FC Cincinnati fell to New York City FC, 2-1, Saturday night in front of 21,978 fans at TQL Stadium.
The Orange and Blue dropped to 4-12-8 (20 points) for the season. NYCFC improved to 11-8-5 (38 points) with the win.
FC Cincinnati opened scoring early in the fourth minute, as Brenner scored his team-high seventh goal of the season. On an in-swinging cross from Isaac Atanga, a New York City defender deflected the pass which allowed a clean finish for the Brazilian international in the lower right corner.
It was the fourth-quickest goal for FC Cincinnati in club history.
NYCFC equalized before halftime in the 37th minute on a Keaton Parks header, and Valentin Castellanos scored the game-winner in the 60’ by converting a penalty kick.
FC Cincinnati hit the road for two consecutive matches away from home beginning Saturday, Sept. 25 at D.C. United. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised on WSTR 64, carried on the radio on ESPN 1530, streamed regionally on fccincinnati.com/stream, out of market on ESPN+, while an audio stream will be available via the iHeartRadio app.
For up-to-the-minute information about FC Cincinnati, visit the team’s official website at fccincinnati.com, or follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FCCincinnati. Additionally, fans are encouraged to download the team’s official mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play for instant access to mobile tickets, team content and match notifications.
Information about seating options at the club’s state-of-the-art TQL Stadium is now available at TQLstadium.com. For more information about 2022 Season Ticket Deposits and Renewals, which are coming soon, visit TQLstadium.com or the stadium’s social properties on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram at @TQLStadium, or by calling the team’s sales and service staff at 513-977-5425.
New York City FC 2, FC Cincinnati 1
TQL Stadium | Cincinnati, Ohio
September 18, 2021
SCORING SUMMARY
CIN – Brenner (unassisted) 4’
NYC – Keaton Parks (Gudmundur Thorarinsson) 37’
NYC – Valentin Castellanos (penalty kick) 60’
FC Cincinnati: *Przemysław Tytoń, Gustavo Vallecilla, Geoff Cameron (Tyler Blackett 77’), Edgar Castillo (Brandon Vázquez 68’), Nick Hagglund, Luciano Acosta, Yuya Kubo, Haris Medunjanin (Allan Cruz 68’), Álvaro Barreal, Isaac Atanga, Brenner
Bench: Kenneth Vermeer, Kamohelo Mokotjo, Caleb Stanko, Florian Valot, Zico Bailey, Calvin Harris
Stats: *Shots 9, Shots on Goal 3, Saves 2, Corners 2, Offside 3, Fouls 13, Possession 43.0%, Passes 342 (79.2%)
New York City FC: *Sean Johnson, Maxime Chanot, James Sands, Gudmundur Thorarinsson (Malte Amundsen 84’), Chris Gloster (Andres Jasson 46’), Maxi Moralez, Keaton Parks, Alfredo Morales (Nicolas Acevedo 84’), Valentin Castellanos, Jesus Medina (Alexander Callens 71’), Ismael Tajouri-Shradi (Tony Rocha 89’)
Bench: Heber, Gedion Zelalem, Luis Barraza, Talles Magno
Stats: Shots 13, Shots on Goal 4, Saves 2, Corners 4, Offside 1, Fouls 13, Possession 57.0%, Passes 454 (83.0%)
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
NYC – Ismael Tajouri-Shradi (caution) 26’
CIN – Geoff Cameron (caution) 48’
NYC – Alfredo Morales (caution) 69’
CIN – Álvaro Barreal (caution) 74’
NYC – Andres Jasson (caution) 77’
NYC – Sean Johnson (caution) 83’
CIN – Álvaro Barreal (ejection) 85’
CIN – Isaac Atanga (ejection) 90+5’
Referee: Ted Unkel
Ast. Referees: Charles Morgante, Jose Da Silva
Fourth official: Silviu Petrescu
VAR: Kevin Stott
AVAR: Benjamin Hall-Volpenhein
Weather: 84 degrees and clear
Attendance: 21,978
GAME NOTES
- FC Cincinnati remain winless all-time against NYCFC, 0-6-0.
- Brenner’s seventh goal of the season matched Allan Cruz’s team-high in a single season from 2019 … his fourth minute goal was also the fourth-fastest goal in FC Cincinnati history … six of the fastest 10 goals in club history have come in 2021.
- Tyler Blackett made his MLS and FC Cincinnati debut as a substitute in the 77th minute.
- Álvaro Barreal became the first FC Cincinnati player sent off on red card since Roland Lamah in the 44th minute of the 2019 season-finale at D.C. United.
- Isaac Atanga received a red card in the 90+5’ … it was the first match since the same 2019 D.C. United match when two players for FCC were sent off in the same match … Joseph-Claude Gyau was shown red three minutes prior to Lamah.
- The penalty kick conceded by FC Cincinnati was the team’s second of the season (July 17 at CF Montréal … both were converted for goals).
- Luciano Acosta made his 130th MLS appearance.
- Ronald Matarrita missed Saturday’s match due to yellow card accumulation.
AS IT HAPPENED
- 7’ – FC CINCINNATI GOAL | Isaac Atanga swings in a dangerous cross from the right flank which NYCFC defense touched but set up perfectly Brenner, who buried his seventh goal of the season into the bottom right corner.
- 18’ – New York City FC Near Chance | Ismael Tajouri-Shradi takes a shot outside the 18-yard box which deflects towards the bottom right corner of the net, but Przemysław Tytoń makes a diving save to hold the lead in tact.
- 37’ – NEW YORK CITY FC GOAL | Gudmundur Thorarinsson sends in a left-footed cross from the left side of the pitch to Keaton Parks whose well-placed header finds the back of the net.
- 54’ – FC Cincinnati Goal Disallowed | Brenner buries a deflection, but in the build up Álvaro Barreal was deemed offside.
- 60’ – NEW YORK CITY FC PENALTY KICK GOAL | Valentin Castellanos finishes off his third penalty kick goal of the season to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.
- 70’ – FC Cincinnati Near Chance | The recent substitute Brandon Vázquez gets a header on a free kick from Luciano Acosta which goes just wide of the post.
- 78’ – FC Cincinnati Near Chance | Luciano Acosta finds Brenner who from a tight angle on the right side shoots and hits the right post.
- 90+1’ – FC Cincinnati Near Chance | Nick Hagglund sends in an off-balanced cross which Luciano Acosta gets a foot to, but the shot is right at goalkeeper Sean Johnson.
POSTGAME QUOTES
FC Cincinnati Head Coach Jaap Stam
On the loss
“A tough game. It's a good start when you take the lead with a very good goal. After the goal I think we dropped two deep and didn't press enough going forward. Why is that? And this is what we talked about after the game as well, because we want to defend up 1-nil, do we not find a moment to go up and press, or do we find it difficult at times? All these reasons, sometimes I can understand, but we spoke before the game about finding the moment to press them high up the pitch and make it more difficult for them and to force them to play into areas where you can win it, and when you're not doing that you can see it becomes a difficult game... They scored the equalizer, I think it was too easy of a goal on a cross with a free header that he could put in the net, then it's 1-1. That's not a shame because we know we were facing a team that can play good football, but we don't need to have too much respect for the opposition. We need to also show ourselves.
“Second half we spoke about what to do and where to find the spaces. We tried to do it, we came out at times but it still wasn't enough, and they took the lead by a penalty that was made, and I think it was stupid to give a penalty away like that. I think you need to know in the situation that it is to be careful in what you're doing because they're looking in these moments for a little touch to go down.”
On Brenner’s performance
“He's getting better and, I think, feeling more comfortable. We also put a lot of emphasis on how to use him better in a certain way so that the understanding between him and Álvaro (Barreal) and Isaac (Atanga), for instance, up top together with Lucho (Acosta) becomes better as well. That's what we're trying to work on and you see when Brenner gets into these areas, when he gets in the box and the ball is being delivered, normally he can score goals. The first one was a great finish--not the easiest one under pressure. It looks simple, but it's not always...In the second half, we still had several very good moments to score a goal. Brenner is getting there, and hopefully others can step up now to help him out and also to score goals.”
FC Cincinnati forward Brenner
Translated from Spanish
On the loss
“Tactically It felt like we set up well, but it ended up being a tough match. We lost two players at the end … it was a tough situation for us. We just need to get better. In the moment like that [on the goal disallowed] it hits the teams and hits our confidence. We were playing well, but that's part of the game and it's frustrating, but it is what it is.
FC Cincinnati defender Tyler Blackett
On his debut with FC Cincinnati
“To be honest I’m happy for myself in terms of getting back to full fitness, well, near enough full fitness and being involved with the team and getting on the pitch. As a team I would like for us to be playing better and performing better but we have to do it as a team and in the training. But I’m here now and I’m excited to continue with the team and hopefully get some better results.”
On the loss
“When we look back at the chances that we had, disallowed goals and hitting the posts, keeper making some saves, I think we had enough to possibly win the game. Sometimes it doesn’t fall for you in that way. We have to look at ourselves and we have to look at the gameplan and what we know we can do.”
