FC Cincinnati 2 earned three points with a 3-1 win over Inter Miami CF II on Sunday, July 16. The Orange and Blue picked up their fifth win of the season after battling the elements and a two-and-a-half-hour kickoff delay at Scudamore Field at NKU Soccer Stadium.
The result leaves Cincinnati (5-8-4, 21 points) 11th and Miami (4-12-2, 14 points) 13th in Eastern Conference standings.
Malik Pinto scored his first professional goal for FC Cincinnati 2 in the 36th minute to get things started for the Orange and Blue. Arquimides Ordoñez picked up his second assist of the season, turning on the Miami defense and finding Pinto near the edge of the area as the midfielder curled a quick strike past CJ dos Santos.
The Orange and Blue controlled much of the first half action before a weather delay forced the teams off the field just five minutes from halftime. Cincinnati would take a 1-0 lead into the break before Ben Stitz bagged his fifth of the season to double the Orange and Blue’s lead in the 69th minute. Jesus Castellano tallied his third assist of the season on the goal and is one shy of tying a team high.
Mother nature once again interrupted the match moments after Stitz’s goal. This time it was Miami who responded following the brief delay as Lorenzo D’Agostinni pulled the visitors back into the match with his goal in the 81st minute.
In the end it was Ordoñez who sealed the match for the Orange and Blue in the final moments of the match, scoring his seventh goal of the year in just six MLS NEXT Pro appearances in the third minute of second half stoppage time.
Ordoñez was first to a loose ball deep in the Miami half and barreled into the box, taking on multiple defenders before curling one into the back of the net. Ordonez finished the night with six shots, a team high, and four shots on target.
Cincinnati are back at Scudamore Field at NKU Soccer Stadium on Saturday, July 22 as they take on New York Red Bulls II at 6 p.m. ET. The match will also be streamed live on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV App.
FC CINCINNATI 2 GAME REPORT
FC Cincinnati 2 vs. Inter Miami CF II
Date: July 16, 2023
Venue: Scudamore Field at NKU Soccer Stadium
Competition: MLS NEXT Pro regular season
Kickoff: 9:34 p.m. ET
Weather: 75 degrees, rain
SCORING SUMMARY: 1-2-F
CIN: 1-2-3
MIA: 0-1-1
CIN – M. Pinto (A. Ordoñez) 36’, B. Stitz (J. Castellano) 69’, A. Ordoñez 90’+3
MIA – L. D’Agostinni (M. Perkovich) 81’
LINEUPS
CIN: E. Louro, I. Foster, L. Aghedo, J. Akpunonu, K. Thomas (J. Machado, 62’), B. Halsey, S. Jimenez (S. Adams, 62’), M. Pinto, J. Castellano (P. Horton, 81’), A. Ordoñez, B. Stitz
Substitutes not used: H. Morse, H. Conteh, D. Garcia, D. Turcios
Head Coach: Tyrone Marshall
MIA: C. dos Santos, C. Abadia-Reda, K. Gorbell, T. Hall, I. Boatwright (N. Sessock, 37’), A. Caputo, B. Taghvai-Najib, F. Valencia (M. Perkovich, 70’), S. Morales (A. Flores, 62’), L. Meek (L. D’Agostini, 62’), C. Johnson (F. Sar-Sar, 70’)
Substitutes not used: C. Jensen, J. Pymm
Head Coach: Federico Higuaín
STATS SUMMARY: CIN/MIA
Shots: 14 / 5
Shots on goal: 6 / 1
Saves: 0 / 3
Corner Kicks: 5 / 1
Fouls: 16 / 18
Offside: 4 / 3
Possession: 43.3 / 56.7
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
MIA – I. Boatwright (Yellow card) 13’
MIA – A. Caputo (Yellow card) 45’
MIA – B. Taghvai-Najib (Yellow card) 46’
CIN – S. Jimenez (Yellow card) 47’
MIA – L. Meek (Yellow card) 59’
CIN – J. Akpunonu (Yellow card) 62’
CIN – I. Foster (Yellow card) 65’
CIN – A. Ordoñez (Yellow card) 82’
CIN – L. Aghedo (Yellow card) 86’
OFFICIALS
Referee: Adam Kilpatrick
Ast. Referees: Rachel Smith, Eric Burton
Fourth Official: Nabil Bensalah
