CINCINNATI, OH --- FC Cincinnati and Orlando City B played a scoreless 73 minutes before Pierre Da Silva, Richie Laryea and visiting Orlando City B (3-3-3) squad pulled away for a 2-0 win at Nippert Stadium on Saturday evening. It is the first home loss of the season for FC Cincinnati (2-4-3) as they were held scoreless for the match.
“We have a group of players that have their heads down after today’s match,” FC Cincinnati coach Alan Koch said following the match. “We speak to our players about how moments define matches, to focus on what you can control, and that was a huge part of this game. There are certain things that you just cannot control and you have to properly handle the moments of adversity.”
Both sides played an aggressive and physical opening half, but neither could push the ball through the net. FC Cincinnati and Orlando City B combined for four total yellow cards in the first half; FCC was handed three of those four yellow cards. However, despite four shots from Orlando and two from FCC – both on target – the two sides went into their locker rooms empty-handed.
The Orange and Blue were given a great opportunity to score very early in the match as an FCC corner kick was deflected around inside the box in the third minute. An official inadvertently kicked it into the range of FC Cincinnati forward Daryl Fordyce. Fordyce squared up and drilled the ball past OCB goalkeeper Earl Edwards and into the back of the net, but the play was quickly waved off due to an offside call on Danni Kӧnig.
FC Cincinnati earned three corner kicks through the first 45 minutes and three minutes of stoppage time, but couldn’t capitalize.
The physicality continued into the early moments of the second half as both sides added to their yellow card tally, slowing any momentum either squad tried to build.
FCC threatened in the 62nd minute as midfielder Aodhan Quinn crossed a nice pass to defender Austin Berry following a corner kick. Berry headed the ball, but missed left and just high of the goal. FC Cincinnati managed one shot on target in the second half and six shots from inside the box.
In the 74th minute, FCC midfielder Kadeem Dacres was whistled for a penalty inside the box after he tripped Orlando’s Da Silva in an attempt to steal the ball away. Da Silva broke the 0-0 tie in the following minute for OCB with a penalty kick that he left-footed past FCC goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt and into the left side of the net.
Hildebrandt tried to keep FCC in the game with two impressive back-to-back saves in the 84th minute.
OCB attacked the Orange and Blue defense and midfielder Tony Rocha broke free for a point blank shot at the goal from the middle of the box. Hildebrandt dove to his left for the save, but the ball ricocheted back to Orlando’s Michael Cox for a second shot at the goal that was also blocked by Hildebrandt.
Orlando City B attacked again moments later and punched the ball through the net for a second goal in stoppage time. After entering the game in the 83rd minute, Orlando forward Michael Cox headed the ball toward midfielder Richie Laryea. Laryea raced down the right side of the turf against two FCC defenders and right-footed a shot past Hildebrandt for the dagger.
FC Cincinnati returns to action Wednesday in a U.S. Open Cup match against AFC Cleveland of the National Premier Soccer League. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Nippert Stadium.
GOAL SUMMARY:
ORL: 75th – Pierre Da Silva (penalty kick)
ORL: 91st – Richie Laryea (Michael Cox)
STARTING LINEUPS:
FCC: Mitch Hildebrandt, Matt Bahner, Austin Berry, Harrison Delbridge, Tyler Polak, Jimmy McLaughlin, Aodhan Quinn, Corben Bone, Kadeem Dacres, Daryl Fordyce, Danni Kӧnig
ORL: Earl Edwards, Rafael Ramos, Zach Hayden, Conor Donovan, Seb Hines, Lewis Neal, Tony Rocha, Austin Martz, Richie Laryea, Pierre Da Silva, Albert Dikwa
Attendance: 19,310
