Orlando City (1-0-1, 4 pts) comes back home to Exploria Stadium for a Saturday night tilt against FC Cincinnati (0-2-0, 0 pts) this weekend. The match, presented by Exploria Resorts, is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised locally on FOX35 PLUS and LionNation TV, with pre-game coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET. Local radio coverage will be available from 7 p.m. ET on Real Radio 104.1 in English and Acción 97.9 FM in Spanish.
Here’s everything you need to know about Cincinnati:
Key Transactions and Player News
Key Additions - Head Coach Pat Noonan (Philadelphia Union), GK Alec Kann (Atlanta United), RB Ray Gaddis (retirement), RB Alvas Powell (Philadelphia Union), CF Dominique Badji (Colorado Rapids), DM Júnior Moreno (D.C. United)
Key Departures - GK Przemyslaw Tyton (option declined), DM Kamohelo Mokotjo (contract buyout), CM Caleb Stanko (PAS Giannina), RB/RW Joe Gyau (Degerfors IF), CB Maikel van der Werff (PEC Zwolle), CM Florian Valot (Miami FC)
News - After three consecutive Wooden Spoons to begin their MLS existence, Cincinnati’s leadership opted to overhaul the decision-making process, bringing in Chris Albright from Philadelphia as their new general manager. Albright’s first major move was to make former Union assistant Pat Noonan the club’s head coach. The two will try to get more from a roster that has seen its fair share of investment over the years, including the big money DP signings of Brenner and Luciano Acosta last winter.
Take a look at Cincinnati’s full roster here.
Team Form
Cincinnati was demolished 5-0 in their season opener at Austin FC, but nearly came away with a point in their home opener this past weekend. Unfortunately for the Blue and Orange, a Geoff Cameron handball in the box deep into second-half stoppage time allowed Ola Kamara to slot home a penalty kick in the 98th minute to give D.C. United a 1-0 win. Cincinnati has yet to score a goal this season and saw star striker Brenner start on the bench in each of the first two matches.
Head-to-Head
Orlando City is 3-0-2 all-time against Cincinnati and has blown out the Blue and Orange in both games played at Exploria Stadium. Tesho Akindele has had particular success against Cincy, scoring a brace in the Lions’ 5-1 home win in 2019 and following it up with the fastest goal in Orlando City history last year, scoring 31 seconds into a 3-0 win on May 1, 2021. Júnior Urso added two goals against Cincinnati last season, including the winner in a 1-0 victory in Ohio on October 16.
