skip navigation

Gameday Report: September 11, Week 27

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 09/11/18, 8:39PM EDT

Share

Cincinnati’s defense holds firm in 1-0 victory against Louisville


Photo courtesy Em-Dash Photography / Louisville City FC

THREE THINGS THAT MATTERED

1. FC Cincinnati clinched at least one home game in the 2018 USL Cup Playoffs and moved that much closer to the 2018 USL Regular Season Championship as it held firm defensively throughout the remaining 52 minutes of the third River Cities Cup clash of the season on Tuesday night, allowing Corben Bone’s goal in the previous segment of the game on Saturday to stand as the winner. Cincinnati is now 14 points clear of its rivals in the Eastern Conference and nine points clear of Western Conference leader Orange County SC, making it the odds-on favorite to lift the first silverware of the season.

2. Louisville came out with positive energy but the hosts never seemed to catch fire in attack the way they had on Saturday night as clear chances were relatively few during the resumption. The biggest chance Louisville will look back on with regret was the one that fell to Speedy Williams in the 59th minute that the Jamaican sent over with Cincinnati goalkeeper Spencer Richey scrambling to recover after having parried George Davis IV’s cross from the right, but Louisville finished with only one effort on goal in its 10 shots in the second half as its winless streak reached three games.

3. Richey’s somewhat errant clearance that led to Williams’ opportunity for Louisville was just about the only wrong foot placed by the goalkeeper, who was commanding otherwise in making decisive clearances from Louisville’s attacks down the flanks. Richey finished the game with five saves – four of which came in the dreadful conditions in Saturday that helped keep the visitors in the game – and three punched clearances to pick up an impressive shutout on the road as his center back pairing of Paddy Barrett and Forrest Lasso also put in work, combining for 25 clearances overall.

GAME REPORTS

LOUISVILLE CITY FC (0), FC CINCINNATI (1)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – FC Cincinnati saw out a 1-0 victory against Louisville City FC at Slugger Field on Tuesday night as Corben Bone’s goal prior to Saturday’s postponement of the game stood as the winner to extend FCC’s lead at the top of the Eastern Conference. With Cincinnati holding a 1-0 lead as the game resumed in the 38th minute, Louisville’s Cameron Lancaster tried to pull the hosts level in the 40th minute with a free kick that went just wide of the left post from almost 30 yards. Lancaster then had a turning shot seven minutes into the second half following a Louisville corner kick that FCC goalkeeper Spencer Richey got down well to turn aside, while Speedy Williams fired over in the 59th minute after Richey had parried a cross by George Davis IV into the middle of the penalty area. Cincinnati’s first good look of the night came in the 62nd minute when Emery Welshman flashed a shot just wide of the left post from the top of the penalty area, and Fatai Alashe sent a finish wide of the left post after a pass by Welshman into the penalty area six minutes later. Louisville continued to press inside the final 15 minutes to try and find a way through FCC’s defense, but Richey made an excellent punched clearance to send a dangerous ball by Kyle Smith from the right away from the advancing forwards in the 79th minute. Louisville’ Paolo DelPiccolo fired wide of the right post from 25 yards in the 89th minute as he appeared to see a sliver of space open for an opportunity, but when Luke Spencer’s header flew well high deep in stoppage time it proved to be Louisville’s last chance to salvage a point.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match
Forrest Lasso, FC Cincinnati
– Lasso recorded 13 of Cincinnati’s 50 clearances for the game to lead a strong rearguard action that earned Cincinnati its second victory all-time at Slugger Field.

Follow the USL Championship

Most Recent News

Most Read News

Latest Videos