FC Cincinnati faces one of its most crucial games of the Major League Soccer season when the club hosts Charlotte FC at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 12 at TQL Stadium.
The Orange and Bluehave their backs against the wall, coming off a 5-0 loss at Philadelphia Union that has caused a lot of damage to their place in the Eastern Conference table. Cincinnatiis 8-8-7 overall, tied for sixth place in the MLS Eastern Conference with 31 points with Orlando, which has the tiebreaker with one more win. That loss dropped Cincy to 1-6-5 on the road in MLS play this season but 7-2-2 at TQL Stadium.
Cincinnati is now eight points out of fourth place but more bad results put them in jeopardy
of falling out of playoff position because the next five teams behind them are within four points.
“It's two poor performances in a row and not on a level that we like, (so) it's trying to solve it and get better,” said FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan. “And the disappointing part is right now we haven't found the consistent answers to be better more consistently. That’s the most important thing, is to make sure everybody understands that while we're not where we want to be and the level needs to raise, we have to work together to get to where we want to go.”
After the home game against Charlotte, Cincy will have three straight road games against Houston, Montreal and Atlanta. Cincy’s postponed home match against D.C. United Sept. 5 may be rescheduled during this span.
Evander, Nwobodo will miss the Charlotte game
Adding player absences to the injury and insult of the defeat, MVP candidate Evander and stalwart defensive midfielder Obinna Nwobodo cannot play against Charlotte due to card suspensions from the Philly match.
Evander had a short-term injury in the season opener against Atlanta, and missed a few starts after, including a 1-0 shutout loss at Minnesota. In those games, Cincinnati had Gerardo Valenzuela and Pavel Bucha playing in central midfield and handling the attacking midfielder duties. Noonan didn’t specify how he would handle Evander’s absence this time, or who his captain will be.
“He’s an important piece,” Noonan said. “We're not replacing him. We're trying to adjust without him and we have the pieces to do it. We experienced it early on in the year and it was a small sample size. The rest of the Atlanta game, there were some good things. And then on the road against Minnesota, we realized a game where his presence was missed, but nobody needs to try to do what Evander does because nobody can. So how do we use the pieces that we have to have a good approach to Charlotte and position ourselves to perform well, to attack well, to defend well, and to win?”
Cincinnati’s defensive struggles have been well-chronicled, but the team is in an offensive slump as well. They have scored four goals in the last five MLS games since the Leagues Cup. Kévin Denkey has not scored in nine games since the loss at Columbus July 25.
Noonan is not overly concerned about the team and individual slumps, as he believes goal-scoring ebbs and flows and the team is still creating quality chances.
“We have real chances that we the keeper makes the saves,” he said. “So it's a combination of us missing opportunities, missing the final pass. Maybe it's a goalkeeper making a good save. I also look at goals that we've scored previously where they're small percentage goals, they're really well-taken goals. So you can look at the number and say, all right, we're not attacking as well.
“I don't want to take away the group's confidence because of a couple of shutouts. That's not ideal, but I think this entire group understands that we can attack well and we can score goals. Focus on getting the defensive part better and continue to attack in a lot of the ways that we have, and I think we'll finish some plays off.”
A look at FC Cincinnati’s opponent, Charlotte FC
Charlotte is fifth in the Eastern Conference with 39 points (11-7-6) and is plus-nine in goal differential (42-33). They are fifth in East in goals scored and tied for third in goals conceded.
Charlotte, like Cincinnati, had a heartbreaking exit from the Leagues Cup in their third group-stage game, losing 1-0 to Pachuca on a stoppage-time goal that ended their chances of advancing to the quarterfinals. Charlotte has responded with four wins and two draws in six MLS games since, the last a 2-1 win at Montreal Sept. 9. They also had a scoreless draw with Houston, who is second in the Western Conference.
The teams drew 2-2 May 9 in Charlotte. Cincinnati had a 2-0 halftime lead on goals by Evander and Kévin Denkey. Charlotte tied it early in the second half on scores by Idan Toklomati and Pep Biel.
Those two pace the Charlotte offense. Biel, 30, has 11 goals and nine assists. Toklomati, 22, has eight goals. He came off the bench Sept. 9 and delivered the winning goal late in the second half at Montreal.
Wilfried Zaha, who had been with Charlotte on loan, departed the club during the World Cup break. Charlotte has received a big boost up front in French national Allan Saint-Maximin, who the club signed as a Designated Player in July. This spring, he helped RC Lens finish second in France’s top league to Paris Saint-Germain and win the French Cup tournament title, both rare achievements in the club’s history. He had four goals and three assists in 13 matches.
He spent four years with Newcastle in the English Premier League, helping them to a fourth-place finish in the 2022-2023 season. He also played in Saudi Arabia and Mexico before joining RC Lens.
He has started the last four games for Charlotte and has four assists. Saint-Maximin starts up front with Toklomati and Liel Abada, who has been productive lately and has four goals and five assists.
Kristijan Kahlina, 34, has five shutouts in goal. Tim Ream, 38, started at center back for the United States in the World Cup, and anchors the back line with Henry Kessler.
Has Matt Miazga’s departure been a distraction?
Noonan acknowledged that center back Matt Miazga is no longer a part of the club. His status had somewhat been in limbo after reports he had been released from the team, followed by him making an Instagram post Sept. 4 saying goodbye to the club and the fans. The club had continued to list him on the roster but he wasn’t in the available lineup for the Sept. 5 or Sept. 9 matches.
Noonan said it’s up to General Manager Chris Albright to address specifics of his departure and his contract status.
“I can't sit here and give you more, but what I will say is now that we know we've parted ways,” Noonan said, “Matt was an instrumental piece of our group in helping turn things around and helping us win our first trophy and hopefully we can recognize that in the right way, but we wish Matt the best.”
Miazga was at times an official captain but always a vocal and fiery presence on the back line. Several players commented on his Instagram post and it’s clear that his absence has affected them emotionally.
“If you look at the one game, you can argue for that perspective,” Noonan said. “I think just the timing of it is challenging, but we have a strong group and I think they can navigate these types of things and move on, but of course it affects a group of humans who have connections and relationships. It's still early, so hopefully we see a different group out on the field tomorrow and then maybe that changes the conversation a little bit, that the group can move on and still perform.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati hosts Charlotte in crucial game following loss to Philly
