USL FC Cincinnati

Game Preview: FC Cincinnati at Richmond Kickers

Published on September 24, 2018 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Cincinnati News Release


FCC CLOSES IN ON USL REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP

FC Cincinnati is just three points away from claiming its first ever USL Regular Season Championship

The only two teams that can record a higher point total or match FC Cincinnati's current mark of 69 points are Orange County SC (60 points in 31 matches) and Phoenix Rising FC (59 points in 30 matches)

The Orange and Blue's first opportunity to finish as the USL's top regular-season side will come on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at Richmond ... should FCC win that match, they will clinch the regular-season title

If the Orange and Blue do not win on Wednesday, they could clinch on Saturday, Sept. 29 vs. Indy with a win or a Phoenix loss ... should FC Cincinnati draw in either of their next two matches, they would also clinch on Saturday with a Phoenix draw

BONE, LEDESMA CONTINUE TO SHINE FOR ORANGE AND BLUE

One match after being named to the USL Team of the Week for their performances in Week 27, Corben Bone and Emmanuel Ledesma opened USL Week 28 by recording a goal apiece ... Bone has now recorded six goals in FC Cincinnati's last seven games, four goals in the club's last three games, and the game-winning goal in each of FCC's last three matches ... Ledesma has influenced (recorded either the goal or the assist) on eight of FCC's last 11 goals

Bone and Ledesma were named to the USL Team of the Week for their performances in Week 27 ... Bone recorded three goals - including a pair of game-winning goals - on four shots in 159 minutes of match action, while Ledesma tallied four assists - including a pair of game-winning assists - to surpass the USL's all-time single-season assist record

Bone opened the week by recording the game-winning goal in FCC's 1-0 victory over Louisville City FC on Tuesday, Sept. 11

On Sept. 16 in FCC's come-from-behind victory over Toronto, Bone recorded his first brace in his three-year FC Cincinnati career

Ledesma kicked off the week by tying the all-time USL single-season assist record when he provided the game-winning assist on Bone's goal in the latest edition of the River Cities Cup.

FCC's leading scorer went on to eclipse the record by registering his second three-assist performance of 2018 on Sept. 16

FCC SEEKS TO MATCH USL'S ALL-TIME LONGEST WINNING STREAK

FC Cincinnati claimed its eighth consecutive USL win - the longest winning streak in club history - when the Orange and Blue defeated Penn FC, 2-1, on Sept. 22

Real Monarchs SLC hold the USL's all-time longest winning streak of nine matches, which they achieved in 2017

FCC previously won four consecutive games, two of which were U.S. Open Cup contests, in May 2017

During the current streak, FCC has outscored its opposition 20-7 and has posted three clean sheets

FC CINCINNATI ON LONGEST UNBEATEN RUN IN CLUB HISTORY

FCC enters Wednesday's match riding a 19-game unbeaten run during which time FCC is 15-0-4 in USL play ... this is the longest undefeated run in club history

With the 2-1 win over Penn FC on Sept. 22, the Orange and Blue claimed the second-longest unbeaten streak in USL history, surpassing Orlando City SC's mark of 18 matches unbeaten, set in 2014 ... the Richmond Kickers set the USL's longest unbeaten run when they went unbeaten in 22 consecutive matches in 2013

FC Cincinnati completed has completed three consecutive unbeaten months, having posted an unbeaten record in June (4-0-2), July (3-0-1), and August (4-0-1) ... FCC is currently 4-0-0 in the month of September ... overall, FCC has tallied seven unbeaten months in club history

During the run, FCC is 9-0-2 at home and 6-0-2 on the road

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

ORANGE AND BLUE CLINCH EASTERN CONFERENCE'S TOP SEED

With a 2-1 win over Penn FC, FC Cincinnati clinched the Eastern Conference's top seed in the 2018 USL Cup Playoffs, securing three straight home USL Cup Playoffs matches should the club advance ... after clinching a playoff berth on Sept. 1, each successive win from FCC brought about additional playoff implications.

FC Cincinnati became the first team to clinch a berth in the 2018 USL Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 win over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Sept. 1.

Furthermore, the Orange and Blue secured a home playoff match after defeating Louisville City FC, 1-0, on Sept. 11.

Following the 4-3 victory over Toronto FC II on Sept. 16, the Orange and Blue ensured a finish of no worse than second place in the Eastern Conference, securing two straight home USL Cup Playoffs matches should the club advance

FCC has now earned a spot in the USL Cup Playoffs in each of its three seasons in the league: 2016, 2017 and 2018 ... the 2018 postseason is set to begin on Saturday, Oct. 20

BAHNER, GIBSON START IN WIN OVER PENN FC

Orange and Blue players Matt Bahner and Tyler Gibson put in 90-minute shifts for FCC in the club's 2-1 win over Penn FC

Bahner made his first start in nearly three months, with the right back last earning a starting nod at Toronto FC II on June 27

Gibson recorded his first start as an FC Cincinnati player ... the midfielder made three substitute appearances prior to earning his first start with the Orange and Blue

PREVIEW QUOTES

FC Cincinnati Head Coach Alan Koch

On mentally resetting ahead of a mid-week game at Richmond...

"We've moved on already, I think it was nice that we actually changed location. We obviously bused down to Richmond yesterday, got our first session in today. We'll come and really fine tune a couple things tomorrow and get ourselves ready for a new game on Wednesday."

On the success of the defense over the current unbeaten run...

"To be honest, it doesn't really matter how many goals we concede, as long as we win the game at the end of the day. But, we have a lot of confidence in our group. All of the goalkeepers and everybody that plays in our back four and how we ask everybody to defend - it's not just the goalkeeper and the back four that defend - we all have to defend together collectively and I think that's what's set us up for success."

On the team's ability to come from behind to win games...

"I think it just shows a lot of belief in the group, it doesn't matter if we score first, we're going to ride that wave. If we go down, we're just going to ride that wave, too. There's a sense of belief that no matter how the game goes, we'll get the job done."

On the challenge of playing Richmond on the road...

"Yeah, it's going to be a huge challenge. Playing Richmond or playing anybody in this league is a huge challenge, and particularly playing them away. They'll come and feel us, there's no pressure on them whatsoever. They're going to go out and showcase themselves, but at the same time, we're going to do the exact same thing. We tell the guys, "It's okay to go out and make mistakes. It's part of the game, it's part of the business. Focus on this game and this game only and do whatever we can to get ourselves another three points.'"

FC Cincinnati Midfielder Corben Bone

On what he attributes his recent run of form to...

"Well, first and foremost my teammates. I've gotten some pretty good assists lately and they've made it easy on me. I would just say confidence thanks to them and the coaching staff, and just finding myself in good spots and taking chances."

On mentally resetting ahead of a mid-week game at Richmond...

"It was great to win at Penn and get that achievement, but that's in the past now and we have another bigger one coming up. You refocus and this game means just as much and more, so it's easy for us to kind of focus in and go after that goal as well."

On the challenge of playing Richmond on the road...

"Any team away from home is tough, it's always a tough environment to play. Having such a great environment at home, when you go away from home, you really have to focus on just getting three points and the performance of the team. Any away game is tough, but I think we've done it before and we can do it again. Hopefully, we can put in a good performance and get three points in Richmond."

USL Regular Season | Match #31

FC Cincinnati at Richmond Kickers

Wednesday, September 26, 2018 | 7 p.m.

City Stadium | Richmond, Va.

TV: CW Cincinnati | Talent: Tom Gelehrter (play-by-play), Kevin McCloskey (analyst)

Stream: ESPN3 | Talent: Mike Watts (play-by-play), Devon Kerr (analyst)

Team Records

FC Cincinnati: 21-3-6, 69 pts. | First in USL East

Richmond Kickers: 6-20-4, 22 pts. | 15th in USL East

Check out the FC Cincinnati Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 24, 2018


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