Fresh off their first win since July, FC Cincinnati host the reigning MLS Cup champions Atlanta United FC on Wednesday night with a chance to win back-to-back games and build momentum to close the 2019 regular season.
Here are the key storylines entering the matchup:
“We just want to take the positives away from this game. There are definitely things we can learn as well.”
Joseph-Claude Gyau was one of the standout players in FC Cincinnati’s 1-0 win over the Montreal Impact this past Saturday. Starting at left wing, his shot seconds into the match directly impacted Allan Cruz’s 24th-second goal. And when left back Greg Garza went down (although he stayed in the game), Gyau started dropping back defensively to help out.
That demonstrated the effort levels of every FCC player against Montreal. For a player like Gyau, he hadn’t seen a Cincinnati win since he joined the club.
From his quote above, perhaps the latter half is most important. Against Montreal, Cincinnati created opportunities to double its lead but never capitalized. After the match, Head Coach Ron Jans said he would’ve liked at least another goal. Gyau himself nearly scored.
The point is, if FCC find themselves in the same position against Atlanta, they already know how to play with a lead. Now, they just need to add to it.
The Montreal Impact are not Atlanta United FC, and shouldn’t be treated the same way.
Montreal entered Saturday attempting to jump back into an MLS Cup Playoffs spot. Cincinnati prevented that. As for Atlanta, the club sits third in the East, has already clinched a playoff spot and is the reigning league champion. Now they’re fighting to maintain a home game in as many rounds as possible, or even the first-round bye that comes with a first-place finish.
Until MLS Cup is decided in November, the champion title stands. As does Josef Martinez’s MLS MVP title.
When Martínez takes the field Wednesday night, he comes having scored 14 goals in his last 11 games. He’s scored in every one of those 11 games. Considering FCC’s captain Kendall Waston is out with a red card suspension, Jans will have to change his backline from the Montreal win, and in turn, needs to make alterations to stop the Eastern Conference’s – if not the league’s – best player.
But if there’s one sign of weakness for Atlanta, it’s their away record. In 14 road matches, the club has nine losses (and five wins). Based on that statistic, expect the Orange and Blue to either earn three points or none.
Nippert Stadium is turning Oranje.
Wednesday night marks the first time in MLS history that two Dutch coaches will face each other.
Jans enters the match hoping for his first positive result at Nippert Stadium in four tries. For Atlanta, Frank de Boer visits for the first time.
The last time these two coaches met was in the Netherlands when de Boer was with Ajax Amsterdam and Jans coached PEC Zwolle. The two major trophies Jans won with Zwolle – the 2014 KNVB Cup and the 2014 Johan Cruijff Schaal – were achieved against de Boer.
Match Info
FC Cincinnati host Atlanta United FC
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Nippert Stadium
Weather Forecast: Partly Cloudy, 76 degrees
TV: WSTR Star 64
Local Video Stream: FloFC
Out-of-Market Video Stream: ESPN+
Local Radio: WDJO (99.5 FM | 107.9 FM | 1480 AM)
Audio Stream: TuneIn App, fccincinnati.com
Tickets: Purchase your tickets here.
Player to Watch and his Health Carousel Player Resume
Opponent’s Player to Watch: Forward Josef Martínez
As mentioned above, the Venezuelan continues to dominate every club he’s faced in MLS. In 26 games this season, he has 24 goals and two assists. He also scored in the 1-1 draw between the sides on March 10 in Atlanta.
This will also be the second time Martínez has visited Nippert Stadium this summer. He played for Venezuela in the 3-0 win against the U.S. Men’s National Team on June 9.
Club Connections
- Greg Garza spent two seasons with Atlanta United FC, making 37 appearances between 2017-18. He helped win the 2018 MLS Cup for the club last season.
- Garza also played with Héctor Villalba on Club Tijuana in 2016.
- Tommy McCabe and Jon Gallagher played together at Notre Dame in 2016 and 2017.
- Leo Bertone and Josef Martínez were at BSC Young Boys in 2012-14.
- Kekuta Manneh and Justin Meram were Columbus Crew SC teammates in 2017.
- Manneh also played with Brek Shea in 2017 and 2018 when the duo was on Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Kendall Waston also played with them both seasons, while Spencer Richey did in 2017.
