COLUMBUS, OHIO – FC Cincinnati 2’s (11-5-2) seven-game winless came to an end, as the Orange and Blue were routed by rivals Columbus Crew 2 (7-5-6) by a final score of 6-1 in the ‘Heck Is Plausible’ derby.
FIRST HALF
The Black and Gold opened up the scoring in the 10th minute of the match with a counter-attack, which led to midfielder Adrian Gonzalez rounding FCC 2 keeper’ Paul Walters to slot the ball home, making it 1-0 Crew 2.
As the Orange and Blue grew into the match, the momentum of the game swung in their favor in the 34th minute, when Yair Ramos Perez struck a half-volley from well outside the box that beat Crew 2 goal-keeper Stas Lapkes to his near post—tying the game up at one apiece.
Stefan Chirila had two opportunities towards the end of the first half to give FCC 2 the lead, a deflected shot from the penalty spot and a low-blast to the near post, Lapkes parried away both attempts.
As the halftime whistle blew, both teams would head into the locker room tied 1-1.
Cincinnati outshot Columbus 14 to six in the first half, with six shots on target to three for Crew 2.
SECOND HALF
Jayden Da would get his second assist of the match, and Crew 2 would retake the lead as Da found second-half substitute Jacob Greene, who blasted a shot into the top right corner of the net in the 56th minute, making the scoreline 2-1 in favor of the Black and Gold.
In the 67th minute, Guilherme Santos struck a shot off the crossbar, nearly tying the game at 2-2, as Cincinnati was starting to create more chances.
Columbus Crew 2, however, had other plans, as they hit once again in transition. This time, it was substitute Chase Adams tapping home a cross sent across by Gibran Rayo in the 69th minute, doubling Columbus’s lead, 3-1.
Crew 2 would then add a fourth, this time off a corner kick, as Walters couldn’t get a glove to the ball, Adams pounced on the ball by the far post to get his brace, and to make it 4-1 Black and Gold.
They didn’t stop there. Columbus made it 5-1 from another set-piece. Cole Mrowka curled in an inch-perfect cross that found the head of Rayo, who powered the ball into the back of the net in the 76′.
Columbus found a sixth goal in the 90th minute, off yet another corner kick. FCC 2 center-back Gael Gilbert redirected the ball into his own net, his second own goal in back-to-back games. Making it 6-1 Crew 2.
REVIEW OF THE GAME
You never want to lose any game, not a rivalry game, and certainly not in the kind of fashion FCC 2 did against Crew 2.
What might get lost was FCC 2 was the better side in the first half, at least for the majority of it. Once they equalized the game, the Orange and Blue had multiple chances to get their second goal and take the lead. But that didn’t happen.
What’s concerning is the second-half performance, allowing five unanswered goals, three of those off corner kicks. Columbus was more intense, and first to everything in the second half. The energy from FCC 2 that we are so used to seeing was nearly evaporated by Columbus’ midfield in the second 45 minutes. This is something we haven’t seen since last season.
The final stat line from the game saw Cincinnati outshoot Columbus 20 to 13, but Crew 2 had eight shots on goal to FCC 2’s six.
Head coach Tyrone Marshall and FC Cincinnati 2 will try and forget about this game, reset and refocus on returning home next week against Chicago Fire FC II. This was the team’s first loss in seven matches, since May 26th at home against Miami.
The Orange and Blue are still in great standing in the Eastern Conference, sitting in second on 35 points. Next week is number two versus number three in the East, a big match for FCC 2.
COLUMBUS CREW 2 LINEUP
(3-4-3)
GK: Stanislav Lapkes
D: Christopher Rogers, Christopher Pearson, Owen Presthus
M: Tristan Brown (Terron Williams 72′), Adrian Gonzalez (Jacob Greene 46′), Giorgio DeLibera (Nicolas Jacobo 72′), Brent Adu-Gyamfi (Xavier Zengue 81′)
F: Cole Mrowka, Jayden Da (Chase Adams 59′), Gibran Rayo
FC CINCINNATI 2 LINEUP
(3-5-2)
GK: Paul Walters
D: Isaiah Foster, London Aghedo, Gael Gilbert
M: Moises Tablante (Will Kuisel 82′), Yair Ramos Perez (Peter Mangione 72′), Kenji Mboma Dem (Ben Stitz 72′), Nico Benalcazar, Amir Daley (Jesus Castellano 72′)
F: Stefan Chirila, Guilhereme Santos (Yeiner Valoyes 82′)
Recommended for you
