FC Cincinnati beat the New York Red Bulls II 2-1 on a rainy night in Cincinnati. The win tonight secures a season sweep of New York after a 2-1 win away on June 2.
Forrest Lasso and Paddy Barrett scored both goals for Cincinnati tonight with headers off set pieces with assists from Emmanuel Ledesma. Lasso scored on a corner and Barrett scored off a free kick. New York’s goal came from an own goal by Danni Konig off a free kick where the ball bounced off the back of his head and in.
Head coach Alan Koch was very complimentary of his team after the game, “Playing New York tonight, how they press and they are a quality team we knew it wasn’t going to be easy. I’m very proud of the guys fighting essentially, within the rules of the game obviously, to go out and get ourselves another big three points.”
New York was the better team early in the match. Up until the first Cincinnati goal, it was pure domination from New York pressing and creating chances. The goal from Lasso in the 17’ allowed Cincinnati a little breathing room and they started sending the ball forward a little more and making an impact in the final third. New York got a goal back in the 25’ after their free kick went off the back of his head and into the net. Cincinnati retook the lead in the 35’ after Barrett scored a beautiful header on a free kick giving the keeper no chance to make a save.
The second half was a little less anticlimactic with Cincinnati allowing New York to pressure. The defense held firm cutting out the attacks and clearing the ball upfield. Lasso played very well defensively making a few key tackles. Cincinnati had one real chance in the half when Jimmy McLaughlin was able to fight through a defender and tap the ball around the keeper, but he was called for a foul for stretching his arm out while fighting through the defender.
The last few minutes were action packed with New York putting a header just wide off a free kick and hitting the crossbar in the first three minutes of stoppage time. Cincinnati’s Russell Cicerone had a shot get through the keeper but it was cleared off the line right before the final whistle blew.
Recap
New York started the match coming out firing with more than a handful of early chances. In the first minute, a shot went just wide giving keeper Spencer Richey something to be worried about.
Richey made a great one on one save in the 15’ after a shot from Tom Barlow. A bad back pass from Kenny Walker went off the chest of Forrest Lasso and right into the path of Barlow, whose shot hit the outstretched arm of the oncoming Richey.
Forrest Lasso put Cincinnati ahead with a header off a corner from Emmanuel Ledesma in the 17’. Cincinnati crowded the keeper and Lasso was just inside of the near post. A perfect ball was met by Lasso and put just inside the post he was standing near.
Corben Bone just misses on a shot from inside the box in the 22’. A great pass from Blake Smith and a well-timed run gave Bone space to run into and he was just wide on the shot.
New York got the equalizer courtesy of an own goal from Danni Konig in the 25’. A long free kick for New York was sent into the box and Konig was running alongside a New York attacker and the ball glanced off the back of Konig’s head and into the net.
Barrett gave Cincinnati the lead again after another set-piece goal in the 35’. Ledesma sent in in a free kick and met a free running Barrett who headed the ball into the far corner giving the keeper no chance to make a save.
Jimmy McLaughlin had a goal called back in the 57’ after a great one-two pass with Corben Bone. A foul was called after McLaughlin pulled back on a New York defender before putting the ball past the keeper.
Blake Smith received a yellow card in the 60’ after he fouled Jared Stroud while both were going to head a ball. After the foul was called Smith took exception to something and shoved Stroud to the ground. There were players from both teams exchanging words and a little pushing and shoving. Stroud was subbed off a few minutes later, he was on the ground holding his head after he was pushed to the ground and didn’t get up until after the pushing and shoving had concluded.
Lasso just missed a header off a free kick in the 86’. Very close to scoring his second goal of the night.
New York put a shot off the crossbar in the second minute of stoppage time. A low cross found an unmarked attacker who put a shot off the center off the crossbar. Cincinnati was able to clear the rebound.
A free kick in the third minute of stoppage time led to a header for New York that went just wide and out for a goal kick.
Right before fulltime Cincinnati started an attack and a pass was able to find an unmarked Russell Cicerone at the top of the box. His shot hit the goalkeeper and was cleared off the line. The final whistle was blown right after the ball was cleared.
News and Notes
The win tonight makes it three wins in seven days and extends the unbeaten streak to 10 games. It gives FCC seven wins and three draws during the 10 game stretch. Their last loss was to Louisville City FC on May 26.
The win tonight puts Cincinnati nine points clear at the top of the table
Cincinnati had a horrible night passing with a passing accuracy of 51% for the team.
The goal tonight ended a 399-minute scoreless streak for Cincinnati’s defense. They had clean sheets the last four games.
Ledesma had his ninth and 10th assists on the season tonight.
Lasso scored his second goal of the season and second in two games after the first on Wednesday against the Charlotte Independence.
Paddy Barrett scored his first goal as a member of FC Cincinnati.
Will Seymore made his first appearance since May 2 after coming on as a sub in the 90’. Tomi Ameobi made his first appearance since May 12 coming on in stoppage time.
Up Next
RCD Espanyol from Spain comes to Nippert to play in a friendly this Saturday, July 28 at 7:30 pm. This is the third friendly against a European club with the first against Crystal Palace from England in 2016 and the second against Valencia C.F. from Spain last year.
Cincinnati hosts the Nashville SC after a two-week break in USL play. Nashville is currently sitting eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 27 points (7-5-6). The first time they met it ended in a 0-0 draw in Nashville.
Final Thoughts
Tonight was a huge win for Cincinnati. Ending a tough stretch with nine points over seven days is tough. Ending with 10 matches unbeaten in league play is even more impressive, for the months of June and July.
Forrest Lasso played incredibly well tonight scoring a goal and making a few crucial tackles and clearances. He has made himself a force to be reckoned with in the back line and he will be needed down the stretch and in the playoffs with Cincinnati’s history of falling apart at the end of the season.
Jimmy McLaughlin had a very good night on the right running down balls and causing many problems for New York’s defense. His effort tonight didn’t show up on the stat sheet but Koch will surely remember it.
Nazmi Albadawi was almost nonexistent tonight with only 35 touches and 20 passes attempted. There were points tonight I legitimately forgot he was on the field.
Kenny Walker also had a rough night completing only 58% of his passes and the key save by Richey in the 15′ was forced due to a bad back pass from Walker.