FC Cincinnati has followed its two-match losing streak with back-to-back victories, seeing off visiting Colorado 2-1 on Saturday night in the West End after a 2-1 road decision over Atlanta on April 20.
Lucho Acsota’s club-record 44th goal and Corey Baird’s first-ever FCC goal paced the hosts past the resurgent Rapids. The Orange and Blue now turn their attention to the month of May, which begins with two consecutive road matches, Saturday in Orlando and May 11 in Columbus, the first Hell Is Real since FC Cincinnati’s somber setback in the East Finals last December.
Photograph by Joseph Guzy
Here are five musings on FC Cincinnati as its six-match May commences:
Shoot to thrill
FC Cincinnati’s 25 shots Saturday equaled a club record—12 were on target—and only some nifty saves by Colorado goalkeeper Zack Steffen, the former No. 1 for the U.S. Men’s National Team, kept the scoreline from being inflated. Yuya Kubo, deputizing at striker once again with Aaron Boupendza seemingly in a “super sub” role for now, tied a FCC record with seven shots and set a new club mark with five shots on target.
Calming the waters
After mustering just 27 points in 34 league matches in 2023, the Rapids entered with 15 points from nine matches this season. Djordje Mihailovic, who had 35 goal contributions from 2021-22 with CF Montreal, was a statement-of-intent offseason signing, as was Steffen, who had spent the past half-decade playing in the top divisions of England and Germany.
FC Cincinnati welcomed the visitors with rude intentions, controlling the match with 58 percent possession (a near-season-high) and the aforementioned peppering of the Colorado goal. The Rapids managed just a pair of shots on target.
Dependency on Acosta is fine, for now
The 2023 MLS MVP was in sparkling form once again, recording his fourth score of 2024, edging him past Brandon Vazquez for the most goals in FCC history. (Side note: Vazquez and his new club, Liga MX side Monterrey, host Columbus in Mexico tonight in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal, trailing 2-1 on aggregate.)
The Orange and Blue’s reliance on Acosta is as evident as ever, with nine of 12 league goals being scored or assisted on by him. In 2023, he contributed to 31 of the team’s 57 goals; in 2022, it was 29. As FC Cincinnati continues to sort through its slow start offensively—though FCC has notched multiple goals in back-to-back matches for the first time in 2024, a sign of progress—Acosta remains as crucial as ever.
Kevin Kelsy is official
What was widely reported last week became official on Tuesday: Venezuela forward Kevin Kelsy has joined FC Cincinnati on loan from Ukrainian power Shakhtar Donetsk. The 6-foot-3 Kelsy brings an aerial threat that the team has lacked since Vazquez left for Mexico. Kelsy also boasts an impressive resume for a 19-year-old:
- 68 professional appearances spanning Europe and South America, including five in UEFA Champions League, the highest level of football in the world.
- Nine goals in 37 matches for Shakhtar, including one apiece in the Champions League and Europa League.
- 16 appearances for Venezuela youth national team sides, including two goals in this winter’s CONMEBOL pre-Olympic tournament.
Kelsy trained this week and is eligible to make his debut Saturday in Orlando.
Odds and ends
FC Cincinnati Director of Sports Performance Gary Walker is heading back to the Premier League as Brighton & Hove Albion’s Head of Performance. Walker was the first in his position in FCC history, joining the club in 2019 after 11 years with English Premier League power Manchester United. Anecdotally, FC Cincinnati has enjoyed good health under Walker’s stewardship, and the club noted that it is 14-2-5 (wins/losses/draws) when playing a match on two days’ rest since 2022.
Injured No. 1 goalkeeper Roman Celentano returned to training last week but did not appear in the match day squad. He hasn’t played in over a month, with Alec Kann primarily filling in.
Yamil Asad, a 29-year-old midfielder, made his second appearance for the Orange and Blue on Saturday after signing as a free agent in late March. Asad, who has 124 career MLS appearances between stops with Atlanta United and D.C. United, gives Pat Noonan an experienced midfield bench option along with youngsters Malik Pinto and Dada Valenzuela—particularly with Kubo playing striker in recent weeks.
Grant Freking writes FC Cincinnati coverage for Cincinnati Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter at @GrantFreking.
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