Pat Noonan said his FC Cincinnati side must become a team again in order to return to winning ways after their winless MLS run extended to three games in midweek.

The Orange and Blue were on the wrong side of a five-goal thriller, losing 3-2 to New York City FC as another slow start was punished at the Red Bull Arena.

While having already secured their spot in the playoffs, Noonan expressed the importance of team cohesion for the final two games of the regular season, starting this weekend against Orlando City.

"We need to be more of a team on the field. I think we have too many individual moments where we're not doing what is in the best interest of the team," Noonan said.

"It's a lot of players at a lot of different times. It's not a singular thing. We're making too many decisions where guys want to be the playmaker, they want to be the goalscorer, they want to be the assist man.

“We need to do simple things better. We overcomplicate the game right now."

Orlando, meanwhile, come into the encounter at the TQL Stadium having won five of their last six MLS games, the latest of which came in a 2-1 victory over Philadelphia Union.

Over that period of success, the Lions have scored 16 goals, conceding only six as they continue to build momentum ahead of their upcoming playoff campaign.

Head coach Oscar Pareja was pleased with his side’s display against the Union last time out, believing his side are currently the best team in the division at this moment in time.

“We are obviously very happy and satisfied with the way the team has found ways to win games and put us in a decent spot in the standings at this time of the season,” Pareja said.

“Another hard game, well played by us. We could’ve had more precision in certain moments when we could have put the game away from Philadelphia [Union], but we ended up just finishing with the 2-1 [win].

“Very tight plays at the end with them pushing and really making us feel that it could be a tight game. But all in all, I thought we were the best team on the pitch, and we have been one of the best teams in the league for me."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

Acosta has recorded a goal contribution in each of his last three matches, including scoring on Wednesday night.

This is the Argentine’s 11th different streak of three or more consecutive regular-season games with a goal contribution since the start of the 2022 season.

Orlando City – Facundo Torres

Torres scored in Orlando City’s win on Wednesday, his sixth straight match with a goal contribution, equalling the club record.

The Uruguayan is the third Lions player to record such a streak, after Martin Ojeda and Sacha Kljestan.

MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN

While Cincinnati are favoured to win by Opta’s data-led simulations, they have lost five of their last nine regular-season home matches (W3 D1) dating back to late May. Cincinnati had lost only three of their previous 31 home league matches dating back to June 2022.

Orlando, meanwhile, have enjoyed games away from home. Their win over Dallas last time out was their seventh road win of the season and 16th overall since the start of the 2023 campaign. Only Cincinnati (17) has more away wins since the start of last season than Orlando.

However, the last seven meetings between Cincinnati and Orlando have all been either drawn (two) or decided by a one-goal margin (Cincinnati W3, Orlando W2). There have been three total goals scored in the last four games between the sides.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

FC Cincinnati – 43.7%

Draw – 26.8%

Orlando City – 29.5%

Pat Noonan is expecting Los Angeles FC to pose a tough test to FC Cincinnati, especially as they are coming off the back of their US Open Cup success.

Cincinnati sit second in the Eastern Conference and are currently unbeaten in four matches, alternating between a win and a draw in that run.

They let a lead slip twice in a 2-2 draw with Nashville SC last time out though, and Noonan knows his side cannot let their guard down at TQL Stadium on Saturday.

"[LAFC] are coming in on a high," Noonan said. "They're a very strong team. They just won a trophy, and rightfully so, they should be coming in with good energy and excitement.

"They've won some [finals], they've lost some, but they have experience in getting there and knowing what those games look like.

"So, this isn't a final, but what you've come to expect from them is a team that knows how to get to big games and play in big games."

LAFC had lost each of their last four finals before Wednesday's triumph but put that behind them to beat Sporting Kansas City 3-1.

In MLS, they are fourth in the Western Conference, having failed to win any of their last five games.

Head coach Steve Cherundolo was pleased with their Cup success but acknowledged that they still had big improvements to make in the league.

"The theme of the last couple of weeks is that we've been hurting ourselves. Teams were not beating us, we were beating ourselves," Cherundolo said.

"That's troublesome and frustrating, but it's also a good problem to have. It means we're in control of our own destiny and this team understands that."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

Luciano Acosta has recorded 90 goal contributions over the last three seasons (39 goals, 51 assists).

He is just the second player in MLS history to record at least 90 goal contributions over a three-season span (Sebastian Giovinco – 92 from 2015-17).

Los Angeles FC – Mateusz Bogusz

Mateusz Bogusz has recorded a goal contribution in each of his last seven appearances on the road.

There has been only one longer single-season streak since the start of the 2020 season: Gustavo Bou – eight straight in 2021.

MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN

Cincinnati have won just three of their last eight regular-season home matches (D1 L4). They have scored 14 goals in the three wins in that time but managed just two goals in the other five matches.

Los Angeles won each of their first two meetings with Cincinnati, recording a 2-0 win in Los Angeles in April 2019 and a 2-1 win in Cincinnati in April 2022. LAFC are the only opponent Cincinnati have faced more than once in regular season play and have never come away with a point.

However, LAFC are winless in five straight regular season matches (D2 L3) following a 3-1 loss at FC Dallas on Saturday. Los Angeles have had only one longer winless run in regular season play in club history, going eight straight without a win in July-August 2021.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

FC Cincinnati – 40.9%

Draw – 26.7%

Los Angeles FC – 32.5%