Coming into Sunday evening’s primetime match with Toronto, FC Cincinnati held a 9-4-1 record against the Reds all-time. However, Robin Fraser’s side wasn’t going to allow the past to define their present. A late second half goal saw the visitors bag all three points, their first goal in Cincinnati since 2020.
FIRST HALF:
The opening ten minutes of the match served as a statement of sorts for Toronto. The visitors won two corners and a free kick in a dangerous position. Fortunately, the defense stood tall, turning each effort away. FCC didn’t string together anything particularly dangerous until the 15th minute, when a attacking sequence ended with Ender Echenique going to ground on the edge of the Toronto box. Shouts for a foul fell on deaf ears, and Ender was subsequently given a yellow for delaying the restart. This yellow would prove to be pivotal later in the match, as manager Pat Noonan cited it as a factor in Ender’s subbing off in the 74th minute.
The sides traded dangerous attacks not long after, as Djordje Mihailovic fired a volley just wide of goal in the 29th minute; and Tom Barlow headed a cross from Echenique on target in the 34th minute.
Toronto would cobble together their final promising attack of the opening frame in the third of four minutes of stoppage time. After a pell-mell attacking sequence, the Reds won a corner that was headed out, yet another corner was not given with Alexis Da Silva blowing the halftime whistle.
SECOND HALF
There were no substitutions from either side entering the second half, and FCC didn’t waste much time before stringing together an attacking sequence. Alas, Tom Barlow was caught offside, ending the attack.
The following 15 minutes passed rather quietly. The sides traded possession and a couple corners, yet nothing came of it. It was nearing the 70 minute mark when the reality of yet another one goal affair became prevalent.
The Orange and Blue almost broke the deadlock as Pavel Bucha fired a heat-seeker towards goal in the 67th minute, yet Luka Gavran was there to push it away.
With the offense struggling to find any answers, manager Pat Noonan subbed on Evander in the 74th minute. It was the first time the Brazilian star has appeared since Opening Day as he has been working his way back from the hamstring injury he sustained in that match.
The Reds would finally break the deadlock in the final moments of regular time, as they strung together an attacking sequence that started with a corner. The initial inswinger was punched away by Roman, yet TFC were able to regain possession after a turnover. Richie Lareya was able to bring the ball down the pitch, and FCC did not put him under any pressure. Ultimately it was the Hungarian national Daniel Salloi who put the ball past Roman for the deciding score. Salloi’s first MLS goal since August of last year, when he was still with Sporting Kansas City.
Seven minutes of stoppage time yielded nothing for FCC, as their most dangerous look came from an Evander free kick that was just high of the crossbar.
POST GAME
Sunday night’s result marks two consecutive league matches without a goal for FCC. A worrying trend that doesn’t seem to have a clear solution at this juncture. Speaking on the team’s struggles following the match manager Pat Noonan couldn’t pinpoint a specific cause for the stagnancy: “You can’t pinpoint one thing: how we progress the ball, how creative we are in one-v-one moments, decision making in and around goal. It’s all of it.”
FC Cincinnati find themselves straight back in action on Thursday, as they welcome Liga MX side Tigres into the Fortress for the next round of Champion’s Cup play.
Their next league fixture comes next Sunday away to New England.
QUICK RECAP
SCORING SUMMARY: 1-2-FT
CIN: 0-0-0
TOR: 0-1-1
CIN – None
TOR – Dániel Sallói (Laryea) 86’
LINEUPS
CIN: Roman Celentano, Bryan Ramirez (Kenji Mboma Dem 90’), Gilberto Flores (Teenage Hadebe 86’), Miles Robinson (C), Nick Hagglund (Kyle Smith 87’), Ender Echenique (Evander 74’), Pavel Bucha, Obinna Nwobodo, Gerardo Valenzuela (Samuel Gidi 63’), Tom Barlow (Ayoub Jabbari 63’), Kévin Denkey
Substitutes not used: Evan Louro, Alvas Powell, Tah Brian Anunga
Head Coach: Pat Noonan
TOR: Luka Gavran, Benjamín Kuscevic, Zane Monlouis, Walker Zimmerman (Lazar Stefanovic 73’), Richie Laryea, Jose Cifuentes, Jonathan Osorio (C), Raheem Edwards (Derrick Etienne Jr. 65’), Dániel Sallói, Djordje Mihailovic (Alonso Coello 90’+1), Emilio Aristizábal (Deandre Kerr 73’)
Substitutes not used: William Yarbrough, Kosi Thompson, Kobe Franklin, Markus Cimermancic, Malik Henry
Head Coach: Robin Fraser
STATS SUMMARY: CIN/TOR
Shots: 15 / 10
Shots on Goal: 2 / 7
Saves: 6 / 2
Corner Kicks: 8 / 7
Fouls: 14 / 11
Offside: 1 / 0
Possession: 56 / 44
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
CIN – Ender Echenique (Yellow Card) 15’
TOR – Benjamín Kuscevic (Yellow Card) 25’
TOR – Jose Cifuentes (Yellow Card) 73’
CIN – Nick Hagglund (Yellow Card) 81’
OFFICIALS
Referee: Alexis Da Silva
Ast. Referees: Andrew Bigelow, Jeffrey Swartzel
Fourth Official: Cristian Campo Hernandez
VAR: David Barrie
AVAR: Joshua Patlak
NEXT MATCH:
CONCACAF Champion’s Cup: vs. Tigres, Thursday, March 12th, 8pm, TQL Stadium; Fox Sports 2
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