A mid-week match is set to take place between FC Cincinnati and Nashville SC at TQL Stadium.
Most people wouldn’t call this match a rivalry, but it’s actually the closest thing to it. Both sides have a fair amount of history between each other, with both having played in the USL and MLS. They are familiar foes.
📖: IN THE USL ERA, THE ONLY MATCH THAT WASN’T A DRAW BETWEEN NASHVILLE AND CINCINNATI WAS IN THE USL CUP PLAYOFFS, WHERE KENNEY WALKER’S PENALTY WON THEM THE SHOOTOUT.
In the USL, they drew in all three of their regular season matchups in 2018. In MLS, they have met six times. Cincinnati has won twice, Nashville has won twice and they have drawn twice. It is almost always a fairly-fought match.
THE OPPOSITION
Gary Smith departed two weeks ago, having served as the Coyotes’ first and only head coach. He is the first coach to be fired in MLS this season.
Their season has been disappointing. They’re in 11th place, looking up at a playoff spot. They haven’t scored a high amount of goals, nor have they conceded a high amount. They simply aren’t doing enough.
One of the biggest struggles for Nashville’s season is that injuries have plagued them. At certain points, they’ve had Hany Mukhtar, Walker Zimmerman, Sam Surridge and Tyler Boyd out.
So, some of it has been beyond their control. But at the same time, Smith’s tactics weren’t good enough. They were seen as rudimentary, and fans were unimpressed with it even before the start of the season.
Rumba Munthali has since taken the role of interim coach. His tactics aren’t too far off from Smith, aside from playing with a back four instead of the usual back three/five. He has still kept Mukhtar and Surridge up front with a three-man midfield too.
They have picked up a draw in both of the two matches he has managed. It’s still too early to tell how different they’ll end up looking under Munthali, but it likely won’t be too far off from Smith.
Their tough season will likely only endure until they can find a new manager.
THE ORANGE & BLUE
The Orange & Blue are having one of the best times in their history. They’ve won their last seven matches, the longest streak of any club in the league right now. On the goalscoring and defending front, they’ve been exceptional. Chemistry is high and so is morale.
The early-season issues are behind them and they are once again looking towards trophies.
Lucho Acosta has been insane (still), FCC’s attack and midfield have been clicking and the defense has continued to be immense. Even the team’s depth players have shown up when needed.
In this game, FCC is favored heavily. This isn’t a surprise. FCC is arguably the most in-form team in the league. No game in this sport (and this league) is a guarantee, but if the home team simply continues this momentum, they should easily get a result.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
On Nashville’s side, fans must look towards the obvious option: Hany Mukhtar. In times of despair, he has come through for them. They’ll be reliant on him again to get a result in Cincinnati.
👀: MUKHTAR HAS YET TO SCORE A GOAL IN THE SIX MATCHES HE HAS PLAYED AGAINST CINCINNATI.
Cincinnati’s player to watch is Kevin Kelsy. He has already made a huge impact in the five matches he has played in, scoring three goals. They’ll need a target man to combat Nashville’s strong defense, and he can do that with his abilities in the air, on the ball and off the ball.
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This match is a battle between two sides who have had completely different seasons. Cincinnati is vying for trophies again, while Nashville is struggling to make it into a playoff spot.
It might feel like a predictable match because of how in-form the home side is, but Nashville can’t be disregarded. They could be unpredictable under Munthali.
Still though, if the last seven matches are anything to go by, Cincinnati could easily get a result.
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