Wounded but dangerous, FC Cincinnati will look to get back on track and into the chase for the Supporters’ Shield when they visit new-look FC Dallas on Saturday in Frisco, Texas.
Cincinnati (12-4-3, 39 points) has dropped two of its past four matches after a season-best seven-match winning streak, with its latest outing a 2-1 loss at home to New England on June 22. The Orange and Blue conceded two early goals before closing the gap on Yamil Asad’s tally in the 65th minute.
Cincinnati went down a man when Obinna Nwobodo picked up his second yellow card of the match just before the 70th minute. The club was then forced to play with nine after Nick Hagglund was carted off with what was later diagnosed as a broken fibula.
“It was a tough night for us for a lot of reasons,” Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan said. “What some of those guys did physically throughout the week and to push themselves despite being down a couple goals and a man, and then two men, speaks to their character. That’s the positive that comes out of this.”
The club announced Wednesday that defender Matt Miazga will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery.
“Now you just look to find ways with what we have to continue to go out and perform and see different things, see who can step up,” Noonan said.
Cincinnati is a league-best 7-1-1 away from home this season.
Dallas (5-9-5, 20 points) heads home after a 3-2 loss at Seattle on June 22 that snapped the Toros’ two-match winning streak under interim coach Peter Luccin. Petar Musa and Patrickson Delgado had Dallas’ goals, with Delgado adding an assist.
Dallas has excelled offensively in the three matches with Luccin at the helm, averaging three goals per match after scoring just 18 goals in its first 16 contests. But the Toros’ focus on the scoring end has also created opportunities for the opposition, as Dallas has allowed three goals in back-to-back match. Four of those six goals have come after the 75th minute.
“This Saturday is very important for us as staff,” Luccin said. “We want to make sure that we’re on the same page. We’re not pushing the players too much. We have a good group, so right now (it’s) just about management, is just about rotation.”
The Toros will also be short-handed as midfielder Delgado (knee) and forward Jesus Ferreira (hamstring) are battling injuries.
It’s the second meeting between the two sides and first since 2019, when FC Dallas forged a 3-1 victory.
–Field Level Media
