Summer signing Maikel van der Werff headlines the wholesale changes made to FC Cincinnati’s starting XI ahead of Saturday night against Toronto FC at BMO Field.
Van der Werff will make his MLS debut after signing with the Orange and Blue from Vitesse on July 2. Overall, Interim Head Coach Yoann Damet made seven changes to the starting lineup.
About the starters
Rashawn Dally, Justin Hoyte, Roland Lamah, Emmanuel Ledesma, Przemysław Tytoń, Victor Ulloa and van der Werff replace Fanendo Adi, Frankie Amaya, Leo Bertone, Nick Hagglund, Kekuta Manneh, Alvas Powell and Spencer Richey.
Tytoń makes his first MLS start since May 4 at the San Jose Earthquakes. His last start for any match was June 19 at Saint Louis FC during the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Lamah returns to the starting lineup for the first time since June 6 at New York City FC. He then missed time with a hamstring injury, but played both matches last week as a second-half substitute.
Ulloa returns to the XI for the first time in nearly a month. His last start was June 29 at Minnesota United FC.
Hoyte last started July 18 against D.C. United before missing last match, when FCC hosted the New England Revolution. Dally and Ledesma also last started against D.C.
About the bench
Hagglund is on the bench to start Saturday night against his former club. If he plays, it’ll be his first time against the Reds, for whom he played for five seasons from 2014-18.
Three rookies are on the bench, with Jimmy Hague, Logan Gdula and Tommy McCabe available. Hague and Gdula have yet to play for Cincinnati, while McCabe made his MLS debut on June 29 in Minnesota. Gdula and McCabe were last included in the 18 on July 13 at the Chicago Fire, while Hague was on the bench June 1 at the Colorado Rapids.
About the absences
Adi (calf) and Richey (back) sustained injuries during practice this week. Powell (hamstring soreness) is being held out as a precaution. Amaya (groin), Fatai Alashe (hamstring), Greg Garza (calf) and Jimmy McLaughlin (knee) are also unavailable.
