FC Cincinnati scored two timely goals in stoppage time and put on some clutch defense for a big win in the Leagues Cup.
Cincinnati shut out Pumas UNAM 2-0 in their second group-stage game of the Leagues Cup Aug. 7 in front of 20,767 fans at TQL Stadium. Pavel Bucha and Kenji Mboma Dem scored in stoppage time in each half to give the team an important two-goal win.
The Orange and Blue are now 2-0 in the tournament and plus-4 in goal differential (5-1). Cincinnati hosts Altas FC (0-2) in the final group-stage game 8 p.m. Aug. 11.
“Certainly a good result on a warm night,” said FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan. “I think we were just a little bit off in certainly some attacking areas. Looked like there was some fatigue there, even with some fresh bodies. Got really humid and maybe didn’t feel that way for everybody, but I think the guys at some point were feeling it a little bit.”
Here are some takeaways from the win.
How is FC Cincinnati faring in the Leagues Cup?
Charlotte and Columbus also improved to 2-0 on Aug. 7. There are 15 remaining games in Round 2 of the group phase, 13 of them Aug. 8-9, so it’s impossible to say where Cincinnati stands. However, the two wins give them a chance to control their own destiny against Atlas.
In the first round of the group stage, 10 of 18 MLS teams won in regulation. Seven of them, including Cincinnati, won by two goals, and two of them won by three goals. Charlotte was one of those and is currently plus-5.
If round two turns out similarly, there could be a major scrum for the four spots in round three, which will be Aug. 11-13. Noonan acknowledged postgame that 9 points might not be enough.
FC Cincinnati gets first clean sheet in 10 games
Evan Louro had four saves and played well in chaotic situations in the goal box.
“I think we were just all on the same page and communicated really well,” Louro said. “People were sliding for blocks and stuff like that. I think we just all were really good.”
Pumas generated a decent amount of chances and had an expected-goal number of 2.1 to only 1.2 for Cincinnati. But the visitors could never quite the right touch on the ball or the accuracy on a shot attempt they needed as they were shut out for the second time in the tournament.
Cincinnati posted its first shutout in 10 games since April 25, when they won 2-0 over Red Bull New York at TQL Stadium. Cincy now has six clean sheets, four of them in international competition.
“It’s nice to have kept a clean sheet,” Noonan said. “We relied on a couple big moments in saves from Evan and then they missed a couple. So it didn’t feel like we were in complete control all game long because there are games where you don’t keep a clean sheet and you have better defensive performances than that. So I’m pleased that we kept a clean sheet, but I do know that there was a lot that could have been improved to prevent some of those dangerous looks that they had. But still nice to see a zero as far as goals conceded. It’s been a while.”
Miles Robinson started in the middle of the back line with Andrei Chirila and Kyle Smith on the sides.
“I thought Miles and Kyle were outstanding today,” Noonan said. “Ender (Echenique) made really key plays for us there as well. Not just that final action, he was one of our threats to stretch the field, made some really key plays on the back post defensively.”
Pumas just missed high on a header in the 29th minute that would have given them the lead.
Pumas missed a golden opportunity to tie it in the 72nd minute. A Cincy turnover at midfield put Pumas in transition. Louro blocked a close-in shot. Francisco Cordova had open space on the rebound but shot over the crossbar.
Pumas had 16 shots, four on target to 14 and 4 for Cincinnati.
“I think between this game and the last game, even the San Jose game, I think those are three really good teams and they’re dangerous,” Louro said. “Obviously it hasn’t been where we wanted it to be, defensively speaking, but I think the stuff that we worked on, it’s coming to fruition. And we’re getting our guys back in consistent minutes and stuff like that. We’ve got a lot of injuries, honestly a lot of unlucky bounces and stuff like that. But at the end of the day, it’s all going to sort itself out.”
Louro’s opposite number was Keylor Navas, a 39-year old who starred for European powers Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
“I grew up a Madrid fan my whole life,” Louro said. “My dad’s a Madrid fan. So obviously it was really cool between this year playing Kaylor Navas and last year playing Sergio Ramos (with Monterrey). It’s obviously a full circle moment for me. So for how cool it is, I’m just glad we got the win.”
How FC Cincinnati scored its goals
Pavel Bucha scored in first-half stoppage time. He dribbled into space in the middle of the 18 and fired a rocket that Pumas keeper Keilor Navas probably should have saved but the ball bounced off him a couple of times.
It was Bucha’s second goal in the tournament and sixth of the season. It is his 19th in a Cincinnati uniform, tying Alvaro Barreal and Yuya Kubo for eighth in club history. Danni Konig and Emmanuel Ledesma are tied for sixth with 22. It is also Bucha’s fifth career goal in the Leagues Cup, tying Brandon Vazquez’s club record.
Evander notched his 13th assist and 32nd with Cincy, second in club history.
Bucha’s goal narrowly prevented Cincinnati’s first 0-0 first half in a game since April 11 at Toronto. Both games against Toronto this season were scoreless at the break, as was Cincy’s early 1-0 loss at Minnesota.
Cincy put it away in second-half stoppage time. Right after clearing a cross in their 18, Cincinnati ran in transition. Ender Echenique fought to control the ball at midfield and got it to Kenji Mboma Dem, who fired a rocket inside the left post from 20 yards. That was Mboma Dem’s eighth goal of the season.
Noonan praised Echenique’s toughness and speed to set up that goal as well as his defense in the goal box.
“I think a lot of credit goes to the coaches and to Coach Noonan for how they’ve taught me,” Echenique said through an interpreter. “I think they’ve done a lot to teach me a lot of different things on the defensive side of the ball. And I think I’m beginning to be much more comfortable on both sides of the field.”
Noonan earns 100th career win with FC Cincinnati
Noonan picked up his 100th career win as FC Cincinnati head coach. Hired for his first head coaching role in 2022, his overall record is 100-52-47. His teams are now 24-12-11 on two days rest.
“It’s not something I search out, but it’s a testament to the body of work from us together,” Noonan said. “It’s all of us working together to try to achieve our goals and I don’t want to diminish it. I’m very appreciative, but I’m appreciative because of how you get there with the people that you work with and staff members, players. This is a really good group and I appreciate those relationships and that always brings out the best in the individuals … I appreciate that it’s done in front of our fans who give us incredible support. So while I don’t take it lightly, it’s not the end goal. We know what the end goal is and that’s sharing in the team moments with trophies, and that will always be No. 1 on our priority list.”
Said Evan Louro: “A hundred wins kind of speaks for itself. I think we all really believe in Pat. I think we all really trust Pat. He’s given us all the messages and all the game plans along with the staff, and I think that’s paramount to this club’s success.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati improves to 2-0 in Leagues Cup with win over Pumas
Reporting by James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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By James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
