Is FC Cincinnati built to stay atop MLS standings?
A slow start. Goals conceded sloppily. A costly red card, and bad luck on top of it all.
Those were the defining characteristics of what was likely the worst FC Cincinnati performance at TQL Stadium in the era of third-year head coach Pat Noonan.
Charlotte FC won the match, 3-1. A sellout crowd of 25,513 looked on as FC Cincinnati fell to 15-5-3 for 48 points overall and 6-4-2 at TQL Stadium.
FC Cincinnati missed an opportunity to grow its lead in the Supporters' Shield standings. Second-place Inter Miami CF was idle, so FCC remained in first place Saturday, but Cincinnati no longer held a game in-hand on Miami (14-4-5, 47 points).
Charlotte, which boasted the second-best defensive record in MLS entering the game, scored two early goals in quick succession to put FC Cincinnati in a proverbial stranglehold. Iuri Tavares was left unmarked at the back post when he scored from close range in the 20th minute.
Two minutes later, Liel Abada doubled Charlotte's lead, and then the visitors still kept coming. On multiple occasions, Charlotte nearly found a third goal. Meanwhile, FC Cincinnati couldn't get a grip on the match. FCC found itself out-possessed by a team with third-worst rate of ball possession in MLS (46%).
"Tough night. We had a really poor performance," Noonan said afterward. "The result was certainly fair. Credit to Charlotte. They were the much better team tonight . . . Our first 35 minutes were probably the worst of the year. We weren't ready. That starts with me."
FC Cincinnati shoveled back in and finally found a foothold in the contest just before the intermission. Luciano Acosta scored his 11th goal of the campaign during a lengthy period of first-half added time. It appeared Cincinnati had a comeback brewing at that point.
That appearance carried over to the second half, and the crowd was engaged, but Cincinnati wouldn't find the back of the net again. On several occasions, goals were denied by razor-thin margins, including the post.
The second half started promisingly as Gerardo Valenzuela, who came on to start the half, earned a penalty kick when his shot was handled by a Charlotte player in the box in the 47th minute. But Acosta's ensuing penalty kick was then saved by Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina.
The penalty miss only stung home supporters for a few seconds, though. In the 49th minute, a stunning Luca Orellano goal appeared to tie the game, but it was overturned on video-assistant referee (VAR) field side review for offside.
"The guys pushed to get back into it. We had our chances early in the second half to level it," Noonan said. "We didn't deserve any luck."
As FC Cincinnati continued to rack up near-misses, Charlotte put the match away in the 65th minute when Kerwin Vargas scored off a corner kick in TQL Stadium's south end.
At 2-1, FC Cincinnati was always one kick away from tying the game. But coming back from a 3-1 deficit against Charlotte's stiff defense wasn't plausible.
"The warning signs in terms of how we've conceded, they've been there for a couple weeks," Noonan said. "We've conceded goals where, you know, we've lost concentration, lost our marks, set pieces . . . Something we'll continue to try to find answers to, but the way we're conceding goals is concerning."
Seven minutes later, a red card was issued to FC Cincinnati All-Star center-back Miles Robinson for illegally denying what's called an "obvious goal-scoring opportunity." That condemned FCC to playing with 10 men the remainder of the match, and Robinson to being suspended for Wednesday's home match against Chicago Fire.
The Chicago game was to be Robinson's last for FC Cincinnati prior to departing for the Paris Olympics men's soccer tournament as a member of the U.S. squad.
FCC's shortage of available defenders will again be exasperated for the Chicago game as the club continues to deal with the absences of Matt Miazga and Nick Hagglund to season-ending injuries.
"Obviously, you always want your guys available and he's a good guy to have around," FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano said of Robinson. "We wanted him through Wednesday but I also feel responsible for that because it's like, you know, one of those plays where it's like, 'should I go? Should he go?'
"It's unfortunate. We won't have him for the next one, but he was going to be gone anyway soon. We would be playing without him regardless . . . We'll be missing him."
Luciano Acosta injury update
Late in the match, Acosta appeared to suffer an injury. Noonan said Acosta didn't appear to break any bones on the play in question
"X-rays were negative, so, no," Noonan said. "We'll just look at what's the pain and if there's anything else, but the initial news is no break, so that's good."
Next up: Chicago Fire
FC Cincinnati's final home match prior to the month-long pause for Leagues Cup is Wednesday against Chicago. The Fire are buried in the Eastern Conference standings on just five wins and 22 points (5-11-7). Take nothing for granted, though. FC Cincinnati's already lost at TQL Stadium this season to what was then a last-place New England Revolution team and a Nashville SC side that had just fired its now-former head coach.
On Saturday, the Fire played visiting NYCFC to a scoreless draw at Soldier Field.
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Live updates from during the match, and follow Enquirer FC Cincinnati beat reporter Pat Brennan on X, formerly Twitter, for further updates (@PBrennanENQ).
A rare ugly night for FC Cincinnati at home
A year after posting a 13-2-2 record at TQL Stadium, the fortress of a stadium that was is now being breached with some regularity. The club is 6-4-2 on home sod in 2024.
VAR intervenes on FC Cincinnati's behalf (75')
Charlotte headed in a goal that would have made this a 4-1 laugher in the visitors' favor, but video-assistant referee (VAR) had its say for the second time in the match, and the goal was ruled out for offside.
Disaster for FC Cincinnati (72')
Miles Robinson was sent off via a straight red card for denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, otherwise known as "DOGSO," after he hauled down Kerwin Vargas. Robinson, whose short return to FC Cincinnati between the Copa America and Paris Olympics men's soccer tournament, ends with that red card as Robinson was set to depart after Wednesday's match against Chicago. He'll now be suspended for that game.
Charlotte FC with a big goal (65')
It was a goal that was truly against the run of play as Kerwin Vargas scored for the visitors off a corner kick. It's 3-1 and FCC is back to trailing by two after so many missed and squandered chances.
A busy start to the second half (50')
Luciano Acosta had a penalty-kick attempt saved in the 48th minute. Gerardo Valenzuela drew the penalty-kick call by firing off a shot that was whistled for handball.
Two minutes later, Luca Orellano appeared to tie the game with a shot from the edge of the penalty area but video-assistant referee (VAR) review ruled that goal out due to an offside infraction.
The crowd is back in the game at halftime
Charlotte is still on top, 2-1, but FC Cincinnati played brightly and positively during the seven minutes of time added on to the first half.
That's more like it for FC Cincinnati (45+1')
Luciano Acosta has ignited the comeback. He scored a side-footed goal from a wide angle, and it was much needed. That's Acosta's 11th goal of 2024. He has 28 goal contributions this season.
A much-needed pause for Cincinnati (30')
A hydration break offered Cincinnati a moment to compose itself after a very unimpressive start to the match. They're capable of coming back but not showing signs of it against Charlotte yet.
Charlotte FC strikes again (22')
It's getting late early at TQL Stadium. Charlotte, one of the best defensive teams in MLS, has a 2-0 lead now. Liel Abada netted to double his side's advantage. As good as Charlotte is defensively, there might not be any coming back at this point for FCC.
Charlotte FC strikes first (20')
On 20 minutes, Iuri Tavares volleyed home from close range to open the scoring. That's a huge strike from Tavares, who hadn't scored a goal prior to tonight, and for a team not known for its attacking prowess.
FC Cincinnati looking down from its perch (1')
We're underway at TQL Stadium as FC Cincinnati looks to protect its narrow lead in the MLS Supporters' Shield race.
FC Cincinnati, Charlotte FC starting lineups
FC Cincinnati starting XI: Roman Celentnao (GK), Alvas Powell, Miles Robinson, Ian Murphy, Yamil Asad, DeAndre Yedlin, Yuya Kubo, Luciano Acosta (captain), Pavel Bucha, Luca Orellano, Kevin Kelsy.
Cincinnati bench: Alec Kann (GK), Aaron Boupendza, Corey Baird, Kipp Keller, Bret Halsey, Sergio Santos, Gerardo Valenzuela, Isaiah Foster, London Aghedo.
Charlotte FC starting XI: Kristijan Kahlina (GK), Nathan Byrne, Jere Uronen, Adilson Malanda, Ashley Westwood (captain), Brandt Bronico, Djibril Diani, Andrew Privett, Liel Abada, Kerwin Vargas, Iuri Tavares.
Charlotte bench: Bill Tuiloma, Brecht Dejaegere, Ben Bender, Joao Pedro, David Bingham (GK), Nikola Petkovic, Jaylin Lindsey, Tyger Smalls, Nick Scardina.
More: Can FC Cincinnati build on its lead in the MLS standings vs. Charlotte?
Player availability report for Saturday's match
OUT for FC Cincinnati: Nick Hagglund (leg), Matt Miazga (leg), Malik Pinto (ankle).
OUT for Charlotte FC: Junior Urso (lower leg).
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati drops MLS match to Charlotte FC
