ORLANDO, Fla. – FC Cincinnati fell to Orlando City SC, 3-0, at Exploria Stadium on Saturday evening.
Orlando City SC (1-0-2, 5 pts.) capitalized early on an FC Cincinnati (0-2-1, 1 pt.) miscue when Tesho Akindele opened the scoring in the first minute of the match. The home side doubled the lead in the 19th minute when Nani fired left-footed a shot from outside the box beyond an outstretched Przemysław Tytoń.
Orlando City SC tallied the third and final goal of the match when Júnior Urso controlled a loose ball from the edge of the six-yard box and placed a shot inside the near post.
Isaac Atanga earned his first start and made his FC Cincinnati debut in tonight’s match. The winger played 55 minutes prior to being replaced by Calvin Harris in the second half.
Following a bye week, FC Cincinnati will officially open their 2021 home slate on Sunday, May 16, when the team hosts Inter Miami CF in the inaugural match at TQL Stadium in a nationally televised 4 p.m. game.
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.
Information about seating options at the club’s state-of-the-art TQL Stadium is now available at TQLstadium.com. For more information about 2021 Season Ticket Memberships, which are now on sale to the general public, visit TQLstadium.com or the stadium’s social properties on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram at @TQLStadium, or by calling the team’s sales and service staff at 513-977-5425.
Orlando City SC 3, FC Cincinnati 0
Exploria Stadium | Orlando, Fla.
May 1, 2021
SCORING SUMMARY
ORL – Tesho Akindele (unassisted) 1’
ORL – Nani (Chris Mueller) 19’
ORL – Júnior Urso (Benji Michel) 80’
FC Cincinnati: Przemysław Tytoń, Ronald Matarrita ©, Nick Hagglund, Tom Pettersson, Joseph-Claude Gyau, Kamohelo Mokotjo (Caleb Stanko 77’), Yuya Kubo (Haris Medunjanin 76’), Alvaro Barreal, Isaac Atanga (Calvin Harris 55’), Brenner, Jürgen Locadia (Brandon Vazquez 60’)
Bench: Cody Cropper, Gustavo Vallecilla, Edgar Castillo, Zico Bailey, Allan Cruz
Stats: Shots 7, Shots on goal 0, Saves 3, Corner kicks 4, Offsides 2, Fouls 10, Possession 47.7%, Passes 468 (88.5%)
Orlando City SC: Pedro Gallese, Ruan (João Moutinho 85’), Antônio Carlos, Rodrigo Schlegel, Kyle Smith, Mauricio Pereyra (Andrés Perea 60’), Júnior Urso (Joey DeZart 85’), Jhegson Méndez, Nani ©, Chris Mueller (Benji Michel 71’), Tesho Akindele (Silvester van der Water 85’)
Bench: Brandon Austin, Robin Jansson, Alexander Alvarado, Matheus Aias
Stats: Shots 23, Shots on goal 6, Saves 0, Corner kicks 4, Offsides 1, Fouls 16, Possession 52.3%, Passes 505 (87.9%)
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
ORL – Jhegson Méndez (caution) 26’
ORL – Chris Mueller (caution) 62’
Referee: Drew Fischer
Assistant Referees: Logan Brown, Brain Poeschel
4th Official: Marcos DeOliveira
VAR: Jorge Gonzalez
AVAR: Kyle Longville
Weather: 81 degrees and sunny
GAME NOTES
- With tonight’s loss, the Orange and Blue are now 0-2-1 through three MLS matches … FCC are now 0-2-1 in away matches … FC Cincinnati’s all-time, all-competition record against Orlando City SC moves to 0-2-1 … The Orange and Blue are now 0-2-1 against Eastern Conference opponents this season
- Isaac Atanga made his FC Cincinnati and MLS debut in tonight’s contest … the winger started the match and played 55 minutes prior to being replaced by Calvin Harris in the second half … the Orange and Blue signed the winger on March 31, 2021
- Jurgen Locadia earned his first start of the season in tonight’s contest ... the forward played 60 minutes and created two chances before he was replaced by Brandon Vazquez in the second half … Locadia made a pair of substitute appearances in each of FC Cincinnati’s first two matches
- After initially signing with FCC on April 5, tonight marked the first time Gustavo Vallecilla was eligible to make the matchday roster after receiving his visa and clearing MLS health and safety protocols … the Ecuadorian center back did not make a substitute appearance
- Head coach Jaap Stam made three changes in today’s starting lineup from the match against New York City FC on April 24 … Przemysław Tytoń, Isaac Atanga and Jürgen Locadia replaced Cody Cropper, Calvin Harris and Allan Cruz.
- Luciano Acosta, Franko Kovacevic and Maikel van der Werff were excluded from the matchday roster because of injuries.
POSTGAME QUOTES
FC Cincinnati head coach Jaap Stam
On tonight’s match
“A very disappointing game in terms of how we executed the things that we needed to do, and we could have done. The start of the game, giving a goal away within the first minute, then you're running behind, and you need to chase it. Then still, you can, of course, get easily into the game ... It's about the quality that we show in how you want to play out, and how you want to use the spaces. Before the game, we already said where the spaces were, it turned out to be exactly like that during the game. But, then it's about quality and showing bravery to do this. It doesn't happen and then you make it at times easy for them as well. The second goal, I think it's an easy goal we gave away as well … It's a good goal, but it's also a goal that we could have avoided. And the second half, I think we picked up things. We went forward, not mentioning even that we had a couple of heading opportunities from set pieces that we could have scored ourselves. Alvaro could have equalized, also in the first half, should have equalized in the first half. We didn't do that as well. So that's about quality as well, what we're showing what we can do. Second half, we picked it up, we played through it, as you could have seen, even through the high press, what they tried to do was very easily could have gone forward, but then you need to be determined in going forward and creating more opportunities. With Brandon coming in, eventually, he got a couple of opportunities and couldn't score, which is unfortunate as well … Is it about the opposition being that good? No. It's also about us executing it not well enough as a player, as a team. And maybe we also need to talk about the quality. Is that good enough in what we're bringing to games or what we're having? I think for you guys as well, for the press. If you see that as well, then you need to also have a verdict about that as well. But, we need to show more at times.”
On the disappointment of conceding within the first minute
“Yeah, well, you can imagine my disappointment, to be honest. If you concede a goal like this after 20, 25 or 30 seconds, then yeah, then you're chasing, then you make it easy for the opposition. They don't need to go anymore. They're just waiting for us to lose that ball and then hopefully go forward, and then in transition come out. So, that's not how you want to start a game, because you start with a certain plan and how to play. And that's how you can do that, but if you go behind straight away in the first minute, yeah, then that whole plan can change and need to change at times as well. Also, the mindset of players then changes as well. So, that makes it more difficult for yourself to get into the game and give yourself a chance. After a very good week of talks in training, then then you do this, then you make it very hard on yourself.”
On if tonight’s result affects how the team will approach the bye week
“Well, sometimes you want to play games, because you want to do better in the next game. That makes the feeling a lot better when you can play the next game and do well. So, now we don't have a mid-week game, then you can say yeah, it's good to train for like two weeks to address a lot of things. But, a lot of things have been addressed for like already two months, and we've been working on the same things and we keep falling also in the same mistakes. And that's the thing that we need to get out of the system in the way of thinking maybe, or maybe the execution in doing it better. Yeah, and of course, you know, in this week, we're going to be working very hard. And again, addressing certain things that we have been addressing for a long time. But, we need to change certain things, because otherwise it's becoming a difficult job to win a game. And we need to do that, we need to start getting points. But, to do that, you know, everybody needs to be sharp to each other as well and demanding from each other as well in what needs to be done and how.”
FC Cincinnati winger Isaac Atanga
On making his debut with FC Cincinnati
“I'm really excited to get my debut, but disappointed with the result of course. I would have wanted to get my debut with a win, but you know, it happens in games. But, I look forward to the next game and then that’s what we are all looking forward to.”
On how he felt physically
“I think the weather, of course, was warm, but I think I was fit and ready to go. Looking forward to the next game.”
On what he wants to supporters to know about him
“I want the supporters to keep supporting us, to keep believing in us. We still have a lot of games to go. I mean, we lost the last two games. But of course, that doesn't define us. We want to keep going and then we want them to come out and support us. The more they support us, they give us the energy to keep us going. So, I'm looking forward to that. And then, looking forward to the first game in the new stadium.”
FC Cincinnati defender Ronald Matarrita
On today’s match
“Bueno, obviamente es un momento difícil. Tenemos que ser más críticos y saber que eso no puede volver a pasar. Creo que el equipo no se lo merece, los fans no se lo merecen. Nosotros somos los responsables de lo que esta pasando. Así que, tenemos que ser críticos nosotros mismos e intentar mejorar cada día.”
“Well, obviously it is a tough time. We have to be critical with ourselves and have to know that can’t happen anymore. I don’t think the team deserves it. The fans don’t deserve it. We are responsible for what’s happening. So, we have to be critical and try to improve every day.”
On whether the critiques are fair
“Si, es muy temprano como para hacer una crítica de lo que va a ser el resto del año. Llegamos muchos jugadores nuevos al equipo, nos estamos acoplando. Estamos cada día intentando agarrar la idea que tiene el profesor. Eso no es excusa para lo que está pasando. Nosotros tenemos que ser positivos. No hay de otra. Ahí que ser críticos con nosotros mismos. Pero si nos echamos a morir, no vamos a mejorar. Ahí que ser positivos y intentar mejorar en todo lo que se puede para en el partido ser mejores.”
“Yes, it’s very early to critique what the rest of the season will be. A lot of new players arrived to the team; we are still getting adjusted. We are working on implementing the coach’s (Jaap Stam) philosophy every day. It’s not an excuse for what is happening. We have to stay positive. That’s it. We have to be critical. If we put our heads down, we won’t improve. We have to be positive and try to improve in everything we can so that we can be better in the games.”
On the mentality of the team after conceding
“Bueno, lo complicado de hoy fue el gol que recibimos. Creo que después de una derrota de 5-0, que te metan un gol al segundo 35, te golpea mentalmente. Como profesional y experimentados en el fútbol, tenemos que tener el carácter para sacar el partido adelante y saber que el partido dura 90 minutos y que podemos mejorar. Si pensamos mal y el equipo se echa para atrás, no vamos a mejorar. Creo que es lo que le está echando factura al equipo.”
“Well, the complicated part of today was the goal we conceded. After losing 5-0, receiving a goal 35 seconds in is a mental hit. As a professional and seasoned soccer player, we have to have the character to move the game forward and know that the game lasts 90 minutes. If we think negatively and the team falls back, we won’t improve. I think that is what is happening to the club.”
