Yoann Damet made it clear when he became FC Cincinnati’s Interim Head Coach that results will come if the club sticks to its approach and identity.
Recently, that’s meant a 4-3-3 formation when the Orange and Blue look to possess the ball, build from their backline and pass their way into the final third for scoring opportunities.
So far, results have been mixed.
Cincinnati beat the Montreal Impact in Damet’s debut, but lost at Orlando City SC as injuries and fatigue mounted. In the last match – a 2-0 loss against New York Red Bulls at Nippert Stadium – the home side outplayed the visitors, but a late mistake proved the difference.
It was another reminder of sticking to the process rather than managing positive growth exclusively through score lines. The goal is for that to continue Saturday night – with a result – when the Orange and Blue play at the Colorado Rapids.
“Every game we create a lot of chances,” winger Roland Lamah said. “I think the confidence is coming. We just have to keep working and believing. I think the team is going to change.”
The match in Colorado is a chance to do so.
Both teams enter the match bottoming their respective conferences, but have new-found momentum.
The Rapids are unbeaten in their last three matches. After two-straight wins, they drew the Philadelphia Union – the Eastern Conference leaders – 1-1 on Wednesday night. As for Cincinnati, the last three matches have seen the expansion side take steps closer toward Damet’s playing style and vision.
“We have a good community and we listen to him,” Lamah said of Damet. “I think he’s doing good things. We learn also and I think we have an identity. We are good. It’s positive.”
Damet issued similar sentiments ahead of the Rapids match, saying it takes time for building at the club, but the team is in fact building for its future.
“We’re focusing on ourselves,” Damet said. “We are trying to implement things. It takes time. It’s a new challenge and we’re focusing on each game to get something out of it. We want for sure to implement a style of play, but we also want to get results.”
“We’re looking forward to the game and getting something out of it.”
Match Info
FC Cincinnati at Colorado Rapids
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (Commerce City, Colo.)
Weather Forecast: Scattered Thunderstorms, 66 degrees
TV: WSTR Star64
Local Video Stream: FloFC
Out of Market Video Steam: ESPN+
Local Radio: WDJO (99.5 FM | 107.9 FM | 1480 AM)
Audio Stream: TuneIn App, fccincinnati.com
Player to Watch and his Health Carousel Player Resume
Opponent’s Player to Watch: Forward Kei Kamara
FC Cincinnati selected Kamara with the second pick in the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft – then instantly traded him to Colorado for an international roster slot.
Through 13 starts this season, the Sierra Leone forward has seven goals from 18 shots on target. Since he joined MLS in 2006, he has 119 goals through 327 regular-season games, which is fifth-most in league history.
Club Connections:
- Kei Kamara was FCC’s No. 2 pick in the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft.
- Victor Ulloa and Roland Lamah played alongside Kellyn Acosta at FC Dallas. Ulloa and Acosta were together 2013-2018, while Lamah arrived in 2017.
- Frankie Amaya and Matt Hundley played together at UCLA in 2018.
- Nick Hagglund and Clint Irwin played at Toronto FC from 2016-18.
- Darren Mattocks and Kofi Opare were on D.C. United last season.
- When Nicolás Mezquida played for Vancouver Whitecaps FC between 2014-18, he played with Mattocks (2014-16), Kendall Waston (2014-18) and Spencer Richey 2015-17.
