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FC Cincinnati Eyes History in Open Cup

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 08/14/17, 2:37PM EDT

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Hosts New York Red Bulls on Tuesday in Semifinals at sold out Nippert Stadium


Photo courtesy Erik Schelkun / FC Cincinnati

CINCINNATI – FC Cincinnati will try to become the first USL club to reach the Final of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup since 2008 as a sellout crowd at Nippert Stadium will see the side host the New York Red Bulls on Tuesday night. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET, and the game will be aired on television locally on WSTR and nationally online at ussoccer.com.

Cincinnati is the first USL club since 2011 to reach this stage of the tournament, matching the feat of the Richmond Kickers six years ago. The side claimed a 1-0 victory against Miami FC on Aug. 2 in the Quarterfinals as Djiby Fall scored his fourth goal of the tournament, putting him tied for the tournament lead.

FCC will be without its Senegalese striker against the Red Bulls, however, as he recorded his third yellow card of the tournament against Miami, and is suspended for caution accumulation. Fall has been the lone player to score in regulation or overtime in the Open Cup this season, putting pressure on the rest of the squad to step up in his absence.


Photo courtesy Erik Schelkun / FC Cincinnati

Cincinnati will be looking to bounce back from a club-record defeat in its last league outing, too, having suffered a 5-0 defeat against Louisville City FC this past Saturday night in front of 13,812 fans at Slugger Field. The club’s defensive record in the Open Cup has been immaculate, however, with the side yet to concede a goal in its five wins to reach this stage, and holding a 579-minute shutout streak that dates to last season.

Goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt has been at the forefront of the streak, and his heroics in the Round of 16 provided arguably the most memorable moment of this year’s tournament to this point. Hildebrandt recorded three saves against the Chicago Fire in a penalty shootout as goals by Josu, Harrison Delbridge and Jimmy McLaughlin sent the side through 3-1 after a scoreless draw through regulation and overtime that sent a crowd of 32,287 at Nippert Stadium into massive celebration.


Photo courtesy Erik Schelkun / FC Cincinnati

FCC will welcome an even bigger crowd on Tuesday night, with the club announcing last Monday that it had sold out the game with the Red Bulls in less than a day. Cincinnati’s club record attendance is 35,061 in an international exhibition against the Premier League’s Crystal Palace last season, while the Open Cup’s record attendance is 35,315 held by Seattle Sounders FC for the tournament’s 2011 final.

Should Cincinnati take victory, it would become the first USL club to reach the final since the Charleston Battery in 2008. The winner of Tuesday night’s contest will face Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Sporting Park on Sept. 20 in the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final.

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