USL FC Cincinnati

FC Cincinnati Game Preview: at Charlotte Independence

May 11, 2018 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Cincinnati News Release


TOP OF THE TABLE

FC Cincinnati comes into the weekend sitting atop the USL Eastern Conference standings with a 5-1-2 overall record and 17 points

This marks the first time in club history that the Orange and Blue sit in first place

FCC is just one point ahead of rival Louisville City FC (16 pts.) in second and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (15 pts.) in third

UNBEATEN IN FIVE

Cincinnati comes into Saturday's game riding a five-game unbeaten run (3-0-2), which also includes the team's current three-game winning streak

FCC drew at Bethlehem on April 15, then came back to earn a draw against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Cincinnati's three-game winning streak is currently the longest winning streak in club history, besting several two-game winning streaks - most recently March 17 and March 31 to open the 2017 season

This is the team's third-longest undefeated run in club history, behind a 10-game streak (6-0-4) from April 24, 2016 through July 6, 2016 ... last year, the club posted a six-game unbeaten run (3-0-3) from August 23, 2017 through September 29, 2017

ROAD WARRIORS

FC Cincinnati has played five of its first eight games of the season away from Nippert Stadium and has posted an undefeated 4-0-1 mark on the road

Away from home, the Orange and Blue have out-scored their hosts 9-3 on the season, averaging 1.80 goals on the road

Defensively, FCC is holding its hosts to 0.60 goals per game with two shutouts (at Charleston Battery on March 15 and at Indy Eleven on March 31)

Of Cincinnati's 17 points on the season, 13 of them have come away from Nippert Stadium

U.S. OPEN CUP CAMPAIGN STARTS NEXT WEEK

Next Wednesday, on May 16, Cincinnati will begin play in the 2018 U.S. Open Cup when the team hosts Detroit City FC of the NPSL ... the teams will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Cincinnati's Gettler Stadium for a place in the USOC Third Round

DCFC topped the Mid-Michigan Bucks (PDL) in penalties, 5-4, on May 9 to advance to the USOC Second Round against FCC

In 2017, FC Cincinnati were the darlings of the tournament, advancing to the semifinals before falling in extra time to MLS entrant New York Red Bulls ... included in the team's run were home victories over MLS teams Columbus Crew FC (1-0 in Fourth Round) and the Chicago Fire (Round of 16 in penalties)

BLACK-OUT THE HOME RETURN

When FCC next return to Nippert Stadium on Saturday, May 16, they will hope to see a blaze of black in the stands

FC Cincinnati will host its Black Out game that night, and will enter the field in their third black kits when they face North Carolina FC that night

Fans can get the look at FC Cincinnati's Team Store either downtown on E 4th St., online at fccincinnati.com or at kiosk locations at Nippert Stadium

GETTING RESULTS AGAINST THE TOP OF THE TABLE

Five of Cincinnati's eight opponents this season have four or more wins (Louisville City FC - 5, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC - 4, Charleston Battery - 4, Indy Eleven 2x - 4)

All four teams sit sixth or higher in the USL Eastern Conference standings ... FCC comes into the weekend atop the East's table

Cincinnati is 3-1-1 against those teams this year

Against the rest of its schedule, Cincinnati is 2-0-1, including wins over teams sitting in 14th (Atlanta) and 14th place (Ottawa)

LEDESMA'S BIG NIGHT

Last Saturday night, Emmanuel Ledesma factored in three of FCC's four goals in the 4-2 victory over Atlanta United 2

After setting up Danni Konig's game-opening goal, he connected for his second goal of the season just two minutes later, calmly converting on a breakaway

After the second-half kick, Ledesma capitalized on a defensive lapse by Atlanta, taking a pass directly from the ATL2 goalkeeper at the top of the box and sending it right back past him and into the back of the net

On the season, Ledesma now shares the team lead in goals (3) and is tops on the team in assists (3) ... overall, Ledesma is tied for fifth in the USL in assists, one back

CORBEN'S CUTTING UP THE MIDFIELD

Corben Bone has been one of FCC's top players so far this season, with two-way play in the midfield

An original Orange and Blue member, Bone is tied for first on the team in goals (3) and is tied for second on the squad in assists (2)

So far this season, he has completed nine key passes and posted an 83.7 percent pass completion rate

At Indy on Wednesday, Bone not only what proved to the game-winning goal, but also set up Jimmy McLaughlin's late first-half goal to bring FCC back level

FUN FACTOIDS

Indy Eleven has allowed a league-low five goals (in seven contests) ... four of those were scored by Cincinnati

Forrest Lasso is the only member of the Orange and Blue to play every minute this season, featuring at center back in all 720 minutes so far

Corben Bone's three goal and two assists - through eight games - has all but exceeded his entire 2017 season totals when he had two goals and three assists in 29 appearances

FCC's home attendance average of 24,235 is already a 14 percent increase over the team's average through three games from 2017 ... it's also more than 10,000 per game higher than the USL's second-place team, Nashville SC (14,205) ... between U.S. and Canadian-based professional teams, the Orange and Blue's average ranks fifth highest overall, behind Atlanta United (MLS - 50,457), Seattle Sounders FC (MLS - 39,633), Toronto FC (MLS - 26,425) and LA Galaxy (MLS - 26,185)

FC Cincinnati at Charlotte Independence

Saturday, May 12, 2018 | 7:30 p.m.

Soccerplex at Matthews | Matthews, N.C.

Match #9

TV: TV-Star 64 | Stream: ESPN+

Talent: Tom Gelehrter (play-by-play), Kevin McCloskey (analyst)

RECORDS & STANDINGS:

FC Cincinnati: 5-1-2, 17 pts. | First in East

Charlotte Independence: 2-3-2, 8 pts. | 12th in the East

Check out the FC Cincinnati Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 11, 2018


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