2024 Match Reports

FC Cincinnati 2 wraps up #1 seed with 3-1 win over Orlando City B

Dado Valenzuela slots in his third goal of the day aganst Orlando City B to seal FCC 2's no. 1 seed. Photo by Vario Gualan.

A wise man once said that you either “win for today or develop for tomorrow.”

Such may be the case for typical teams, but after a few years of underperforming, this year’s FC Cincinnati 2 team may have finally figured it out.

FC Cincinnati 2 (16-4-8, 54 pts.) wrapped up the top seed in the MLS Next Pro postseason with a solid 3-1 win over Orlando City B (11-9-8, 46 pts.) to finish the regular season. Dado Valenzuela’s cameo appearance and second hat trick of the MLSNP season captured all three points for FCC2.

FC Cincinnati 2 started the day needing a result better than Philadelphia Union II to get the #1 seed for the MLS Next Pro playoffs. A Union win guaranteed Philly a #1 seed, but anything less left the door open for Cincinnati to sneak away with the best record in the Eastern Conference.

While the Baby Lions had already qualified for the postseason, Orlando City’s B team needed a win to keep themselves at the #3 seed. A loss would open up the door for a road match in the quarterfinals.

FCC2 had a small glitch in the system in the sense that they were missing two vital players due to red cards picked up in a 3-1 loss to NYCFC2. Midfielder Stiven Jimenez and forward Guiherme Santos served their suspensions.

However, Valenzuela, Malik Pinto and London Aghedo, filling in from the FCC first team, each slotted into the starting lineup.

Orlando City B countered with multiple call-downs from the first team as well, notably forward Jack Lynn. The Orlando striker was the 2023 MLS Next Pro MVP with 19 goals in 27 matches last season.

The first ten minutes were the Dado Valenzuela Show. In the second minute, Dado controlled a pass from Stefan Chirila, stagger-stepped into the box, and fired a curler past Jose Carlos Mercado to make it 1-0.

The lead doubled in the 11th minute. Amir Daley’s shot on frame was palmed out by Mercado, only for Dado to control the rebound and bag his brace. His fifth goal in three MLSNP matches made it 2-0, a score that would last until the break.

While Orlando led in possession at the half (58-42), FCC2 dominated in shots (10-7) and shots on net (5-1). The only challenge for Paul Walters was a palm-stinging save in the third minute.

The second half started with more pressure from an Orlando side with more to lose. The team finally broke through with an individual effort in the 53rd minute. Alexander Freeman dribbled past the defense and redirected his shot past Walters to halve the lead at 2-1.

However, good fortune and offensive play ended the comeback. Valenzuela punctuated his day with a third goal in the 63rd minute, slotting a shot under Mercado’s reach to make it 3-1.

Valenzuela has played only three matches in MLSNP this season, but he produced two hat tricks in the process.

Head coach Tyrone Marshall was glad to see the first-team players excel in a solid system. ”

We said it prior that when you have the guys come from the first team and join the group, you should see the difference why you’re a first team player compared to the second team, and you could see it tonight,” he said.

FCC2’s win puts them atop the East, as Philadelphia lost 2-1 to Chicago II on the road. Orlando falls to fifth place, forcing the Young Lions to play on the road.

Marshall spoke glowingly of the team’s development over the season.

“You could see evidence at the end, we tried to make sure that we maintained possession, in playing from one side to the other, finding the #10 underneath, the little combinations,” Marshall said. “When we’re in our structure, it looks really, really good.”

The team now gets the opportunity to pick their opponent from the bottom four seeds (Orlando City B, NYCFC II, Columbus Crew 2, Crown Legacy FC). The playoff season starts on the weekend of October 18th-20th.

Match #28 – FC Cincinnati 2 vs. Orlando City B
TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Attendance: 5,177
Result: FC Cincinnati 2 3, Orlando City B 1

BOX SCORE

FC Cincinnati 2 Starting XI (3-5-2):

Paul Walters (GK); Gael Gibert, Brian Schaefer, London Aghedo (Juan Machado 84′); Amir Daley, Nico Benalcazar, Malik Pinto (Alejandro Guido 84′), Gerardo Valenzuela (Peter Mangione 76′), Jesus Castellano (Yair Ramos 61′); Kenji Mboma Dem (Ben Stitz 84′), Stefan Chirila.

Bench: Hunter Morse, Nicholas Samways, Connor Stout, Yeiner Valoyes.

Orlando City B Starting XI (4-2-3-1):

Jose Carlos Mercado (GK); Alexander Freeman, Nabi Kibunguchy, Thomas Williams, Luca Petrasso; Jeorgio Kocevski, Jorge Almaguer (C) (Colin Guske 79′); Shak Mohammed (Favian Loyola 66′), Jhon Solis (Justin Ellis 84′), Yutaro Tsukada (Yeiler Valencia 65′); Jack Lynn (Zakaria Taifi 79′).

Bench: Manu Cocca, Shawn Platts, Juan Rojas Chirinos.

Scoring Summary:

CIN – Gerardo Valenzuela 2′ (Chirila)
CIN – Gerardo Valenzuela 11′ (unassisted)
OCB – Alexander Freeman 53′ (Mohammed)
CIN – Gerardo Valenzuela 63′ (Mboma Dem)

Discipline:

YC – Jack Lynn 26’ (OCB, dissent)
YC – Stefan Chirila 52′ (CIN, foul)
YC – Malik Pinto 57′ (CIN, foul)
YC – Nabi Kibunguchy 65′ (OCB, foul)

Next up:
MLS Next Pro Playoffs, Quarterfinals, Weekend of October 18th-20th.

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