FC Cincinnati draw with CF Montréal

Thrilling Showdown: FC Cincinnati Battle CF Montréal to 1-1 Draw in Nail-Biting Finish

FC Cincinnati draw with CF Montréal showcases late-game heroics by Acosta.

FC Cincinnati Draws 1-1 Against CF Montréal: Acosta’s Heroics Shine in Late Penalty Drama

By Noah Ellis, NewsBurrow News Network

Cincinnati, OH – In a thrilling matchup at Stade Saputo, FC Cincinnati’s captain, Luciano Acosta, etched his name in club history with a dramatic stoppage-time penalty goal. This stunning moment salvaged a point for the Orange and Blue in their 1-1 draw against CF Montréal on Wednesday night.

The match started with both teams displaying fierce determination. For FC Cincinnati (17-4-8), the stakes were high as they aimed to extend their lead in the Supporters’ Shield standings. Meanwhile, CF Montréal (11-14-4) was eager to climb the Eastern Conference standings.

Throughout the first half, the teams wrestled for control, but it was the Orange and Blue’s Santiago Arias who nearly broke the deadlock in the 41st minute. Luciano Acosta delivered a tantalizing out-swinging cross from a corner, finding Arias’s head. Unfortunately for Cincinnati, the effort veered just wide of the near post.

The breakthrough came in the 53rd minute when CF Montréal’s Kwadwo Opoku scored his third goal of the season. A remarkable solo effort and strike from outside the 18-yard box gave the hosts a 1-0 lead.

FC Cincinnati, undeterred by the deficit, mounted a comeback. Substitute Yuya Kubo, who entered the match in the 68th minute, nearly leveled the score with a blistering shot. Acosta and Álvaro Barreal combined brilliantly down the left wing before Barreal teed up Kubo. The ensuing strike forced goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois into an acrobatic save, rebounding off the crossbar and back into play.

As the clock ticked down, FC Cincinnati’s resilience paid off. In the dying moments of second-half stoppage time, they were awarded a crucial penalty. Substitute Dominique Badji drew the foul following a collision with Sirois at the edge of the area.

Acosta, the man of the hour, stepped up confidently and delivered a powerful penalty into the back of the net. This marked his 14th goal of the MLS season, securing a valuable point for his team.

The drama of this encounter was further emphasized by FC Cincinnati’s recent trend of conceding early goals. Despite allowing the first goal in eight of their last nine MLS matches, they managed to maintain a commendable 4-2-3 record during that stretch.

Looking ahead, FC Cincinnati will return home on Saturday, September 23, to face Charlotte FC. The club will be celebrating Noche Latina, and fans can catch the action with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. Limited tickets are still available at FCCincinnati.com/Tickets or by calling (513) 977-5425 (KICK).

In terms of historical context, FC Cincinnati continues to maintain an edge over CF Montréal, boasting a record of 4-3-2 in their all-time meetings. Notably, only three of the nine encounters between the clubs have featured fewer than three combined goals.

Under the guidance of Head Coach Pat Noonan, FC Cincinnati’s unbeaten run in midweek regular season matches continues, with an impressive record of 6-0-5 on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Across all competitions since the start of last season, they’ve posted an impressive 11-1-7 record.

Despite some struggles, FC Cincinnati’s defense has been relatively sturdy in the second half of games this season, conceding just ten goals. This performance is notable when compared to other clubs that have allowed at least 14 second-half goals.

A closer look at their ability to recover from losing positions reveals that FC Cincinnati has earned 14 points this season, with only Philadelphia Union recovering more (15).

Luciano Acosta’s penalty in the 90’+7 minute added another chapter to FC Cincinnati’s history, marking the latest converted penalty kick in club history. This achievement places him among the elite few who have converted penalties during stoppage time for the team.

Roman Celentano, the goalkeeper for FC Cincinnati, faced just one shot on target during the match, making this the sixth time this season that he hasn’t had to make a save. Impressively, FC Cincinnati has maintained a 4-1-1 record in matches where Celentano hasn’t been called into action.

The lineups for both teams featured strong selections. FC Cincinnati fielded a squad consisting of Roman Celentano, Álvaro Barreal, Ian Murphy, Matt Miazga, Nick Hagglund, Santiago Arias, Junior Moreno, Obinna Nwobodo, Luciano Acosta, Aaron Boupendza, and Brandon Vazquez. On the other side, CF Montréal’s lineup included Jonathan Sirois, Joel Waterman, George Campbell, Gabriele Corbo, Victor Wanyama, Bryce Duke, Nathan-Dylan Saliba, Mathieu Choinière, Kwadwo Opoku, Ariel Lassiter, and Mason Toye.

The match statistics reflect the competitive nature of the game, with CF Montréal registering 5 shots and 1 on target, while FC Cincinnati had 14 shots and 5 on target. The teams also shared corner kicks, with CF Montréal earning 5 and FC Cincinnati 7. The match witnessed 10 fouls from CF Montréal and 8 from FC Cincinnati, as well as an offside call against CF Montréal and 6 against FC Cincinnati. Possession was nearly evenly split, with CF Montréal holding 45.9% and FC Cincinnati 54.1%.

In terms of misconduct, several players received yellow cards during the match. Victor Wanyama from CF Montréal was booked in the 34th minute, while Matt Miazga of FC Cincinnati received a yellow card in the 90th minute. Additional yellow cards were handed out to Chinonso Offor (CF Montréal) and Santiago Arias (FC Cincinnati) in the 90th+2 minute, and to Jonathan Sirois (CF Montréal) in the 90th+5 minute.

Officiating the match was Referee Jon Freemon, with Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho and Eric Weisbrod serving as Assistant Referees. Mathieu Souare acted as the Fourth Official, and Luis Guardia and Jozef Batko were in charge of VAR and AVAR, respectively.

In conclusion, this match between FC Cincinnati and CF Montréal will undoubtedly be remembered for the late-game drama and Acosta’s heroics. The draw maintains FC Cincinnati’s strong position in the Supporters’ Shield standings while leaving fans eager for more thrilling moments in the matches to come. As the season progresses, the Orange and Blue will be aiming to build on their resilience and continue their impressive run in midweek fixtures under the guidance of Head Coach Pat Noonan. Stay tuned for more exciting MLS action from FC Cincinnati on NewsBurrow.com! Join the conversation by commenting below and let us know your thoughts on this gripping encounter.

Thrilling Showdown: FC Cincinnati Battle CF Montréal to 1-1 Draw in Nail-Biting Finish

As the excitement of FC Cincinnati’s dramatic draw with CF Montréal still lingers, it’s a perfect time to celebrate your passion for soccer and show your support for your favorite team. What better way to do that than by donning the colors of your beloved club with pride? In the spirit of this electrifying match, we invite you to explore our selection of high-quality soccer jerseys. These jerseys not only embody the essence of the game but also let you wear your team’s identity like a true fan.

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