It has been a frustrating season of fits and starts for FC Cincinnati as they have surrendered more goals (71) than any team in the MLS Eastern Conference.
But Cincinnati (10-11-9, 39 points) has managed to keep its postseason hopes alive and can take a major step toward that goal against D.C. United (7-11-12, 33 points) on Saturday in Washington, D.C.
The match comes just three days after Cincinnati outlasted visiting D.C. 2-1 in a makeup of a game originally scheduled for Sept. 5 but postponed due to heavy rain.
With four matches left, Cincinnati is alone in eighth place in the MLS East, two points behind seventh-place Orlando City and three points ahead of ninth-place Toronto FC and the New York Red Bulls.
While the seventh-place team will advance to the first round of the playoffs, the eighth- and ninth-place teams will meet in a wild-card match with the winner advancing.
After breezing into the postseason last year, when it finished one point behind the Supporters’ Shield-winning Philadelphia Union, this campaign has been a struggle for FC Cincinnati.
However, after winning just one of its previous nine matches (1-5-3), Wednesday’s result brought Cincinnati some relief.
“For the psyche, for what we needed, even though it’s not the position that we want to be in, we were able to win a game that was important,” coach Pat Noonan said.
On a quick turnaround, Cincinnati tries to duplicate the result Saturday against desperate D.C. United, which sits in 13th, three points shy of the final playoff spot.
“We have to move on,” Noonan said. “Let’s use some of tonight to help guide us and prepare us but it’s gonna be a different game on the road and we need to be prepared for that.”
Cincinnati has relied heavily on Kevin Denkey (17 goals) and Evander (13 goals, 14 assists). On Wednesday, however, Teenage Hadebe and newly acquired David Doudera scored their first goals of the season.
D.C. United has seen their playoff hopes fade as they have won just two of their last 13 matches (2-6-5).
“It’s kind of a playoff game,” coach Rene Weiler said of Saturday’s contest.
On Wednesday, Cincinnati limited D.C. top scorer Tai Baribo (16 goals) to zero shots on target.
“We are creating goal-scoring chances,” Weiler said. “That is the first step. The second step is to capitalize.”
–Field Level Media
