The best away team in MLS continues to add to their resume with a scrappy 3-2 victory over a short handed DC United.
DC United was missing their leading scorer, Christian Benteke, and their starting winger, Cristian Dajome. Surprisingly, also missing manager, Troy Lesesne, and carrying a host of other injuries, DC United would have been hoping that FC Cincy’s roster pressures would have continued.
Instead, with the US Men’s National Team crashing out of the Copa America, it allowed for them to bolster their backline as Miles Robinson returned from National Team duty.
But it wasn’t the influx of talent that led to FCC scoring an opener. It was a good bit of fortune, as Kevin Kelsy chased down a back pass to DC United’s keeper Tyler Miller. He just stuck his foot out and reflected the clearance into the opposing goal for a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute.
DC United responded 15 minutes later taking advantage of FC Cincinnati’s sloppiness. A DC throw into the FCC box was headed down to the feet of DC’s midfield, and after passing it into a scrum of players, United’s Martin Rodriguez emerged into the box alone and powered a shot past Celentano.
Pavel Bucha continued the scoring off of sloppy mistakes in the 39th minute. Cincinnati pushed their press up the field, and Bucha was able to find a tackle in the final third and begin the attack. He then passed it out wide to Luca Orellano before continuing his run into the box where took the return pass and slipped a shot past the onrushing goalkeeper 2-1.
And he extended their lead in the second half finishing off a brutal counter attack. After denying a DC penalty shout, FCC takes the momentary lapse in DC pressure and pushes the ball up the field working from right to left. It eventually finds the feet of Sergio Santos pulling his defender wide and pivoting inside to pass it off to a slashing Bucha who drives into the box and finishes off the move.
However, Cincy was determined to not make the end easy on themselves. They failed to clear their box, and in trying to recycle possession, passed it into a waiting defender, who passed it into the path of DC’s Pirani. He danced around two defenders and knocked it past Celentano for the last goal of the game.
With a Supporter’s Shield showdown coming up on Saturday, FC Cincinnati will be happy to leave the capital with 3 points, but they will need to be sharper if they want to summit the standings.
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