FC Cincinnati Midfielder Luciano Acosta Voted MLS Player of the Matchday Presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 14
May 22, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
NEW YORK - FC Cincinnati midfielder Luciano Acosta was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 14 of the 2023 MLS season.
Acosta scored two goals as part of the club's 3-2 victory in the Hell is Real derby against the rival Columbus Crew on Saturday, May 20. With the win, FC Cincinnati became the third team in MLS history to win each of their first eight home games to open a season (excluding the shootout era), joining the 2002 San Jose Earthquakes (10 consecutive wins) and 2020 Philadelphia Union (nine consecutive wins). Acosta has now scored five goals in each of the last six seasons and has contributed to 37 goals (15 goals, 22 assists) since the start of 2022. The midfielder's brace was his first since he scored two goals for D.C. United against Atlanta United on September 2, 2018. With Cincinnati, Acosta has now totaled three goals and three assists versus the Crew in four appearances.
Cincinnati opened the scoring in the 17th minute after Dominique Badji dribbled to the end line and played a perfect cross to Acosta, who slotted his effort home from close range. After the Orange and Blue drew a penalty kick, the Argentine midfielder stepped up, sent the Crew goalkeeper the wrong way, and passed his shot into the net for the 2-0 advantage. Despite Columbus tying the game up, Acosta played a role in Cincinnati's game-winning goal in the 67th minute as his relentless high pressing forced a turnover from the Crew goalkeeper. Once he stole the ball, Acosta found Brandon Vázquez, who squared it to Yuya Kubo and the forward then laid it off to Júnior Moreno to place his strike into the open net for the 3-2 win.
Since joining FC Cincinnati in 2021, Acosta has produced 54 goal contributions (22 goals, 32 assists), which is tied for the second most in MLS during that span, behind only Nashville SC's Hany Mukhtar (76). With five goals now this season, Acosta is the first player in club history to score at least five goals in three different seasons. Since the start of 2017, the Argentine is the only player in the league to produce at least six different seasons with at least five goals scored. Cincinnati currently sits atop MLS in both points (30) and wins (nine), despite only playing 13 matches.
Acosta is the second-ever Cincinnati player to win MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire, joining Brenner, who did so three times in 2022 (Matchdays 17, 30, and 34). This is the third time Acosta has earned the honor in his career, but the first time since Matchday 31 of 2018 while he was with D.C. United.
Cincinnati will return to MLS play when they travel to face the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Matchday 15 on Saturday, May 27 (9:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
The MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire is selected each matchday of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while a Twitter fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio, and online media.
2023 MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire Winners
Matchday Player Club
Matchday 1 Thiago Almada Atlanta United
Matchday 2 Lucas Zelarayán Columbus Crew
Matchday 3 Caleb Wiley Atlanta United
Matchday 4 Thiago Almada Atlanta United
Matchday 5 Jordan Morris Seattle Sounders FC
Matchday 6 Simon Becher Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Matchday 7 Dénis Bouanga Los Angeles Football Club
Matchday 8 Carlos Vela Los Angeles Football Club
Matchday 9 Mikael Uhre Philadelphia Union
Matchday 10 Leonardo Campana Inter Miami CF
Matchday 11 Hany Mukhtar Nashville SC
Matchday 12 Evander Portland Timbers
Matchday 13 Brandon Cambridge Charlotte FC
Matchday 14 Luciano Acosta FC Cincinnati
Major League Soccer Stories from May 22, 2023
- FC Cincinnati Take on New York Red Bulls Tuesday in U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 - FC Cincinnati
- Houston Dynamo FC Host Minnesota United FC for a Berth in Quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup - Houston Dynamo FC
- Nashville Soccer Club to Take on Inter Miami CF on Tuesday in the Round of 16 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup - Nashville SC
- New York Hosts FC Cincinnati in Round of 16 of 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday Night - New York Red Bulls
- Nashville SC Update - Nashville SC
- GEODIS Preview: Nashville SC Returns to US Open Cup Action with Away Match against Inter Miami CF - Nashville SC
- FC Cincinnati Midfielder Luciano Acosta Voted MLS Player of the Matchday Presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 14 - MLS
- Luciano Acosta Voted MLS Player of the Matchday Presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 14 - FC Cincinnati
- Danny Wilson Named to Team of the Matchday Bench After Notching Goal, Assist against Real Salt Lake - Colorado Rapids
- Inter Miami CF Set for U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 Matchup against Nashville - Inter Miami CF
- "He Would Bleed for this Club": Lalas Abubakar Translates Passion for Rocky Mountain Cup into Goals - Colorado Rapids
- Luciano Acosta Named to MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 14 - FC Cincinnati
- Sporting KC Weekly - Sporting Kansas City
- Sold-Out Ladies Lace up Presented by Secret Raises over $70,000 for FCC Foundation - FC Cincinnati
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