FC Cincinnati fell to Columbus Crew, 3-2, Friday night at Lower.com Field. Two late goals one minute apart for the hosts sunk the Orange and Blue.
FC Cincinnati dropped to 3-9-8 (17 points) with the loss. Columbus improved to 7-9-6 (27 points).
The Crew’s Lucas Zelarayán’s free kick goal in the 45th minute opened scoring after a first half with a barrage of chances for both sides.
Ronald Matarrita’s first career goal for FC Cincinnati equalized the match deep into first half stoppage time. After a corner kick clearance, the ball found the Costa Rican international all alone outside the 18-yard box. Matarrita’s impressive left footed strike tied the match.
In the 74th minute, Isaac Atanga put the Orange and Blue ahead with his first career goal. Just nine minutes into the match as a substitute, a sensational left footed shot beat Columbus goalkeeper Eloy Room to put FCC up 2-1.
Miguel Berry scored a pair of goals just two minutes apart, when he equalized in the 81st minute and then put the hosts ahead in the 82nd minute with goals off deflections to give the match its final scoreline, 3-2.
FC Cincinnati return home Saturday, September 4 to host Inter Miami CF at TQL Stadium Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised on WSTR 64, carried on the radio on ESPN 1530, streamed regionally on fccincinnati.com/stream, out of market on ESPN+, while an audio stream will be available via the iHeartRadio app.
For up-to-the-minute information about FC Cincinnati, visit the team’s official website at fccincinnati.com, or follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FCCincinnati. Additionally, fans are encouraged to download the team’s official mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play for instant access to mobile tickets, team content and match notifications.
Information about seating options at the club’s state-of-the-art TQL Stadium is now available at TQLstadium.com. For more information about 2022 Season Ticket Deposits and Renewals, which are coming soon, visit TQLstadium.com or the stadium’s social properties on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram at @TQLStadium, or by calling the team’s sales and service staff at 513-977-5425.
Columbus Crew 3, FC Cincinnati 2
Lower.com Field | Columbus, Ohio
August 27, 2021
SCORING SUMMARY
CLB – Lucas Zelarayán (unassisted) 45’
CIN – Ronald Matarrita (unassisted) 45+3’
CIN – Isaac Atanga (Luciano Acosta) 74’
CLB – Miguel Berry (unassisted) 81’
CLB – Miguel Berry (unassisted) 82’
FC Cincinnati: Kenneth Vermeer, Ronald Matarrita, Gustavo Vallecilla, Geoff Cameron (Haris Medunjanin 89’), Nick Hagglund, Yuya Kubo, Allan Cruz, Florian Valot (Isaac Atanga 65’), Luciano Acosta (c), Alvaro Barreal, Brenner (Brandon Vázquez 70’)
Bench: Przemysław Tytoń, Edgar Castillo, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Caleb Stanko, Chris Duvall, Arquimides Ordonez
Stats: Shots 17, Shots on Goal 4, Saves 8, Corners 8, Offside 0, Fouls 8, Possession 48.7%, Passes 381 (78.7%)
Columbus Crew: Eloy Room, Vito Wormgoor (Aboubacar Keita 77’), Jonathan Mensah (c), Pedro Santos, Harrison Afful, Lucas Zelarayán, Liam Fraser (Alexandru Matan 77’), Darlington Nagbe, Bradley Wright-Phillips (Miguel Berry 72’), Derrick Etienne, Luis Diaz (Waylon Francis 62’)
Bench: *Evan Bush, Erik Hurtado, Saad Abdul-Salaam, Grant Lillard, Isaiah Parente
Stats: *Shots 22, Shots on Goal 11, Saves 2, Corners 6, Offside 3, Fouls 6, Possession 83.1%, Passes 396 (83.1%)
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
None
Referee: Robert Sibiga
Ast. Referees: Jason White, Ian McKay
Fourth official: Silviu Petrescu
VAR: Timothy Ford
AVAR: Craig Lowry
Weather: 90 degrees and clear
Attendance: 19,949
GAME NOTES
- FC Cincinnati’s seven first half corners were the most in any half this season, and matched the season high in corners for an entire match (5/16 vs. Miami; 6/23 at Chicago). The eight total for the match was a new season high.
- Luciano Acosta, with the assist of Isaac Atanga’s goal, became the all-time leader in assists for FC Cincinnati at six, both in one season and in a career.
- Ronald Matarrita’s strike deep into the first half was the first ever goal for FCC in first half stoppage time.
- The goal for Matarrita was his first since October 6, 2019 with New York City FC at Philadelphia Union.
- The match finished without a caution for either team for the third time in FC Cincinnati history (3/30/2019 vs. Philadelphia; 6/1/2019 at Colorado). For the Orange and Blue, it was the team’s 12th match all-time with receiving a yellow card.
POSTGAME QUOTES
FC Cincinnati Head Coach Jaap Stam
Opening statement on the importance of the match
“I can understand, because of the importance of the game, and how it’s being built up, for a lot of fans, players, and for the team, it’s frustrating. We have to understand that Columbus has been in MLS for years and years, and we have been here in MLS only several years. We are getting there, and within my season and a half, we have made a lot of progress to make it difficult for Columbus. To be sitting here saying, at the end of the game, that we should have won that.”
On the fan support for FC Cincinnati
“It’s been an important game for us. We’ve been working for this game all week. We talked about its importance, and the fans. It was so great to see the fans put up the banners at the training center. We feel their support, we feel that it’s not easy for them. We’re very close, but we’re still coming up empty handed. We’re making progress. The team’s making progress.”
FC Cincinnati defender Ronald Matarrita
Translated from Spanish
On the outlook for the team
“Obviously, we have to get better. In my opinion, this is a team that’s good enough to win these games. This is a team that’s good enough to climb the table. This is a tough moment right now for the club. The fans have stayed behind us, the fans have supported us, and we just need to get better to achieve that.”
FC Cincinnati defender Isaac Atanga
On his first goal with FC Cincinnati
“It was a good goal for me. To score my first goal was good. Of course, the disappointment with the loss, but we keep our heads up and look to the next game.”
