FC Cincinnati dominates Inter Miami, 6-1, takes top spot in MLS standings
Pat Brennan
FC Cincinnati didn't just overtake Inter Miami CF for the lead in the Supporters' Shield race. Cincinnati bullied Miami out of the top spot.
Bear in mind that Inter Miami was significantly shorthanded due to key players being suspended and competing in Copa America, but Cincinnati still made a big statement to Miami and the rest of Major League Soccer in the Shield race.
Four different FC Cincinnati players scored in the first half as the club pounded Inter Miami, 6-1, on Saturday at TQL Stadium before a sold-out crowd of 25,513.
The six goals matched a single-game FCC record for goals, and was just the second time the club scored six times in a game since entering MLS in 2019. The last six-goal showing from Cincinnati was against San Jose Earthquakes Sept. 10, 2022.
On Saturday, FCC scored early and often before ratcheting down the attack with about 20 minutes to play.
Yuya Kubo opened the scoring in the 10th minute and finished with two goals. Luca Orellano notched two assists and ran riot as a forward player, and Luciano Acosta (one goal, two assists), Pavel Bucha, and Yamil Asad all added highlight-reel tallies. Gerardo Valenzuela added the sixth goal for Cincinnati in the 72nd minute, too, on a ball that went through the hands of Miami goalkeeper, Drake Callender.
The sum product of the Cincinnati onslaught was that the club improved its record to 15-4-3 and 48 points in the standings, overtaking Miami (14-4-5, 47 points) for the lead in the race for the Shield, which is awarded annually to the league's top regular-season club.
FC Cincinnati is the current Shield holder having won the trophy in 2023. The club has one game in-hand on Miami, so its lead in the race could grow in the coming weeks.
There were only two significant setbacks on the night for FC Cincinnati: The 21st-minute goal conceded to Miami's Sergii Kryvtsov. That briefly made the score 1-1.
The other setback was a second-half yellow card for Obinna Nwobodo, which triggered a suspension that will keep him out of FC Cincinnati's home match July 13 against Charlotte FC.
"(Miami) is too good to expect that, so, nights like this happen for various reasons but I think the guys were clearly up for it," FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan said of Miami. "But it wasn't just about being up for it (and) working hard. You still have to make plays and a lot of guys did that."
Noonan joked that he probably could have nitpicked the win but opted not, saying, "the guys were outstanding."
Noonan also said it would have been hard for him to anoint one standout player from his team, although he did note the effective play of Orellano, who played in a more advanced, attacking position after previously playing as a wing back.
That formational and personnel wrinkle proved effective for FCC. Not only did Orellano add assists on both Kubo goals, but he his "expected goals," or "xG," in the match was a team-high .67. Expected goals is a metric used to indicate the likelihood of a given shot going in for a goal. In this case, it indicated that Orellano was creating quality chances for himself as much as he was his teammates.
"Yeah, you know, not a totally unfamiliar position to me playing forward, but obviously when I play forward, I typically play more on the wide so, you know, for me it took a little bit of getting used to and you're playing next 'Lucho' (Acosta)," Orellano said via a team interpreter. "I was hoping that I could get get involved in the offense and (have) success, and thankfully, I was able to to help the team."
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Welcome to Cincinnati.com's live coverage of FC Cincinnati versus Inter Miami CF in a meeting of the top two clubs in the league-wide MLS standings. Refresh this page throughout the match for live updates and analysis, and follow Enquirer FC Cincinnati beat reporter Pat Brennan on X, formerly Twitter, for further updates (@PBrennanENQ).
That's a final from TQL Stadium
FC Cincinnati claims this one, 6-1, over what was eventually a 10-man Miami side following Serio Busquets second-half red card. That ejection was hardly the reason for Miami's demise on the night, though. A memorable, thorough victory for FCC at TQL Stadium tonight.
A sixth goal for FC Cincinnati (72')
It's just one of those nights for Inter Miami. Gerardo Valenzuela notched his first first-team goal in MLS play on a shot that went through Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender's hands and legs. It's 6-1 at TQL Stadium.
Playing Yuya Kubo up top was a good idea (57')
Yuya Kubo started the night as the target forward for FC Cincinnati and rewarded head coach Pat Noonan for that decision. Kubo has two goals on the night, and deposited his last one off a feed from Luca Orellano.
Kubo has nine goals on the year.
An FC Cincinnati suspension (55')
There's no such thing as a perfect game in soccer, as evidenced by Obinna Nwobodo picking up a yellow card, which triggers a suspension for next weekend's home match against Charlotte FC.
FC Cincinnati dominating Miami at the break
FC Cincinnati absolutely punished Messi-less and suspension-hampered Miami. Wow.
One more for the walk in at halftime (49')
This was a bit of a strange one, but give credit to Luciano Acosta for a looping ball into a very troublesome area. Miami didn't seem to know who should come to defend the ball once Yamil Asad caught up to it near the end line. Asad then dribbled away from goalkeeper Drake Callender, found an angle and dumped in a fourth for Cincinnati. It's 4-1 and, wow, who can honestly say they saw this coming?
Pavel Bucha with a stunner (38')
Once again in the face of an indecisive Miami defense, Pavel Bucha volleyed the ball into traffic from the top of Miami's penalty area. Picture the set play FCC used to run off corner when Luciano Acosta would loft the ball to Alvaro Barreal at the top of the 18. This time, Bucha let fly with what looked like more of a hopeful shot. But the shot found its way through all the bodies and hit the back of the net for 3-1.
'Lucho time' (36')
"Lucho time," as FCC goalkeeper Roman Celentano calls it, just struck at TQL Stadium. Luciano Acosta had the ball on his feet and dribbled, dribbled, dribbled in the face of Miami's defense, which was backing down toward its own net. Acosta found a good angle and scored, marking his 10th of the year. The tally also marked three straight seasons of at least 10 goals for Acosta, and his 50th goal for FC Cincinnati (all competitions).
FC Cincinnati denied by the offside flag
Yamil Asad scored a tap-in off a set sequence from a corner kick but the offside flag ruled this one out. Still 1-1 at TQL Stadium.
A good start squandered (21')
FC Cincinnati not only didn't put Miami away but granted Sergii Kryvtsov a free header from close ranger off a corner kick. Kryvtsov didn't miss and the match is tied even though FCC started it so brightly.
FC Cincinnati threatening to put this away early (16')
FC Cincinnati is dominating Miami, and FCC looks stylish doing it. Putting Miami away early is virtually impossible, but Cincinnati's trying to do it, although the score remains 1-0 for now.
Luca Orellano to Yuya Kubo (10')
Luca Orellano ran down the left flank while Yuya Kubo slowed his run to get back onside. Good thing he did, because Orellano found Kubo wide open, and Kubo scored his eighth of the year to put Cincinnati ahead. For the moment, FC Cincinnati is leading the MLS standings.
Nos. 1 and 2 battle for first place (6')
We're underway and both teams have already had one good look apiece at the opposition goal. We're scoreless but the game is living up to the expected intensity early.
FC Cincinnati, Inter Miami CF starting lineups
- FC Cincinnati starting XI: Roman Celentano (GK), Yamil Asad, Alvas Powell, Ian Murphy, Miles Robinson, DeAndre Yedlin, Obinna Nwobodo, Luciano Acosta (captain), Pavel Bucha, Luca Orellano, Yuya Kubo.
- Cincinnati bench: Alec Kann (GK), Aaron Boupendza, Corey Baird, Kipp Keller, Bret Halsey, Sergio Santos, Kevin Kelsy, Gerardo Valenzuela, Isaiah Foster.
- Inter Miami CF starting XI: Drake Callender (GK, captain), Sergii Kryvtstov, Franco Negri, Federico Redondo, Sergio Busquets, Julian Gressel, Benjamin Cremaschi, Marcelo Weigandt, Leo Campana, Robert Taylor, Yannick Bright.
- Miami bench: Tomas Aviles, C.J. Dos Santos, Ryan Sailor, Ian Fray, Noah Allen, David Ruiz, Lawson Sunderland, Shanyder Borgelin, Leo Afonso.
