June 23, 2021
MLS SOCCER: FC Cincinnati 1, Chicago Fire FC 0
Orange and Blue look ahead to Saturday night matchup with Toronto FC in Orlando
CHICAGO – Álvaro Barreal’s 50th minute free kick game-winning goal was one of a club record 12 shots on goal as FC Cincinnati defeated the hosts Chicago Fire SC, 1-0, Wednesday night at Soldier Field.
Five times in club history had FC Cincinnati taken a team record-high seven shots on target, including last Saturday against Colorado Rapids, but by the end of the first half Wednesday night the Orange and Blue had broken that record by recording nine shots on goal.
The opening half did not see a goal on either side despite FCC’s offensive barrage, but five minutes into the second half Álvaro Barreal scored on a left footed free kick from just outside the left corner of the 18 yard box to sneak the ball in near post past Chicago goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth.
Barreal, a 20-year old native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, now leads FC Cincinnati in goals this season with two. His goal Wednesday night snapped a team season-long 234 minute goalless drought.
Kenneth Vermeer earned his first clean sheet as a member of FC Cincinnati, making several crucial defensive stops including a double save in the 64th minute. Chicago Fire nearly equalized in stoppage time, but VAR disallowed a goal in the 90+4’ when the Fire’s Robert Beric was deemed offside.
Vermeer was credited with two saves in the contest while Luciano Acosta and Brenner each had a team-high two shots on goal.
FC Cincinnati looks to win its third road contest of the season when it takes on Toronto FC from Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised on WSTR 64, carried on the radio on ESPN 1530, streamed regionally on fccincinnati.com/stream, out of market on ESPN+, while an audio stream will be available via the iHeartRadio app.
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.
FC Cincinnati 1, Chicago Fire SC 0
Soldier Field | Chicago, Illinois
June 23, 2021
SCORING SUMMARY
CIN – Álvaro Barreal – 50’
FC Cincinnati: Kenneth Vermeer, Ronald Matarrita, Gustavo Vallecilla, Geoff Cameron, Joseph-Claude Gyau, Luciano Acosta ©, Allan Cruz, Yuya Kubo, Isaac Atanga (Jürgen Locadia 73’), Brenner (Brandon Vázquez 73’), Álvaro Barreal (Nick Hagglund 83’)
Bench: Przemyslaw Tyton, Edgar Castillo, Caleb Stanko, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Franko Kovacevic, Haris Medunjanin
Stats: Shots 19, Shots on Goal 12, Saves 2, Corners 7, Offside 6, Fouls 20, Possession 43.5%, Passes 306 (69.3%)
Chicago Fire FC: Bobby Shuttleworth, Francisco Calvo ©, Johan Kappelhof (Álvaro Medrán 54’), Miguel Navarro, Boris Sekulic, Fabian Herbers, Luka Stojanovic, Mauricio Pineda (Calos Terán ’54), Robert Beric, Ignacio Alisdea (Nnamdi Chinonso Offor 79’), Jhon Jairo Espinoza (Brian Gutierrez 54’)
Bench: Jonathan Bornstein, Elliot Collier, Gabriel Slonina, Javier Casas, Alex Montis
Stats: Shots 19, Shots on Goal 2, Saves 11, Corners 7, Offside 1, Fouls 23, Possession 56.5%, Passes 387 (74.9%)
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
CIN – Álvaro Barreal (caution) 79’
CIN – Brandon Vázquez (caution) 84’
Referee: Ismir Pekmic
Ast. Referees: Corey Rockwell, Peter Manikowski
4th official: Fotis Bazakos
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
AVAR: Michael Kampmeinert
Weather: 77 degrees and clear
Attendance: 5,926
GAME NOTES
- Head coach Jaap Stam made one change to the Starting XI from Saturday, as Ronald Matarrita returned to action, replacing Edgar Castillo
- The Orange and Blue’s first clean sheet of the year is the 13th in club history
- FC Cincinnati is now 2-1-2 all-time against Chicago Fire SC in MLS competition. Chicago is the first road city FCC has won in multiple times (7/13/19)
- FCC has not conceded a goal to Chicago in 203 minutes of game action
- Joseph-Claude Gyau is the only FC Cincinnati player to have played all 720 minutes of this season
- The team’s 12 shots on goal broke the previous club record of seven accomplished five times (6/19/21 vs. COL; 9/29/19 vs ORL; 7/21/19 vs. NE; 7/6/19 vs. HOU; 3/17/19 vs. POR).
- FC Cincinnati’s 19 shots are the third-most in club history (22 vs. COL, 6/19/21; 20 vs. VAN, 8/3/19)
- Kenneth Vermeer recorded his first shutout since March 1, 2020 while with Los Angeles FC vs. Inter Miami CF. It is his 99th clean sheet all-time in club competition
POSTGAME QUOTES
FC Cincinnati Head Coach Jaap Stam
On the 1-0 win over Chicago Fire SC
“We had a deserved win tonight, I think we played very well from the start. We were very alert in how we needed to defend but also in going forward. On the ball we created a lot of opportunities in the first half, if you look at the stats, because everyone looks at stats, then you can see we had a lot of shots on goal that we should have scored, and that’s what is lacking to be honest. I think the team worked very hard. Defended well, we had a clean sheet, all in all a very positive evening.”
On the breakthrough goal and result
“Of course you are very relieved when you score. When you play a game well and you are creating a lot of opportunities and you should’ve scored and you don’t, then the opposition stays in the race. At the end of the day, everybody is very happy, everybody is very confident and hopefully we can take this forward.”
“It’s very important to get a win, and it’s not only to look at the table and getting higher up the table, of course to certain people that is very important, but because we’re still working on things and in the process of getting better every game, you see that the team is getting better and is creating more. They’re more decisive.”
On Álvaro Barreal and his free kick goal
“We know the quality of Álvaro and the quality he has on the ball. It’s good for a play like that and to see him progress. He’s taking free kicks after training sessions and it gives him confidence when you score a goal like that. It gives him a boost for what he’s doing for himself and for the team. The whole team gets confidence from this important win.”
FC Cincinnati defender Geoff Cameron
On the 1-0 win
“It was a good three points. Could’ve made it a little easier on ourselves but luck was on our sides tonight. Happy to get three points.”
On the message at halftime
“We said we were still going to create chances and we just have to be more ruthless. The opportunities will come, and fortunately they did. We didn’t play as well (in the second half) as we did in the first half but obviously, we get the goal. It was more of a positive note that we’re creating chances and just need to finish them.”
FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer
On the win
“I’m happy we finally won a game again. We started the game very well, we created a lot of opportunities. Second half after our goal we started dropping and stopped playing our own game and that’s why we kept them in the game. We left them believing they could get a tie or a win, but I’m happy we eventually won the game.”
On the disallowed goal by VAR
“I did not know he was offside. I saw my teammates raise their hands like he was off, but to me I was only focused on the ball. He scored and I was disappointed because we dominated the game, we have to reward ourselves with more goals to end the game. Luckily for us, it was offside and we won.”
