On Star Wars Night at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, FC Cincinnati welcomed back Luciano Acosta for the first time since his offseason departure. However, the home team struggled to hold onto their leads, ultimately settling for a 3-3 draw against an 11th-place opponent they were expected to beat.
FC Cincinnati’s goals came from Pavel Bucha, Kevin Denkey, and Gerardo Valanzuela, while Petar Musa, Anderson Julio, and Sebastien Ibeagha found the back of the net for FC Dallas. Despite Cincinnati’s strong attacking presence, Dallas fought back to secure a 3-3 draw.
First Half
Just past the 29-minute mark in the first half, FC Cincinnati finally broke through after multiple close chances in the opening stretch. Pavel Bucha capitalized on a ball from DeAndre Yedlin, striking the ball from the center of the box. His shot deflected off an FC Dallas defender before slipping past goalkeeper Maarten Paes, putting the home team ahead 1-0. This marked Bucha’s first goal of the season.
FC Cincinnati doubled their lead later in the half, courtesy of a Kevin Denkey penalty kick. After being tripped by the FC Dallas keeper, Denkey stepped up and expertly placed his shot into the left corner of the net, bringing the score to 2-0.
FC Cincinnati headed into halftime with a 2-0 lead, having dominated possession at 64.8% and outshooting FC Dallas by a decisive margin of nine to two in the opening half.
Cincinnati’s strong first half was a stark contrast to their second, as the team struggled to maintain momentum. “We were excellent in the first half, and we were embarrassing in the second half,” said the coach. “There are guys that had no idea how to manage a two-goal lead and the momentum we had coming out of the break.”
Second Half
FC Dallas striker Petar Musa wasted no time cutting into the deficit early in the second half. He fired a precise shot from the right side of the box, slipping the ball past FC Cincinnati keeper Roman Celentano to bring the score to 2-1.
FC Dallas did not go away, though, and it was a complete defensive breakdown by FC Cincinnati as left midfielder Anderson Julio broke out on a breakaway, firing it past Celentano to even the game at 2-2.
Late in the half, FC Cincinnati reclaimed the lead with a goal from Gerardo Valanzuela, who struck the ball into the right corner for his fourth goal of the season.
However, the advantage was short-lived. FC Dallas’ Sebastien Ibeagha responded with a well-placed header from the center of the box into the middle-left zone, assisted by Patrickson Delgado.
The match ended in a 3-3 draw, with both teams earning one point each.
Post-game, the coaching staff expressed frustration at the team’s inability to hold their lead. “Like I said, the second half shows how far we are away from becoming a real team,” the coach admitted. “There are so many other things that we’re nowhere close to fixing right now.”
Defensive struggles were a clear concern as Cincinnati conceded seven goals in their last two matches. When asked about the defensive lapses, especially on the counterattack, the response was blunt: “There’s a lot to work on. We’re not good enough.”
The team continues to adjust its lineup, with Luca rotating positions in an attempt to find the right fit. Meanwhile, Cincinnati’s game plan successfully silenced Luciano Acosta, a small victory in an otherwise frustrating performance. “That was one component of the game we got right for most of the night,” said the coach.
As discussions around fixing defensive issues unfold, the team is looking ahead. “The idea is to move teams around, advance the ball, create chances,” the coach reflected. “But how do you organize behind the ball? How are you alert in transition moments? There are guys who are nowhere close on the defensive side of the ball to understanding the game.”
With ongoing struggles in managing leads and responding defensively, FC Cincinnati faces important conversations about adjustments moving forward.
