Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s Superman, Brandon Vazquez, the amazing forward for FC Cincinnati , who sent the club to the next round of the MLS playoffs with a timely finish that found the net in the 86’ at Red Bulls Arena in New Jersey and ended the New York Red Bulls season.
With the goal, FCC wins 2-1, and receives another playoff game Thursday evening against the top seeded Philadelphia Union, who sat on a first round bye. New York goes home and wonders what happened to their season so full of promise after yet another first round playoff loss, their fourth in a row.
The other Cincy goal was a penalty kick by Luciano Acosta in the 74th minute, after midfielder, Argentinian Alvaro Barreal, drew a penalty in the box.
Lewis Morgan had the goal for New York.
First Half
FCC Starting 11
Cincinnati started with their usual 3-5-2 formation, while the Red Bulls countered with a 4-2-3-1.
The play in the first half from both clubs was sloppy and clumsy. Each side had a five attempts. Pat Noonan, FCC head coach, mentioned the lack of activity in the first half.
“Choppy match, I think, (and), in a lot of ways to be expected with it being a playoff game and our opponent. But we got through 45 minutes where, not a whole lot either way.”
The truly best attempt was NY’s free kick at the 45’ where FCC goalie Roman Celentano punched it just over his bar, making one of his six saves on the day.
Second Half – Early NYRB goal!
The action started with the 2nd half kickoff. The Red Bulls pushed the play and by the 48’ minute, the first playoff goal was scored by Scottish born, Lewis Morgan.
🏴 | Lewis Morgan
Another game. Another goal. ✅
Just the eighteen goals from the New York Red Bulls winger this season 👊🏾⚽pic.twitter.com/Gv2oGQIJWT
— Everything Scotland 🏴 (@AboutScotlandd) October 15, 2022
NY pumped a header into the box, and it was cleared by Cincy right to the feet of Morgan. The Scottish national player took a small touch then fired a laser to Celentano’s upper right that found net.
Celentano was somewhat shielded by the number of jerseys in front of him. He explained what happened after the game.
“When he takes the shot, I see him go to hit it but I don’t see the ball but I don’t see the ball coming through. I reacted too late. At the end of the day, Lewis Morgan’s a class player and he has the ability to do what he wants with the ball.”
Noonan was pleased with the goal, for it woke his players up.
“[I]n a strange way, I think the goal helped us to play a little bit and try to attack with the ball on the ground at times.”
First Close Call for FCC!
Shortly after, it appeared that Cincinnati had indeed awaked! In the 53’ an attempt by Brenner Souza Da Silva is parried away by NYRB goalie Carlos Coronel. Then, VAR stepped up.
A ball in the New York box is cleared out to FCC. Junior Moreno appeared to score the equalizer but the video aided referee said otherwise! The shot deflected off Geoff Cameron, who was up to help with the throw in inside the Bulls box, but was deemed to be offsides. No goal for now. But the goal would come!
First Goal FCC!
Yuya Kubo, brought into the game as a substitute by Noonan, started the play with his 72’ pass that led to the events for Acosta’s PK.
Kubo’s cross-pitch pass opened the play. Acosta was fouled and given a free kick. Taking it quickly, he found Barreal in the box, who was brought down about ten yards the right of the goalpost and near the endline. With the penalty given, Acosta finished the play with a beauty to Coronel’s left.
Spot on.
🫡 @LuchoAcosta94 pic.twitter.com/JvSWQ3DXZI
— x – FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) October 15, 2022
Second Goal!
Now both sides increased their level of tenacity. But it was the play of Cincinnati’s pancake eating Superman that put them ahead for good!
1) Santos has completely changed this game.
2) RBNY have no ability to possession, so simple moments like this at midfield can be fatal
3) Vazquez for #USMNT pic.twitter.com/tRusGG6Ti3— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) October 15, 2022
Obi Nwobodo took a sweet pass from Santos, who was a pain to the Red Bulls since coming on as a sub, down the far side of the pitch and outraced Dylan Nealis, the centerback for NY. His curling left-footed pass found space, and Brandon out muscled his way to the ball and finished the play. Why he hasn’t been called up to the US Men’s National Team is ludicrous? Orange and Blue up 2-1!
12 Minutes of Added Time? What?
Cincinnati had more work to bring the win home. They needed to defend for 12 additional minutes! After a few saves and scary moments, the final whistle blew, and the team and their avid followers who made the trip to New Jersey celebrated the win!
Cincy forward Vazquez, who enjoyed a birthday earlier in the week, commented on the team’s confidence in his press conference:
“It’s a quick turnaround. We’re gonna go out with the same mentality we come out with every game. Doesn’t matter who we play. We’ve gotta play our same style and I believe that, with the group we have, anything is possible. We’ve done it before and we can do it again.”
Happy birthday, big fella!
Next for FCC?
The Orange and Blue now head to the semi-finals against the Philadelphia Union.
Time: 8:00PM
Where: Subaru Park, Philadelphia
Tickets: SeatGeek
Highlights
Missed the game? Here are the highlights courtesy of MLS.
Stats for the game
FCC Red Bulls
49% Possession 51%
12 Shots 16
6 On goal 7
59% Pass Acc% 59%
7 Corners 6
6 Saves 4
2 Goals 1
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