FC Cincinnati 2 return to NKU Soccer Stadium for the first of three straight home matches starting this Sunday against Inter Miami CF II. It is the third and final meeting between the two sides with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
MATCH INFORMATION
FC Cincinnati 2 vs. Inter Miami CF II
Date: July 31, 2022
Competition: MLS NEXT Pro Regular Season
Site: NKU Soccer Stadium
Kickoff: 6 p.m. ET
Stream: MLSNEXTPro.com
SEASON SERIES
April 23, 2022 – FCC 2 (0:1) MIA
MIA – T. Bagley (L. Sunderland) 39’
June 19, 2022 – MIA (4:0) CIN
MIA – S. Hundal (H. Neville) 15’, B. Cremaschi (H. Neville) 40’, I. Boatwright (J. Jones) 68’, S. Borgelin (M. Mendez) 82’
LATEST RESULTS
FC Cincinnati 2 earned three points on the road against Rochester NY FC in a 2-0 win last Friday. Isaac Atanga and Nicque Daley scored their first goals for FCC 2 while Beckham Sunderland’s eight saves kept Rochester off the scoresheet. Inter Miami CF II earned a point against New York City FC II after forcing a penalty shootout at Belson Stadium. Shanyder Borgelin scored two goals in four minutes to pull Miami level in the second half.
KNOW YOUR OPPONENT
Inter Miami CF II currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference and find themselves just three points off a playoff spot with eight matches to play. Miami has struggled to find consistent success this season playing to seven wins and seven losses on the year. Strong results have been met with less than stellar performances and have led to a Jekyll and Hyde type season. Miami has played well at home (5-2-1, 18 GS), with notable wins against Columbus Crew 2 and New England Revolution II, but have struggled on the road (2-5-1, 7 GS). Miami has won both matches this year against the Orange and Blue and will look for a season sweep on Sunday.
WHO/WHAT TO WATCH
FCC 2
Isaac Atanga – Isaac Atanga opened his scoring account for FCC 2 last week against Rochester. Atanga led the team in shots, key passes, and picked up an assist on Nicque Daley’s late second half goal. Atanga kept things rolling in a midweek friendly against Mogi Mirim Esporte Clube where the forward scored a hat trick in a 4-3 win. If available Atanga will be FCC 2’s number one attacking option.
MIAMI
Romeo Beckham – Romeo, son of famed Manchester United man David Beckham, has been creating a name for himself at the MLS NEXT Pro level. He currently leads the league in assists (7) and is the creative sparkplug for Inter Miami CF II leading the team in key attacking passes (23). Logging over 1200 minutes in fourteen starts, Beckham will be instrumental in lifting Miami to a third road win this season.
ANOTHER RUN TO END – Last week, FCC 2 ended Rochester’s five game unbeaten run with a 2-0 win in Rochester. On Sunday, FCC 2 will have the chance to end Miami’s recent run of form. Miami have won three of its last four matches and are unbeaten during that stretch. A win for FCC 2 would be the first time this season that the Orange and Blue have put together back-to-back wins.
DANGER OFF THE BENCH – *Miami’s Shanyder Borgelin has scored five goals over his last four league appearances. Those numbers are impressive for any attacking player but even more impressive for someone coming off the bench. Miami’s super sub is averaging a goal every 18 minutes over his last four and FCC 2 will need to be aware of when he comes on.
YOUNG STARS – The MLS NEXT All-Star rosters were announced on Wednesday with four players from this weekend’s match being named to the East team roster. David Garcia (CIN), Israel Boatwright (MIA), Benjamin Cremaschi (MIA) and Kobi Thomas (MIA) will team up in Blaine, Minnesota on August 10. Garcia has been a main selection in defense for FCC 2 while Boatwright and Cremaschi picked up goals against the Orange and Blue in the last meeting. All four players are 18 years or younger.
COACHES CORNER – “The attitude in training all week has been fantastic. We are going to look to build on the win that we took out of Rochester last week. The emphasis in training this week has been building out of the back and we are ready to put that to the test against Miami.”
– On this week’s training
Miami has come out with a number of different looks this season. They have switched between having three in the back and four in the back. It looks like they want to mirror what the first team is doing so we aren’t exactly sure of what we will see on Sunday, but we will be ready.
– On what to expect out of Miami
ABOUT FC CINCINNATI 2
FC Cincinnati 2 began play in MLS NEXT Pro in 2022. FCC 2 is designed to serve as the bridge between the FCC first team and the Academy and is a professional pathway for players to grow and develop at FC Cincinnati. The club plays its matches at NKU Soccer Stadium, Mercy Health Training Center, and TQL Stadium.
ABOUT MLS NEXT PRO
Launched in March 2022 by Major League Soccer, MLS NEXT Pro is a professional men’s soccer league in the United States and Canada that completes the player pathway from MLS NEXT through to MLS first teams. With 21 Clubs competing during the inaugural season – 20 MLS-affiliated and one independent club, Rochester New York FC – MLS NEXT Pro will grow the game through innovation and diversity by bringing professional soccer to new markets, creating career opportunities for professionals on and off the field, and providing communities with a strong sense of pride. Eight additional MLS-affiliated clubs will join MLS NEXT Pro in 2023, with more independent clubs joining in the years ahead. For more information about MLS NEXT Pro, visit mlsnextpro.com
