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USL FC Cincinnati

Game Preview: FC Cincinnati at Atlanta United 2

August 20, 2018 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Cincinnati News Release


USL Regular Season | Match #25

FC Cincinnati at Atlanta United 2

Wednesday, August 22, 2018 | 7 p.m.

Coolray Field | Lawrenceville, Ga.

TV: CW Cincinnati | Stream: ESPN+

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

Game Notes: PDF Link

Team Records

FC Cincinnati: 15-3-6, 51 pts. | First in USL East

Atlanta United 2: 3-12-7, 16 pts. | 15th in USL East

FC CINCINNATI RETURNS TO THE ROAD AFTER EXTENDED HOMESTAND

FC Cincinnati embarks on a two-match road trip after playing six consecutive USL matches - seven matches overall - at Nippert Stadium

With a win, Cincinnati will tie the club's record for away wins in a season (7)

FCC posted a 5-0-1 record and claimed 16 out of a possible 18 points over the course of the homestand

FCC last played on the road on July 7, when they played Nashville SC to a scoreless draw

FCC TO BE WITHOUT LEDESMA DUE TO YELLOW-CARD SUSPENSION

FC Cincinnati enters Wednesday's match with Emmanuel Ledesma unavailable for selection due to yellow-card suspension

The MVP frontrunner picked up his eighth caution of the season in the 13th minute for a foul on Vincenzo Candela against Charleston on Aug. 18

Ledesma sat out the June 13 game against Bethlehem Steel FC while serving his one-game suspension following his fifth caution on the season

ORANGE AND BLUE TARGET FIFTH SERIES SWEEP OF 2018

Should FC Cincinnati defeat Atlanta on Wednesday, it will mark FC Cincy's fifth series sweep of the 2018 USL regular season

FCC defeated Ottawa Fury FC on the road, 3-0, on April 28 and at home, 2-0, on June 30

The Orange and Blue beat North Carolina FC at Nippert Stadium, 4-1, on May 19 and at WakeMed Soccer Park, 2-0, on June 9

FC Cincinnati claimed wins over New York Red Bulls II on the road, 2-1, on June 2 and at home, 2-1, on July 21

FCC defeated Charleston Battery on the road, 1-0, on March 17 and at home, 3-0, on Aug. 22

FC CINCINNATI ON LONGEST UNBEATEN RUN IN CLUB HISTORY

FCC enters Wednesday's match riding a 13-game unbeaten run during which time FCC is 9-0-4 in USL play

During the run, FCC is 7-0-2 at home and 2-0-2 on the road

This is the longest undefeated run in club history ... the club's previous longest undefeated run was 11 games in the first half of the 2016 season (7-0-4)

FC CINCINNATI SETS SINGLE-SEASON ATTENDANCE RECORD

After drawing a crowd of 27,142 on Saturday, Aug. 18 against Charleston, FC Cincinnati set the club's single-season attendance record at 352,709 with three regular-season home matches still remaining

The Orange and Blue surpassed their own USL single-season attendance high of 339,181 set in 2017

FCC PLAYOFF CLINCHING SCENARIOS

FC Cincinnati is a combined 12 points away from clinching a playoff spot ... this point total comes from FC Cincinnati's points gained combined with Ottawa Fury FC's points lost ... FC Cincinnati could clinch a playoff berth as soon as Aug. 25 at Tampa Bay

In addition, FCC is a combined 19 points away from clinching a home playoff match ... this point total comes from FC Cincinnati's points gained combined with Indy Eleven's points lost ... FC Cincinnati could clinch a home playoff match as soon as Sept. 1 vs. Pittsburgh

PREVIEW QUOTES

FC Cincinnati Head Coach Alan Koch

On what changes for the team after playing at home for six consecutive matches...

"Not much to be honest, our approach all season long has been the same at home or away, we're going to every game expecting to get three points and that is going to be the goal."

On Atlanta United 2...

"We know it's going to be a tough game. Obviously, you could see their class when they came and played us here. I thought we played very well against them at our place. We've also watched a lot of games of teams that have played at their place. It's not an easy place to play, there's nowhere easy on the road in this league. We've also got to make sure we have a plan, put it in place, and go out and execute. The hard part with these games is the unknowns in terms of what is their exact lineup is going to look like.

On what changes for the team with Emmanuel Ledesma being unavailable for selection...

"Nothing. Nothing changes at all. We're a team, we're not made up of one player. Manu has had a good season, but we have lots of players that have had good seasons for us so far."

On the two-match road trip...

"I'm excited to go back on the road, to be honest. It was fun playing at home, it was fun having our fans behind us. I know we'll have fans down there obviously supporting us in Atlanta, which is awesome. But, it's nice to go on the road with the team. It brings a group together, I think with a couple of changes we've made in the last week, it's going to be good to have everybody there and go fight for each other on the road, because it's not easy being on the road. You deal with far different variables in terms of not sleeping in your own beds, having different meals, playing in different stadiums - this is our first time as a club playing in this stadium, so it'll be a new environment - but these are the challenges we like to embrace."

FC Cincinnati Defender Blake Smith

On Atlanta United 2...

"It's going to be an interesting game. We're obviously doing very well right now in terms of results, looking to kind of keep that momentum going this week. Atlanta's going to have a good squad, some younger guys that are on the cusp of getting MLS minutes and might not get them this week, so we might see a tough side, definitely in Atlanta. Every game we approach the same way, so it's just another match for us. First game on the road [in] a while, it's going to be a good test, so we're looking forward to it."

On preparing for a USL side that could feature MLS players...

"It's definitely different for me, personally. Coming from the NASL, it's not something that you're used to seeing. It's kind of tough as a team to prepare, because you don't know exactly what their lineup is going to be, because it could be very inconsistent, just because of guys getting MLS minutes, or not getting MLS minutes. It's definitely something that we're going to have to adjust to and just be ready for who they put on the field, but we do anticipate that they're going to have a strong lineup this week."

FC Cincinnati Defender Dekel Keinan

On the club's current position...

"Obviously, we are in a great position. We have a great squad and [the] guys proved it in the last few weeks. For me, at the moment, it doesn't matter which 11 is going to start the game. We are a very strong, very solid team. We have to make sure we aren't giving away [points], keep winning."

On the performance of the backline during the unbeaten run...

"Always, the defense is not only the back four or the keeper, it's all the team. The moment we do defense as a team, as a unit, it's much easier for the back four. Obviously, the back four and the keeper take a lot of pride in keeping clean sheets, because this is our main goal. But, the moment we defend as a team is much easier for the back four. I do not like to separate the team for defending and attacking. We're all one unit, we have to defend together and attack together."

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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