FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – FC Cincinnati never recovered from the first six minutes. No one could explain how the club could have started the game like that.
The celebrities were out at Chase Stadium on Saturday to support Inter Miami CF. FC Cincinnati also seemed highly motivated to turn up for the game with their Supporters’ Shield hopes on the line. However, it’s hard to say FCC played a significant role during the game after Miami sent an early message with two goals from Luis Suarez in the first six minutes.
Miami took advantage of an unprepared start by Cincinnati when Suarez scored 30 seconds into the game. The goal was the fastest from kickoff in Miami’s short history. Just minutes later, a turnover by FCC’s Obinna Nwobodo sent Miami on a counterattack that ended with another goal by Suarez.
FC Cincinnati played with a man advantage for over 50 minutes in the first half due to a red card for Tomas Avilés, but the visitors could not reduce the 0-2 deficit and lost by the same score.
“Really disappointing for a number of reasons,” said FC Cincinnati’s current head coach Dominic Kinnear afterward. “Obviously, the start wasn’t how we would have liked it to be. Not how we would have expected it to be. Not how we would have expected it to be. So it was really bad of us to be two goals down in the first (six) minutes, that’s for sure.”
“We played our way back into the game. The red card gives us some hope, a turnaround. In the second half, (Miami goalkeeper) Drake Callender makes a handful of really, really good saves… But in the end we didn’t do enough to be good for more than a goal, I would say. I think we moved the ball slowly with 10 men, which is something we didn’t talk about at halftime.”
FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan watched the game from the press box at Chase Stadium while serving the second and final game of his suspension resulting from his red card in the July 17 loss to Chicago Fire.
With this win, Miami becomes the first club in 2024 to secure a spot in the MLS Cup playoffs while maintaining its lead in the race for the Shield.
FC Cincinnati (15-8-3, 48 points) lost its fourth game in a row, snapping its longest losing streak since the 2021 season with four wins. But the loss had even more far-reaching consequences.
The loss in Miami leaves FCC eight points behind in the Shield race as it seeks the trophy for the second year in a row, with eight regular-season games remaining – an almost insurmountable gap to bridge in the final weeks of the 2024 season.
For now, FC Cincinnati sits in second place in the Eastern Conference, which would be a desirable position to hold in the playoffs. It’s important to note that third-place Columbus Crew (12-4-7, 43 points) was not in league play this weekend due to Sunday’s Leagues Cup final against LAFC at Lower.com Field. The Crew also has three regular season games remaining at FCC.
“It’s tough,” Kinnear said of Cincinnati’s fading Shield hopes. “Obviously they have to slip up and we have to make a very, very good run to catch them. That’s still the reality. We’ve got a tough game ahead of us and I’m sure they feel the same. But after tonight, it’s a lot tougher, it has to be said.”
Cincinnati was without Luciano Acosta in the first half, who was nursing a long-term foot injury. Acosta entered the game early in the second half but was unable to score for FCC. Acosta also received a yellow card, meaning he will be suspended for the club’s match against CF Montreal at TQL Stadium next Saturday.
At the end of the night, many of the field metrics favored Cincinnati, including shots and expected goals, or “xG.” Callender was a big reason FCC came away empty-handed for the fifth time this season, making six saves.
What was missing was urgency – the awareness that the club could potentially lose a trophy and that a string of losses could jeopardize its MLS Cup chances in the long run.
“It was shocking,” said FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano. “It seemed like we never really wanted it at any point. We just didn’t get into the game properly and we got punished right away. We let them score another goal and then I think the red card should have helped us, but I feel like we just didn’t understand the urgency as the game went on… You wish you could just take it back. You just wish you could start it right.”
The night of frustration was best summed up by DeAndre Yedlin’s brief post-game remarks when asked by the Enquirer specifically about the club’s remaining Shield hopes. His comments followed a game in which he received a yellow card during a stoppage in play that led to the red card for Avilés, who injured FCC’s Kevin Kelsy.
During the game, Yedlin also clashed with his former teammate Suarez and was visibly frustrated by the altercation, during which Yedlin was apparently pushed against the advertising boards along the sideline.
“It’s the MLS. It’s a weird league,” Yedlin said. “Weird things in this league, and if I talk about it, I’ll probably get penalized. So I’ll leave it at that. Yes, it’s a weird league. Luckily for us, I think anything is possible, but we definitely got ourselves into more trouble than we needed to.”
When asked about his dealings with Suarez, Yedlin said he had not seen Suarez after the game and therefore could not make a final assessment of their exchange.
“It’s what happens on the field. You compete. I don’t really care who I’m competing against,” Yedlin said. “At the end of the day, business is business. This (FC Cincinnati) is the team I’m fighting for now. Like I said, I don’t care if it’s my old team. I’m going to fight for this team now. That’s the way it goes.”
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Live updates from the game:
A fourth consecutive defeat for Cincy
Miami wins this game 2-0 and gets double the reward of securing a playoff spot. Cincinnati will secure their playoff spot in due course, but they have a long way to go before they are back among the MLS Cup favorites. Tonight was a step backwards.
Midway through the second half
The chances aren’t coming as quickly and effectively as they did in the final 10 minutes of the second half. The clock is ticking down and this FCC team doesn’t seem to have the momentum it needs.
Decisive second half underway
Ian Murphy, Luciano Acosta and Sergio Santos are playing for FC Cincinnati. Gerardo Valenzuela, Niko Gioacchini and Kevin Kelsy are finished for today.
45 games left for FC Cincinnati
Miami held on to its 2-0 lead until halftime, despite FC Cincinnati playing with a man advantage and the referees adding nine minutes of extra time at the end of the half. The club needs to score some goals now.
Miami only has ten players left (41.)
An ugly collision between Tomas Avilés and Cincinnati’s Kevin Kelsy earned Avilés his second yellow card of the game and a red card. Miami will have to finish this game with 10 men for over 50 minutes.
Cincinnati was definitely not ready (6′)
A loss of possession by Obinna Nwobodo near the halfway line sent Miami on the counterattack and Luis Suarez punished Cincinnati with his second goal.
Or maybe not ready to go yet (1′)
Miami scored after less than 40 seconds of play when Luis Suarez found the ball at his feet at the far post. A disaster for Cincinnati.
Ready to go (1′)
It’s FC Cincinnati’s biggest game of 2024 so far, and a loss to Supporters’ Shield leaders Miami would effectively end FCC’s reign with that trophy. Cincinnati would be eight points behind with eight games left, so if they have any stakes in retaining the trophy, at least a draw tonight is a must.
Starting lineups for FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami
- FC Cincinnati starting eleven: Roman Celentano (TW), Yuya Kubo, Miles Robinson, Chidozie Awaziem, DeAndre Yedlin, Luca Orellano, Pavel Bucha, Obinna Nwobodo, Gerardo Valenzuela, Niko Gioacchini, Kevin Kelsy.
- Bank of Cincinnati: Alvas Powell, Luciano Acosta, Corey Baird, Kipp Keller, Bret Halsey, Sergio Santos, Malik Pinto, Ian Murphy, Evan Louro.
- Inter Miami starting eleven: Drake Callender (TW), Sergio Busquets, Tomas Avilés, Matías Rojas, Luis Suarez, David Martinez, Jordi Alba, Diego Gomez, Yannick Bright, Federico Redondo, Marcelo Weigandt.
- Miami Bank: Dos Santos, Fray, Krystov, Allen, Negri, Cremaschi, Ruiz, Campana, Taylor.
