RECAP | FC Cincinnati 2, Colorado Rapids 1

FC Cincinnati defeated the Colorado Rapids, 2-1, in front of a sellout crowd of 25,513 Saturday night at TQL Stadium. 

FC Cincinnati moved to 5-2-3 (18 points) through 10 matches this season. The Orange and Blue will end the matchday in second place in the Eastern Conference. The Rapids dropped to 4-3-3 (15 points).

FCC opened the scoring in the 42nd minute on Luciano Acosta’s superb goal from just inside the 18-yard box. With the goal, Acosta became FC Cincinnati’s all-time leading goal scorer (44), breaking a deadlock with Brandon Vazquez. 

Corey Baird joined the scoring party with his first goal for the club in the 64th minute. Fellow newcomers Luca Orellano and Pavel Bucha assisted on the goal, as Orellano’s pass guided Baird through defenders and Baird’s chipped finish doubled the lead.

CIN: Luciano Acosta, GOAL – 42’ (1-0) – FCC struck first just before halftime. A transition down the left side, started by Pavel Bucha and Luca Orellano, led to a quick one-two pass from Luciano Acosta to Corey Baird and back to Acosta. Acosta’s strike from 16 yards out flew past a diving Zack Steffen.

CIN: Corey Baird, GOAL – 64’ (2-0) – A methodical attack down the field led to FCC’s second goal. Bucha found Orellano in the attacking third, and he threaded Colorado’s defense with a through pass which led Baird into the 18-yard box. Baird scored his first goal for the Orange and Blue.

COL: Moise Bombito, GOAL – 72’ (2-1) – Djordje Mihailovic placed a set piece in the middle of the goal area off a corner kick which Moise Bombito headed into the back of the net.

FC Cincinnati matched a club record with 25 shots Saturday night. Cincinnati have now won two straight versus Colorado following last season’s win in the Mile High City, and are now 2-2-0 all-time against the Rapids. 

FC Cincinnati head on the road for two-straight road matches beginning next Saturday, May 4 at Orlando City SC. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and the match will air, for free with no subscription required, on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. Fans can also listen to the match on ESPN 1530 in Cincinnati and iHeart and are encouraged to head to the Official Watch Party presented by Fretboard at Gatherall at Factory 52 in Norwood.

The Orange and Blue return to TQL Stadium Wednesday, May 15 against Atlanta United FC. Tickets are available at FCCincinnati.com/Tickets or by calling (513) 977-5425 (KICK).

GAME NOTES
- FC Cincinnati improve to 2-2-0 all-time against the Colorado Rapids … The win marked the first victory over the Rapids in the Queen City.
- Under Pat Noonan, FC Cincinnati are 8-3-4 against the Western Conference. 
- FC Cincinnati’s 25 shots matched the club record (September 30, 2023 at Toronto FC).
- Luciano Acosta became the club’s all-time leader in goals, with his 44th for the club … He entered Saturday night tied with Brandon Vazquez. 
- Acosta has recorded a goal contribution in four-straight matches … In club history, there have been six single-season streaks of at least four goals or assists scored. Acosta accounts for five of the six.
- Corey Baird scored his first goal for FC Cincinnati, becoming the seventh player to score his first goal for the club in 2024, matching last season’s total of new goalscorers. 
- Baird has more career MLS goals (5) and goal contributions (11) against the Colorado Rapids than any other club in his career.  
- Yuya Kubo’s seven shots matched the club record for individual shots in one game, matched three times previously (Locadia, 10/3/20 at MIN; Acosta, 6/24/23 at DC; Vazquez, 9/16/23 at PHI).
- Kubo’s five shots on target is a club record.
- Luca Orellano recorded his first assist for FC Cincinnati, one week after his first goal. 
- Bret Halsey entered in the 17th minute as the third-earliest substitute in club history, the earliest since 2019.

FC CINCINNATI GAME REPORT
FC Cincinnati vs Colorado Rapids
Date: April 27, 2024
Competition: MLS Regular Season
Venue: TQL Stadium
Attendance: 25,513 (sellout)
Kickoff: 7:40 p.m. ET
Weather: 75 degrees, cloudy

SCORING SUMMARY: 1-2-FT
CIN: 1-1-2
COL: 0-1-1

CIN – Luciano Acosta (Baird) 42’, Corey Baird (Orellano, Bucha) 64’

COL – Moise Bombito (Mihailovic) 72’

LINEUPS
CIN: Alec Kann, Luca Orellano (Malik Pinto 87’), Ian Murphy (Kipp Keller 87’), Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, DeAndre Yedlin (Bret Halsey 17’), Pavel Bucha, Obinna Nwobodo, Luciano Acosta (C) (Aaron Boupendza 90’+1), Yuya Kubo (Yamil Asad 87’), Corey Baird

Substitutes not used: Evan Louro, Alvas Powell, Gerardo Valenzuela, London Aghedo

Head Coach: Pat Noonan

COL: Zack Steffen, Keegan Rosenberry (C), Sam Vines, Andreas Maxso, Moise Bombito, Djordje Mihailovic, Oliver Larraz (Darren Yapi 65’), Cole Bassett, Rafael Navarro, Calvin Harris (Kimani Stewart-Baynes 66’), Kevin Cabral (Kevin Cabral 66’)

Substitutes not used: Ethan Bandre, Sebastian Anderson, Wayne Frederick, Michael Edwards, Jackson Travis

Head Coach: Chris Armas

STATS SUMMARY: CIN/COL
Shots: 25 / 8
Shots on Goal: 12 / 2
Saves: 1 / 7
Corner Kicks: 4 / 6
Fouls: 9 / 6
Offside: 1 / 1
Possession: 57.7 / 42.3

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
CIN – Matt Miazga (Yellow Card) 26’
CIN – Pavel Bucha (Yellow Card) 58’
COL – Moise Bombito (Yellow Card) 81’

OFFICIALS 
Referee: Sergii Boiko
Ast. Referees: Walt Heatherly, Brian Dunn
Fourth Official: Matthew Thompson
VAR: Chris Penso
AVAR: Craig Lowry