OTTAWA, ON -- FC Cincinnati hit the road for their sixth match of the year, and crossed the Canadian border for the first time in the 2018 USL season to face off with Ottawa Fury FC at TD Place in Ontario. In the third matchup ever between the two clubs, the Orange and Blue captured a 3-0 victory and three points in the standings.
Following a slow start in the opening 45 minutes on the attack, the second period saw FCC (3-1-2) break out its aggressiveness as three different players recorded goals and the Orange and Blue put up their highest-scoring affair so far this season.
Midfielder Kenney Walker put FCC on the board in the 68th minute when he caught Ottawa keeper Maxime Crépeau out of position. Walker used his right foot to push one into the back of the net from about 40 yards out for a 1-0 advantage.
It didn’t take the Orange and Blue long to again capitalize on another opportunity. On his second assist of the year, midfielder Emmanuel Ledesma crossed a ball into the box from outside of the right side of the box to set up Corben Bone for a header in the 69th minute from close range.
Ledesma carried his confidence further into the match as he also tallied his first goal of the year in the 77th minute. A misplay of the ball by the Ottawa back line helped Ledesma sky a left-footed try over the reach of Crépeau from about 30 yards – not unlike Walker’s goal 10 minutes prior – to put FCC up three scores.
It was quite the afternoon for Ledesma with a goal and an assist, accounting for two-thirds of the Orange and Blue’s offensive output.
Goalkeeper Spencer Richey received the starting nod from FCC Head Coach Alan Koch because of an injury that kept regular starter Evan Newton sidelined Saturday afternoon.
Richey’s defense in the goal played a large part in helping the Orange and Blue avenge their October defeat at Ottawa in October 2017. In his first start for FCC, Richey capped off his clean sheet with a nice diving save following a shot on goal by Ottawa forward Sito Seoane in the 87th minute to keep Fury FC scoreless for the match.
FCC ended the day with eight shots on goal to just three for Fury FC, and controlled 52% of possession.
The Orange and Blue return to the pitch Wednesday, May 2 in a 7:00 p.m. kickoff at Indy Eleven. FCC won its first opportunity at Indy, 1-0, on March 31.
GOAL SUMMARY
FCC: 68th – Kenney Walker (unassisted)
FCC: 69th – Corben Bone (Emmanuel Ledesma)
FCC: 77th – Emmanuel Ledesma
STARTING LINEUPS
FCC: Spencer Richey, Nazmi Albadawi, Corben Bone, Justin Hoyte, Dekel Keinan, Danni König, Forrest Lasso, Emmanuel Ledesma, Richie Ryan, Blake Smith, Kenney Walker
OTT: Maxime Crépeau, Tony Taylor, Adonijah Reid, Carl Haworth, Cristian Portilla, KevÃn Oliveira, Gerardo Bruna, Chris Mannella, Sergio Manesio, Colin Falvey, Eddie Edward
