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USL FC Cincinnati

Game Preview: FC Cincinnati vs. Richmond Kickers

June 14, 2018 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
FC Cincinnati News Release


STILL AT THE TOP

Wednesday's draw against Bethlehem kept Cincinnati atop the USL Eastern Conference standings, four points ahead of Louisville (23 pts.)

Additionally, Cincinnati's 27 points are fourth-most in USL overall

Teams two through seven in the USL East all have at least a game in hand on FCC, with second-place Louisville holding three games in hand (11 played)

LEDESMA BACK FROM UNWANTED REST ON WEDNESDAY

On Wednesday, the squad's leading point-getter - Emmanuel Ledesma - missed Cincinnati's game against Bethlehem while serving a one-game yellow-card accumulation suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season last Saturday at North Carolina

Until Wednesday, Ledesma had appeared in all 13 USL games this season, starting 12 and leads the USL in assists (7) and has added five goals

He will be available for selection by Alan Koch on Saturday against Richmond

PAIR OF FOURS

While Ledesma could back on Saturday, two more FCC players are poised to enter the game sitting on four yellow cards - one away from suspension

Richie Ryan and Danni Konig both have four cautions so far this season ... should either player pick up a fifth, he will be forced to miss Cincy's following game

So far this season, three different FC Cincinnati players have been forced to miss a game because of a yellow-card accumulation suspension: Forrest Lasso, Dekel Keinan and Ledesma

SMITH SURGING FORWARD

Blake Smith is the squad's top-scoring defender this season, netting one goal and adding three assists in 11 USL appearances from his left back position

Smith tallied the team's season-opening goal in FCC's 1-0 road win at Charleston on March 17 and then picked up his first assist on Emmanuel Ledesma's eventual game-winning goal against Atlanta

At New York Red Bulls II on June 2, Smith set up Ledesma's game-tying goal in the second half and then put in the lofted cross against Bethlehem that Russell Cicerone headed home on June 13

Smith has missed three games this season - two games in April and one in May - with ankle injuries

His three assists this season are second-most on the team, behind Ledesma's league-leading seven

ONE FIRST AFTER ANOTHER FOR CICERONE

After a trio of successful appearances in U.S. Open Cup play, right-sided midfielder Russell Cicerone made his debut in USL play for Cincinnati on June 9 at North Carolina ... he started and played 73 minutes in his league debut ... Cicerone finished the day with two shots - including one on target - and a team-best three crosses

Four days later on June 13, he started his second straight game and added another first: his first USL goal ... against Bethlehem, he headed in a Blake Smith cross to then put FCC up 2-1, a lead which they surrendered a minute later

It was his first professional goal after not seeing time with Timbers 2 in his first pro season in 2017.

NAZ HAS BEEN NASTY OF LATE

Since returning to USL play on May 19 from a three-game absence with rib injury, Nazmi Albadawi has been a terror for opponents

Three of his four goals on the season have come in the last five league games

After netting his first goal of the season at Bethlehem on April 15 - the game-tying goal - he returned to the field against his former, and hometown, club North Carolina FC on May 19 where he had a brace

He also set up Danni Konig's game-winning goal at New York, although he was not credited with an assist

16 of his 18 shots have come in the last five USL games, as have 7-of-10 shots on target

USL Regular Season | Match #15

FC Cincinnati vs. Richmond Kickers

Saturday, June 16, 2018 | 7:30 p.m.

Nippert Stadium | Cincinnati, Ohio

TV: WSTR Star-64

Stream: ESPN+

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

Team Records

FC Cincinnati: 8-3-3, 27 pts. | First in USL East

Richmond Kickers: 4-7-1, 13 pts. | 14th in USL East

Check out the FC Cincinnati Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 14, 2018


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