FCC 2

FC Cincinnati 2 with a clash against Huntsville City FC

By Gracin Galbreath

Posted on July 12, 2025

FC Cincinnati 2 will be back at the campus of NKU for a clash with Huntsville City FC.

THE ORANGE AND BLUE

FCC 2’s form has been strange, to say the least. They are unbeaten in their last 5 matches, with four consecutive wins in shootouts. Unsurprisingly, they have among the most shootout wins in the league. This form has been enough for them to advance to 11th place, now just two points out of a playoff spot.

Their last match was a rather stale 0-0 draw with Atlanta United 2. They were bested in the statline, but solid defense took it to a shootout where their opponent missed two penalties. It was Amir Daley whose PK earned them some much-needed two points.

FCC 2 has not found much consistency on either side of the pitch. While they are trending upwards, there are still matches where they fail to score—but in those cases, they shut out their opponent, too.

Their identity has become playing for the shootout, and it has worked. Aside from their elimination in the U.S. Open Cup, they have not lost any of their seven shootouts in league play.

THE BOYS IN BLUE

Huntsville City FC is one of the East’s better teams. They currently sit in fifth place with 26 points; they have a high tally of goals at 29, and aside from Philly’s excellent defense, the second least goals conceded in the East at 17.

Their squad has a few real difference makers, especially in attack. Alan Carleton is a talented winger who has five goals and five assists in 12; Gunner Studenthoft is a young, 6’3 Cayman Island striker with five goals to boast. On the defensive side, Wyatt Meyer is a 6’2 center-back who has made a few appearances while also being involved in the first team set up; their captain, Zach Barrett, has been included in all but one of their matches and commands the defense.

Their last match was a 2-1 win over New York Red Bulls II. They had a 1-0 deficit for most of the match but scored two in the final 20 minutes to secure all three points.

If there is anything that can earn them points from this result, it is their high-scoring attack. In their last five, they have netted nine.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Alan Carleton is, without a doubt, Huntsville’s player to watch. He has three goals and two assists from his last two; as a result, he has broken into BJ Callaghan’s squad.

In matchups against higher-level opposition, FCC 2 leaks goals. It is an attacker that should be watched, but they may not have their best, as Mboma-Dem and Chirila could be in the first-team squad for Hell is Real. Tega Ikoba could step up, as he has one goal and two assists in recent weeks.

WHAT TO EXPECT

There doesn’t seem to be an in-between for FCC 2 this season; this match could either be a low-scoring one that goes to a shootout, or an actual shootout with multiple goals for each side.

It would be a shootout that would favor the reserves, as their attack could be depleted by first-team necessity. With this in mind, they could play for a shootout.

But if they can be solid at the back and threatening enough at the front to at least equal their opponent, then they will be in pole position to take all three points.