FC Cincinnati had been on a rough stretch of results, but in front of a sold-out TQL Stadium, the Orange and Blue righted the ship with a dominant 4-1 win over CF Montreal.
The FCC lineup featured some rotation as captain Lucho Acosta and right back DeAndre Yedlin were serving yellow card accumulation suspensions from the previous match. Nicholas Gioacchini and Yuya Kubo slotted in as duel 10s in place of Acosta. Veteran Alvas Powell filled in for Yedlin.
The match started heavily in FCC’s favor. A couple of near misses by Luca Orellano in the opening 30 minutes were highlights of FCC’s comfortable control of the match. Montreal enjoyed only 30 percent possession and failed to attempt any shots during that stretch.
The opening breakthrough for FCC came in the 36th minute. Orellano collected the ball on the left side of Montreal’s box before swinging in a cross. Powell and his defender fought to get a head on the ball, leading to the ball falling across frame to a waiting Kevin Kelsy. Chesting the ball down, Kelsy ripped a shot at goal. The ball deflected twice off Montreal defenders before finding the back of the net.
FCC held that 1-0 advantage as the squads headed to the locker rooms for the halftime pause.
Kelsy appeared to have earned a penalty kick shortly after play resumed, but after a lengthy VAR check, the foul was determined to have occurred outside the box. Ultimately, the decision was a moot point as Orellano stepped over the ball for the free-kick attempt. Orellano had his eyes on frame and unleashed his shot towards the goal. The ball deflected off Cadin Clark on the Montreal wall and settled inside the far post for FCC’s second goal of the night.
Shortly after, Orellano made history. What appeared to be a fairly harmless resumption of play from a Montreal foul led to one of the more spectacular goals the home crowd would ever witness. Orellano wasted no time stepping to the ball and saw the Montreal keeper off his line. Orellano smashed a shot from just in front of the Montreal bench. Montreal’s keeper Jonathan Sirois tried to get back and save the ball but he was a touch too late. The stadium erupted and Orellano’s cap to his brace will be a goal few will ever forget.
FCC wasn’t done scoring on the night, either. Sergio Santos checked into the match in the 66th minute and moments later found himself running under a long pass from Chidozie Awaziem. Santos’s pace caught Montreal off guard and soon it was only Sirois to beat. Santos lifted the ball over Sirois and into the net.
Montreal was able to claw one back in the 81st minute with a Kwadwo Opoku goal but it was too little too late. FCC cemented a much-needed momentum-swinging victory as the team heads into the second edition of Hell is Real after next week’s international break. However, two yellows cards to Miles Robinson and Ian Murphy will cause them to miss the Hell is Real Derby.
Pat Noonan shared his thoughts on the night in the postgame press conference.
“Really pleased with the response from the last performance and just the overall play from our guys,” Noonan continued. “I thought on both sides of the ball they were outstanding and maybe a little bit fortunate on some of those goals. But I do think the way that we attacked the goal and the intensity we brought looked like the group we know and so, very pleased with the outcome and how guys stepped up.”
Goals
CIN: Kelsy 36′, Orellano 53′, Orellano 57′, Santos 71′
MTL: Opoku 81′
Lineups
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