62’), Zachery McGraw, Juan Mosquera, Larrys Mabiala, Evander, Diego Chara (C), David Ayala (Cristhian Paredes 62’), Darion Asprilla (Jaroslaw Niezgoda 85’), Franck Boli (Nathan Fogaca 73’), Santiago Moreno
Substitutes not used: Hunter Suite, Pablo Bonilla, Marvin Loria, Diego Gutierrez, Tega Ikoba
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
POR- Larrys Mabiala 20’
POR- Dairon Asprilla 30’
CIN- Obinna Nwobodo 31’
POR- Diego Chara 72’
CIN- Yerson Mosquera 84’
POR- Zac McGraw 90+1’
CIN- Marco Angulo 90+7’
Attendance: 25,513
Next Match(s):
US Open Cup; Louisville City (H) April 26th 7:00 PM (B/R App or ‘Bleacher Report Football’ on Youtube)
MLS League Play; New England (A) April 29th 7:30PM (Apple TV+)
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