FC Cincinnati go for a second straight win and aim to extend the league’s longest active unbeaten run to 10 games when FCC take on Real Salt Lake on Saturday, Sept. 17 at America First Field. Kickoff between the Orange and Blue and the Claret and Cobalt is set for 9:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. MT.
Saturday will be FC Cincinnati’s first visit to Real Salt Lake, and it is only the second matchup all-time between the sides dating back to the lone meeting at Nippert Stadium on April 19, 2019, a 3-0 win for RSL.Â
FC CINCINNATI at REAL SALT LAKE – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2022 – 9:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. MT – AMERICA FIRST FIELD
HOW TO WATCH
Local TV: Star64
Local Stream: fccincinnati.com
Out of Market Stream: ESPN+
Radio: ESPN 1530
Talent: Tom Gelehrter (play-by-play), Kevin McCloskey (analyst), Alex Stec (sideline)
Be sure to follow @FCCincinnati on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for live updates from the game.
HEAD TO THE OFFICIAL WATCH PARTY
Fans are encouraged to attend the Official Watch Party at Rhinehaus presented by Heineken starting at 9 p.m.
The Official Watch Party will feature:
- Appearance by Gary the Lion
- The FC Cincinnati Street Team with giveaways and activities
- Drinks and Special Food Deals
Fans can also catch the action at one of 14 official Pub Partners located across the region, presented by Coors Light.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Real Salt Lake lead the all-time MLS series over FC Cincinnati, 1-0-0
SCOUTING REAL SALT LAKE (11-10-10, 43 PTS., 7TH WESTERN CONFERENCE)
Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s squad competed midweek and suffered a 3-0 loss away to Austin FC, who clinched the club’s first-ever playoff berth with the result. The loss was part of a three-game winless run for RSL, who have yet to secure three points in the month of September.
Real Salt Lake are in a similar spot to FC Cincinnati in the Western Conference, part of a tight playoff race with Decision Day drawing near. Currently in seventh place entering the weekend slate of games, RSL sit just three points behind fourth place and a home playoff game, currently occupied by Nashville SC, but also just three points clear of LA Galaxy who have a game in hand.
The Claret and Cobalt have been strong at home, bringing into Saturday the league’s fourth-best home winning percentage this season (.700). They hold an 8-2-5 record at America First Field, and they have allowed the second-fewest goals at home in MLS (12).
Goalkeeper Zac MacMath has 10 clean sheets on the season, including eight at home, tied for the league-lead. He’s one of three players who have appeared in all 31 games this season for RSL, the others being defender Andrew Brody and midfielder Maikel Chang.
Sergio Córdova’s eight goals lead the team, followed by Designated Player Jefferson Savarino’s six. Neither player started on Wednesday at Austin, with Córdova coming on a second half substitute and Savarino not making the trip in a rotated lineup. Twelve other players on the team have scored this season for RSL, but none has scored more than three goals.
Veteran Justin Meram leads the team with seven assists.
FC CINCINNATI NOTES
MAIDEN VOYAGE TO UTAH – FC Cincinnati travel to the Beehive State for the first time in club history to take on Real Salt Lake. Following Saturday, there will be only three active MLS clubs FCC have yet to travel to (Portland, Vancouver, LA Galaxy), and only four active venues the club has yet to see (including Nashville SC’s GEODIS Park).
NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN! – For the second consecutive week, FC Cincinnati will face a squad for the first time in over three years. The only meeting in club history between FCC and RSL came on April 19, 2019, a 3-0 win for the Claret and Cobalt and Nippert Stadium.
Only Nick Hagglund, Allan Cruz and Alvas Powell of FCC’s current roster featured in that rainy matchup, which was capped by a brace from Albert Rusnák for RSL.
GETTING USED TO THE WEST – Saturday will mark the second of three straight games against the Western Conference. The Orange and Blue hope that the latter two matchups go just as well as the first, when FC Cincinnati romped the San Jose Earthquakes, 6-0.
All-time, the Western Conference has not been kind to FC Cincinnati, with FCC holding a 4-15-4 record against WC foes, and 1-8-1 on the road. However, Cincy’s last road game against a Western Conference opponent resulted in three points, a 1-0 win at Minnesota United FC back in May.
PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS – A result in Utah, especially three points, would be massive for the Orange and Blue going for the first MLS playoff berth in club history. Just three points separate fifth place Orlando City SC and eighth place Inter Miami CF. The Orange and Blue sitting
UNBEATEN ORANGE AND BLUE – FC Cincinnati have the longest active unbeaten streak in MLS at nine games. A win or draw against Real Salt Lake would extend FCC’s run to 10 games, which would match the longest unbeaten run at any point this season accomplished twice (New England Revolution: April 30 – July 3; Portland Timbers: June 18 – August 6).
The second-longest active unbeaten streak in MLS is six games by the LA Galaxy.
NOONAN’S TAKE
Head Coach Pat Noonan on the team’s positioning
“Right now, we're a playoff team. It's our job to stay there. Nothing else matters if we win games, so that's as clear as I can be to the group is nobody else matters because they're chasing us. If the roles were reversed, then it's talking about winning the next game but also we need help. It's in our own hands. It's been in our own hands for weeks now and all we need to focus on is going and trying to get a result in Salt Lake, and I think if we do that, discussions about other games, we don't need to have them.”
2023 FC Cincinnati Season Ticket Memberships are now available. Season Ticket Members are guaranteed the best seats at the best prices for every match at TQL Stadium in 2023, in addition to access to exclusive events, discounts on merchandise and more!
2023 Season Tickets are on sale now at fccincinnati.com/tickets. Fans looking for more information can contact a dedicated FC Cincinnati representative at (513) 977-5435 or e-mail tickets@fccincinnati.com.
Single match tickets to any of FC Cincinnati’s remaining home games are also available now, head to fccincinnati.com/tickets or call 513-977-KICK, to learn more.
FC Cincinnati are playing their fourth season of MLS competition in 2022, and their second playing at TQL Stadium. 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.
