New York City FC boss Nick Cushing rubbished rumours linking him with the vacant head coach position with Arsenal women, confirming he would remain in the MLS next season.

Cushing previously spent seven years in charge of Manchester City in the Women's Super League between 2013 and 2020 and has been touted for a return to England with the Gunners after Jonas Eidevall's dismissal last month.

Despite the rumours circulating around his future after leading NYCFC into the postseason, Cushing was quick to deny reports, saying: "I can confirm that I will be back here next year."

The Pigeons travel to the TQL Stadium to face FC Cincinnati this weekend in an encounter that will decide who will advance to the Eastern Conference semi-finals in the MLS playoffs.

Cushing encouraged his players to play their football and dig deep in their pursuit of a victory, adding his side can harness the momentum generated from their 3-1 win in Game 2.

"It's about trying to show our players how much our fans enjoy seeing that type of performance from our players," he said. "Not just the good football and the goals, but the guts and the fight and the desire to ensure that we are the team that goes through the next game right.

"The performance at Citi Field had everything. Not only did we play well and create chances, but the running numbers were excellent, as was the desire to make sure that we didn't give the second goal away.”

"We've got to make sure that we play the football that our fans deserve and that we know we can play, and in the difficult moments, you have to dig deep. We know who we are now. We've just got to make sure that we go prepared, and we deliver everything that we've got.”

Pat Noonan, meanwhile, noted that his side were unable to create clear-cut opportunities against NYCFC, which resulted in defeat last time out.

The Orange and Blue scored 58 goals in the regular season, with only the four sides who finished above them in the East netting more.

But despite their defeat in Game 2, Noonan is confident that his players will respond in their deciding fixture, not wanting to end their season just yet.

"We've created enough chances. These are playoff games. You're not going to score three, four, five goals a game. So sometimes one goal is going to have to be enough like we saw last week," Noonan said.

"I don't expect us to score at ease. That's just not how these games are played. But it was going to take a little bit more, and we just didn't finish some of those moments when it was 2-1 to level it in a better way or in a good enough way.

"I could see it in the locker room. The guys are going to move on from this pretty quickly. For a team that just lost a game, I think they recognise the good and the bad of the game to know they should feel confident going into Game 3.

"So at the moment, I don't think I need to say too much. I think they understand, and we'll just have good conversations about this game and what we think needs to improve when we go back home."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Cincinnati – Luca Orellano

Orellano scored Cincinnati's only goal in their Game 2 defeat to the Pigeons, notching his 13th goal in all competitions this term.

He is the seventh different player to score Cincinnati's last seven playoff goals dating back to last season's first round. Four of those seven scorers hail from Argentina.

NYCFC – Alonso Martinez

Martinez found the back of the net against Cincinnati in NYCFC's 3-1 win in Game 2, taking his tally to two goals in five appearances against the Orange and Blue.

Along with Santiago Rodriguez, either Martinez (nine) or his Uruguayan team-mate (five) have scored 14 of NYCFC's 21 goals in the regular season and playoffs since MLS returned from the Leagues Cup break in August.

MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN

Cincinnati's 3-1 defeat in Game 2 was the fifth time they conceded multiple goals in their last seven matches dating back to the end of the regular season.

They are winless when allowing multiple goals in that time (D1 L4) while winning both matches in which they held their opponent under two goals.

NYCFC have won only one of their last 14 away matches in all competitions dating back to late May (D6 L7). Overall, they have won just five out of 40 away matches in all competitions since the start of last season (D15 L20).

The Pigeons' win over Cincinnati last Saturday was their second win of the season over Noonan's side, both coming at home. Cincinnati have won their last five home matches against NYCFC in all competitions, though, including a 1-0 victory in Game 1 of their best-of-three series.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

FC Cincinnati – 50%

Draw – 25.3%

NYCFC – 24.7%

Nick Cushing is relishing the “underdog” title put on his New York City FC side as they prepare for their first-round playoff tie against FC Cincinnati.

The Pigeons finished the regular season with a 2-0 defeat to CF Montreal but had already confirmed their spot in the postseason with an impressive victory over rivals, New York Red Bulls.

Cushing acknowledged his side could have finished further up the Eastern Conference rankings, but said his team have shown positive signs they can compete in the playoffs.

“Whether we are the underdog or not, we always fancy ourselves,” Cushing said. “I have huge belief in every guy in that dressing room, and they have huge belief in each other.

“We’ve had some disappointing results and that’s why we sit where we do in the league. The most consistent teams are at the top, but we have also shown a positive reaction to those difficult results.

“For us, it’s about taking the positives. We have always done that. We have always faced up to the areas we need to improve and have always fronted the disappointment.

“We’ve had some top games against Cincinnati, and we’re confident we can put performances in, and we’re motivated for the end.”

Cincinnati, meanwhile, ended the season third in the division, finishing their campaign on a high with a triumph over the Philadelphia Union away from home.

The Orange and Blue have struggled for continuity within their squad in the regular season, with coach Pat Noonan forced to play 42 different line-ups in all 42 matches across all competitions.

Noonan deployed winger Luca Orellano, who has been shortlisted for MLS Newcomer of the Year, as a striker, with the Argentine impressing in that role.

And the Cincinnati boss believes that Orellano can make an impact in a more central role, but said improvements were needed for the visit of NYCFC.

“Yeah, there was a bit of risk in that," Noonan said of starting a player in a new position in such an important matchup. 

"If you're looking at our goal threats, as far as personnel and who's contributed pretty consistently, it's been the three that were up top today, with Lucho, Yuya and Luca.

"There were still a few moments where I think he could have been more patient. But, for having not played in that specific role up to this point, I thought he did a good job."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

Acosta has been the standout player for Cincinnati during the regular season, with his 30 goal contributions in the MLS the highest in the division (level with Lionel Messi and Evander).

He has recorded 13 goal contributions in his career against NYCFC (six goals, seven assists), including contributing to eight goals in his last five MLS matches against the Pigeons (four goals, four assists), contributing to at least one goal in each of those games.

NYCFC – Alonso Martinez

Martinez has scored eight goals in nine appearances since the MLS returned from the Leagues Cup break in August, tied with Messi and Luis Suarez for the most goals in the league in that time.

The Costa Rican has scored one goal against Cincinnati in his three appearances against them, but has only won one match against the Orange and Blue (L2).

MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN

This will be the first postseason meeting between Cincinnati and NYCFC. The Pigeons defeated Cincinnati in the last meeting between the two sides, after the Orange and Blue had won the previous five fixtures in all competitions.

Despite being favoured by Opta’s data-led simulations, Noonan’s side won only one of their final six regular-season home matches (D1 L4), including losing the last two in a row at TQL Stadium. Cincinnati had lost six of their previous 39 home league games before losing four of the last six.

But NYCFC have struggled away from home. They won only one of their final 13 away matches in all competitions (D6 L6) dating back to June. That run included a 4-2 loss against Cincinnati in the group stage of the Leagues Cup in August.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

FC Cincinnati – 46.9%

Draw – 26.4%

NYCFC – 26.7%

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%

Wilfried Nancy has called for cohesion and understanding from MLS decision-makers after the Columbus Crew were forced to play with midfielder Sean Zawadzki in goal in their 4-0 defeat to the Seattle Sounders.

Abraham Romero saw red at the end of the first half, and with both Patrick Schulte and Nicholas Hagen away on international duty, Zawadzki found himself wearing the gloves.

Romero was the Crew’s only goalkeeper in the matchday squad as players from Columbus’ reserve side can only be called up four times before signing a professional contract. 

Nancy asked MLS to allow an additional call-up for a backup goalkeeper but that request was rejected, leaving the Crew head coach furious at the full-time whistle.

“We are at 39 matches played,” Nancy said. “We were mandated to have three goalkeepers on the teamsheet. This is what we did. We had to use a call-up for a friendly game against Aston Villa.

“Why I'm not happy before the game and all the week it happened, I was not happy about that because there is a rule, as you know, we can use only four times, four call-ups [for] one player from the reserve team who has a contract.

“You know the issue that we had with the goalkeepers with Evan Bush. We tried to anticipate, adding a fourth goalkeeper, knowing that we could have a situation like this.

“When we asked before the game to have another call-up for our goalkeeper for the reserve team, they said no, knowing that this game [against] Seattle we were supposed to play in [May].”

Cincinnati, meanwhile, bounced back from their defeat to Inter Miami in style, comfortably dispatching CF Montreal 4-1 at the TQL Stadium last time out.

Pat Noonan’s side know the magnitude of their encounter this weekend, as a defeat would allow their opponents to leapfrog them in the Eastern Conference standings into second, with the Crew also having a game in hand.

While the pressure is seemingly on the hosts, Noonan is relishing the challenge of facing the Leagues Cup winners on home soil.

“Really pleased with the response from the last performance and just the overall play from our guys,” Noonan said.

“I thought on both sides of the ball they were outstanding – maybe a little bit fortunate on some of those goals – but I am very pleased with the outcome and how the guys stepped up.”

“We know the challenges that'll be ahead of us. The group can go win a game, it'll be a challenging match, but one that you have to be excited about.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

Acosta has scored five times for FC Cincinnati against the Crew, tied for the most goals scored by a Cincinnati player against any opponent in MLS play.

The Argentine has also netted five goals against Toronto FC, with Brandon Vazquez also striking five times against Inter Miami.

Columbus Crew – Diego Rossi

With Columbus’ array of attacking options, Rossi has been the standout, registering 19 goals and eight assists in all competitions, netting six times in their Leagues Cup success.

But across his two spells in MLS with the Crew and Los Angeles FC, the Uruguayan has failed to score against five opponents, with Cincinnati being one of them.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLUMBUS CREW WIN

After starting the season winless in four on the road (D3, L1), Columbus have won seven of their last nine regular-season away games (L2). The seven away victories are the most the Crew have ever recorded in a single regular season.

However, they come into the encounter off the back of a 4-0 loss to the Sounders, their heaviest defeat since 2018. The Crew also have not lost consecutive matches in all competitions since a three-match losing streak last May.

Cincinnati also boast an impressive home record against this weekend’s opponents. They are unbeaten in five straight regular-season matches on home soil against the Crew (W2 D3) but did lose last season’s Eastern Conference Final at TQL Stadium.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Cincinnati – 29.4%

Draw – 24.7%

Columbus Crew – 45.9%

Cincinnati assistant head coach Dominic Kinnear insisted that the team’s slow starts were "alarming" and needed to be put right ahead of the visit of CF Montreal.

With head coach Pat Noonan serving a suspension, Kinnear watched on as his side conceded two goals in six minutes against Inter Miami, with Luis Suarez netting both in a 2-0 victory for the Eastern Conference leaders.

Despite the result, the Orange and Blue remain second in the standings, but have Leagues Cup winners Columbus Crew breathing down their necks and the advantage of having two games in hand.

Kinnear believes that starting fast will set the tone for the remainder of the season, explaining that it must start sooner rather than later ahead of the playoffs.

“It's cause for alarms,” Kinnear said of the team conceding early in four of their last six matches. “It's the intensity and the, you know. I think at times, the lack of understanding of how the other team is going to come out.”

“These are some very important games. There are playoff positions and trophies on the line. You know, for me, that was a flat 10 minutes. As flat as I've seen coming out of the locker room.

“Are we out of shape? No. Is the preparation not there; are they understanding the opponent? I think everything is in line there. Sometimes that's the unknown answer. But you know, I won't disagree. We have come out flat and it's something we need to address for sure."

Montreal, meanwhile, returned from their Leagues Cup campaign with a whimper as they were thumped 5-0 by New England Revolution - their heaviest defeat of the season.

The result leaves the team in 11th place in the Eastern Conference table, but just a point behind Atlanta United, who occupy the final playoff spot in the division.

Head coach Laurent Courtois criticised his players for a combination of individual errors that led to the defeat, bemoaning his squad for a lack of discipline during the contest.

"We thought we had made the personal or tactical adjustments in the second half to turn things around, but when you lose your discipline, it becomes complicated,” Courtois said.

“There were individual errors that hurt. It's difficult for me to talk about positives tonight, even if we thought there was room for improvement.

“We struggled in transition and ran out of ideas in the second half.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

Luciano Acosta has been the standout for Cincinnati this season, registering 26 goal involvements (11 goals and 15 assists) in 25 league appearances.

In his 15 appearances against Montreal, Acosta has found the back of the net seven times, level with the San Jose Earthquakes as the most he has struck against an MLS opponent.

Montreal – Joseph Martinez

Josef Martinez has scored seven regular-season goals against Cincinnati, tied with Gyasi Zardes for the most in regular season play.

MATCH PREDICTION: CINCINNATI WIN

While Cincinnati are the favourites to emerge victorious at the TQL Stadium, they have lost their last four straight regular season matches after losing just four of their previous 24 league games (W16 D4) dating back to last October.

The Orange and Blue conceded two goals in the opening six minutes of their loss to Inter Miami. Prior to that encounter, Cincinnati had conceded just once in the opening six minutes of matches since the start of the 2023 season.

But Montreal have struggled away from home and are winless in 13 straight away matches in all competitions (D4 L9) dating back to March. This is the club’s longest road winless run since going 34 without a win on their travels from September 2013 to May 2015.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Cincinnati – 63.3%

Draw – 19.5%

Montreal – 17.2%

Inter Miami forward Matias Rojas says Lionel Messi continues to have an influence on the side even while out injured, as they prepare for Saturday's huge top-of-the-table tussle with FC Cincinnati.

Having gone out of the Leagues Cup at the last-16 stage, Eastern Conference leaders Miami return to MLS action against a team currently one place and five points behind them.

They will be without Messi for the match, however, with next week's clash with the Chicago Fire seen as his earliest possible return date after he was injured in Argentina's Copa America final victory.

Rojas, who was brought in ahead of the 2024 season and has four league goals for Miami to date, says Messi does not switch off when out of action, however.

"Leo is always there. He watches everything and he talks to us before games," the Paraguayan said.

"He communicates more with those who can speak Spanish, he pays attention to what is happening, and he gives his opinion. 

"We are proud to be there, enjoying these moments with him. Sometimes I talk to my family to realise what is happening, but as I always say, I will not get tired of saying that we share our days with the best player in the history of football. 

"There are no words to describe what I feel every day."

With Cincinnati playing catch-up in the bid to be top seeds, coach Pat Noonan knows they cannot afford to be beaten at Chase Stadium.

"As far as the importance of it goes, with us being behind Miami, the significance of a result is certainly important for the end of the season," Noonan said.

"We're trying to be at home in the playoffs. Right now we're five points behind and trying to close that gap. It'll certainly be challenging to catch them if we don't get a result."

Cincinnati trounced Miami 6-1 on home soil when the teams last met in July, though Gerardo Martino's men were without several key players for that game, and Noonan expects a very different challenge this time around.

"It'll be completely different to our last matchup," Noonan said. "There's six different guys that could be on the field that weren't out there."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Inter Miami – Luis Suarez

Miami have averaged 2.8 goals per regular-season game in 2024 when Messi has appeared, compared to 1.7 without the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.

Suarez's 12 goals in MLS this year are as many as Messi has managed, and he also scored twice in four Leagues Cup matches during the mid-season break. He will carry the Herons' foremost threat.

FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta 

In Messi's absence, perhaps another Argentine can take centre-stage.

Acosta has a league-high 29 goal contributions this season (11 goals, 18 assists) after posting 31 last season en route to the MVP award. 

He is one goal contribution away from becoming the fourth player in MLS history to record multiple seasons with 30 or more goal contributions.

MATCH PREDICTION: INTER MIAMI WIN

Inter Miami won their first four matches against Cincinnati between 2020 and 2021, only to lose four of five against them in MLS since the start of the 2022 season (one draw), including the last three in a row.

However, the Herons have won five straight home matches in all competitions, scoring multiple goals in each of those victories.

This is their joint longest home winning streak in all competitions in club history, having also won five in a row between July and September 2021.

Miami have also scored 56 goals in 25 regular-season matches this term, and have won as many games without Messi appearing as they have with him (eight).

Cincinnati lost their last away match to the New York Red Bulls on July 20 by a 3-1 scoreline. They have not lost back-to-back road games in all competitions in over two years, since an eight-match losing streak that spanned the end of 2021 and the start of 2022.

However, they enter Saturday's match as outsiders, with Miami doing a decent job of coping without Messi this term.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Inter Miami – 48.7%

FC Cincinnati – 25.5%

Draw – 25.7%

FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan is desperate to find a remedy for his side's "flat" performance last time out, ahead of Chicago Fire's midweek MLS visit.

The Orange and Blue produced arguably their worst performance of their season during Sunday's 3-1 home defeat against Charlotte FC.

Cincinnati will have another chance to respond at TQL Stadium, bidding to remain top of the Eastern Conference standings after a surprise defeat in their last encounter.

Home head coach Noonan acknowledged his side must perform better.

"Our first 35 minutes were probably the worst of the year," Noonan said of the Charlotte showing. "We weren't ready, and that starts with me.

"I have to look at why it was so flat… A lot of poor performances and some avoidable mistakes on the two goals that really put the momentum in their favour.

"I think the warning signs, in terms of how we've conceded, have been there for a couple weeks now.

"There was loss of concentration, lost a mark, set pieces again… some things that we will continue to try to find answers to. Yeah, the way we're conceding goals is concerning."

The Fire, in stark contrast to Cincinnati at the summit, are just one spot from the bottom of the East table.

Chicago did manage a goalless draw with New York City FC, however, in their last match and keeping them ahead of bottom side Philadelphia Union.

Frank Klopas' side have accumulated 10 points from their last seven outings, though their away form is the worst in the Eastern Conference – with just seven points from 33 available on the road.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

Luciano Acosta has been the leading light for Cincinnati's attack this year, sitting top of the club's scoring charts with 11 goals from 23 MLS appearances.

The Orange and Blue forward will be integral once more if the hosts are to down the struggling Fire here.

Chicago Fire – Hugo Cuypers

It remains to be seen whether Xherdan Shaqiri will return from Euro 2024 in time for this one, having announced his international retirement for Switzerland on Monday.

Hugo Cuypers will be expected to step up in his absence again, with the striker scoring nine goals for Chicago in MLS this season – at least four more than any other team-mate.

MATCH PREDICTION – FC CINCINNATI WIN

The home side are the dominant favourites for this clash, with the Opta supercomputer backing their victory chances at a hefty 66.1% from their data-led pre-match simulations.

Cincinnati have triumphed in 12 of their last 15 MLS matches, although three defeats have come in their past eight such outings.

That trio of losses have all come on their home ground, too, yet Cincinnati will be confident of getting over the line in this one.

Klopas' visitors have failed to score in their last two outings, and that will only boost the hosts' hopes heading into this midweek clash.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

FC Cincinnati win – 66.1%

Draw – 18.4%

Chicago Fire win – 15.5%

Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith believes his side would be in the top three of the Eastern Conference if they had taken several of their big chances ahead of their meeting with FC Cincinnati.

The Crown were beaten 2-1 in their last MLS fixture against Inter Miami last time out, with goalscorer Patrick Agyemang sent off late on at the Bank of America Stadium.

The result leaves them in sixth place, three points behind New York City, a position Smith believes could be significantly better had his side taken their opportunities in recent weeks.

“I think we are missing too many chances in too many games,” Smith said. “If we were taking those chances we would be in the top three for sure.

“With the way we’ve played in games and the way we have restricted the opposition and some of the big chances we’ve missed, that has been our biggest problem.

“We are always looking to bring people in who can come and improve the team. But we’re working hard with the players on the roster to improve them as well.

“That’s part of the coaching job.”

Cincinnati, however, enjoyed a positive result against the same opponents in their top of the table clash at the TQL Stadium last time out.

The Orange and Blue thumped Inter Miami 6-1 to go to the summit of the Eastern Conference, earning them a third consecutive victory in the process. 

However, head coach Pat Noonan believes their battle with the Herons in August will be a completely different affair as they were without Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, who were both away on international duty at the Copa America.

“You have to beat good teams if you want to be at the top of the table, at the top of the conference, and playing home games in the playoffs," Noonan said.

"Guys stepped up tonight with both teams missing key pieces. We won't look past that.

"We'll see them at the end of August. It'll look entirely different based on likely personnel. So, they still have a very strong team. And that's why I'm very pleased about the performance."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

In Cincinnati’s triumph over Inter Miami, Acosta was the star man for the home side, scoring a goal and providing two assists during the encounter at the TQL Stadium.

Acosta now has 10 goals and 17 assists this season, the third time he has registered over 25 goal contributions in the MLS. The only other player in MLS history to hit those marks in three seasons was Sebastian Giovinco in 2016, 2017 and 2019.

Charlotte FC – Kerwin Vargas

With top scorer Patrick Agyemang suspended for the trip to the TQL Stadium, Kerwin Vargas looks likely to lead the line for Charlotte.

The Colombian has four goals and two assists so far this season and will be key for Smith’s side to end their losing streak. Should he find the back of the net, he will take his overall tally for the Crown into double figures on his 72nd appearance for the club.

MATCH PREDICTION: CINCINNATI WIN

Cincinnati come into the game on the back of an impressive run in the league, winning 12 of their previous 14 MLS fixtures, becoming only the second team in the post-shootout era (since 2000) to do so after Seattle in 2018.

Nine of those 12 wins have been by a one-goal margin, and their record against Charlotte will give them confidence of remaining top of the Eastern Conference table having gone unbeaten in their previous four encounters (W2 D2).

Charlotte’s defeat to Inter Miami last time out saw them record back-to-back losses after losing just one of their previous 10 matches (W6 D3). It’s been over a year since Charlotte lost three straight matches, doing so in its first four matches of the 2023 season.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

FC Cincinnati – 59.6%

Draw – 21.1%

Charlotte FC – 19.3%

FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan insists his side cannot feel sorry for themselves as they look to keep pace at the top of the Eastern Conference table.  

The Orange and Blues were beaten 2-1 by New England Revolution last time out, not helped by the sending off Obinna Nwobodo three minutes after Yamil Asad had halved the deficit for the home side.

Cincinnati travel to FC Dallas this Sunday, and Noonan expects his players to give their supporters a much-improved display to ensure they remain within touching distance of league leaders Inter Miami.

"We didn't give (the fans) much to cheer about in the first 45 (minutes)," Noonan said. "But it starts with me. I don't think that was a version of our group that we should have seen tonight, so I can't blame those guys for anything.

“I don't think in the first half we were able to take the space in an efficient way to then open up different ways of breaking pressure because it was too predictable.

"But we can't feel sorry for ourselves, we have to keep going."

Meanwhile, Dallas suffered their first defeat in three matches at the hands the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field last time out.

Peter Luccin’s side had taken a two-goal lead heading into the final 20 minutes of the game, but a late turnaround from the home side saw them score three times in the final 12 minutes of the game to secure the triumph on a disappointing night for the Toros.

The result leaves them in 11th place in the Western Conference heading into the encounter, but they will be hopeful of kickstarting another unbeaten run to close the gap to the play-off places.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Dallas – Luciano Acosta

Acosta’s influence in the Dallas side as his assist took his tally to 15 for the season, the third time he has reach this number in the MLS (17 in 2018, 19 in 2022).

The Argentine became just the fifth player in MLS history to have three or more seasons with at least 15 assists, and he shows no sign of stopping.

Cincinnati – Peter Musa

The Croatian scored his ninth goal of the season for FC Dallas last Saturday and is on the cusp of achieving a record that has stood since 2017.

Should he find the back of the net against Dallas, Musa will become the first FC Dallas player to represent a country other than the United States with a 10-goal season since Maximiliano Urruti (Argentina) and Roland Lamah (Belgium).

MATCH PREDICTION: CINCINNATI WIN

This will be just the second meeting between the two sides, with Cincinnati out to avenge their defeat to Dallas in their first encounter back in August 2019.

Noonan’s side have won five straight away matches for the first time in club history. There have only been two longer road winning streaks in MLS in the post-shootout era (since 2000): CF Montreal (7 straight) in 2022 and San Jose (6 straight) in 2005.

However, the Toros are unbeaten in their last seven home matches (W5 D2) in all competitions, including winning their last two in a row. They have suffered just two defeats in their last 21 home matches in all competitions dating back to the beginning of last year’s Leagues Cup (W10 D9).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Dallas – 32%

Draw – 25.4%

Cincinnati – 42.6%

Pat Noonan insists FC Cincinnati must improve defensively ahead of welcoming the New England Revolution to the TQL Stadium on Sunday. 

Cincinnati edged a seven-goal thriller in their latest MLS fixture against the Philadelphia Union, with Luciano Acosta scoring in the 10th minute of injury time to secure a 4-3 win. 

Noonan's side have now won nine of their last 10 league games and sit second in the Eastern Conference, two points behind Inter Miami. 

But there were some concerns at the back, with Cincinnati having now conceded eight goals in their last four games, something Noonan is keen on addressing. 

“Certainly, how we have gotten results has shifted to scoring goals and struggling defensively from an early stretch when defensively we were much stronger and didn’t need four goals to win a game,” Noonan said.

“We gave another set-piece goal which has been a little bit of a theme. Against Philadelphia, it was defending crosses.

“We will continue to look at the best combination of guys to help us from the frontline to the backline to be better defensively because I think right now, with how we are creating chances, that hasn’t been a concern. But we need to get better defensively.”

Meanwhile, New England continued their impressive recent form with a 3-2 win over Vancouver Whitecaps last Sunday and have now won three in a row. 

The Revolution have closed the gap at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and are now two points behind Orlando City and the Chicago Fire. 

Head coach Caleb Porter was pleased with his side's reaction to conceding late in their latest fixture and believes the mentality within his squad has significantly shifted. 

“We have still got to score more though,” Porter said. “But I loved that we scored three goals and I loved that we responded after conceding to take the game to 1-1.

“That shows mentality is changing. I also loved that the guys were a little ticked off at the end of the game. We have won three in a row, and they were kind of mad that they didn’t score more and they conceded.

“That’s a great mentality to have. We’re not relieved to win; we’re expecting to win now. If we play like we did against Vancouver, we can beat anybody in this league.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

The Argentine took his assist tally to 13 in MLS this season during Cincinnati's win over Philadelphia, more than any other player in the division this season. 

Acosta has now assisted 92 goals since arriving at Cincinnati in 2021, moving up to ninth in the all-time assist charts in MLS. 

New England – Giacomo Vrioni

The Albanian scored his second goal in three games during New England's victory over Vancouver, taking his tally to 16 for the club since arriving in 2022.

Of his 10 goals scored in the MLS, Vrioni has scored against just seven sides, with Cincinnati being one of those. 

MATCH PREDICTION: CINCINNATI WIN

The Revs should enter this game in high spirits, having won three straight matches after only collecting seven points from their first 13 games in MLS this year. 

Their last four-game winning streak came in August 2021, and the fourth win in that run came against Cincinnati.

A repeat is not expected here, though, with Cincinnati winning nine of their last 10 matches (one defeat). No team in the post-shootout era has ever won 10 games in a span of 11 regular-season outings before. 

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Cincinnati – 64.6%

Draw – 18.9%

New England – 16.4%

FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan expects a tough test against the Philadelphia Union despite their recent form, as he faces his former side this Thursday.

The Orange and Blue come into the contest as the overwhelming favourites having won eight of their last nine matches, the latest coming in a 4-2 win over San Jose Earthquakes last time out.

Noonan's side are just two points behind the Eastern Conference league leaders, Inter Miami, but have played two games less than the side directly above them.

However, Noonan was quick to look past the two sides' differing recent form, insisting the game will be a tougher encounter than many will expect.

“They've been stable for a long time, and when you're stable and at the top of the league for so long, anytime there's a stretch where you're not winning games, you're not getting results, there's going to be criticism,” Noonan said.

“That's a part of what we're all dealing with. So I think the compliment there is it's been so long since we've seen them have struggles. But I can tell you, with Jim (Curtin) and with some of those leaders, they're going to be fine.”

“That's my view of it, and it doesn't make me any more comfortable about Wednesday. If there's anything that you know, anytime their backs are against the wall, these guys step up. Jim knows how to lead that group, so we have to be very cautious about an opponent that, while they might be struggling with results, has been in these situations before and come out on top.”

The Union come into the encounter at the TQL Stadium having won one of their last 11 league matches, leaving them in eighth place in the East table following their 2-1 defeat to Inter Miami last Saturday.

Their recent meetings with their opponents have also ended on the wrong end of the scoreline, losing their last three meetings.

Prior to this run, the Union were unbeaten in their first seven meetings with Cincinnati (W5 D2) and they will be hopeful of gaining a much-needed triumph to gain some belief back into their squad.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

Acosta's creative spark shone in Cincinatti's win victory over San Jose, recording three assists for the second time in his MLS career, last coming in September 2018 with DC United.

The Argentine became the 13th player in MLS history to have two such games, something no player has done three times, hoping to add to 19 goal contributions from 17 league games this season.

Philadelphia Union – Mikael Uhre

Uhre netted his sixth goal of the season on Saturday, becoming the third different Union player with six or more goals (Daniel Gazdag – 10, Julian Carranza – six).

The only other team with three players with six or more goals this season are Portland (Felipe Mora, Evander, Jonathan Rodriguez).

MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN

FC Cincinnati have won three of their last five matches against the Union (D1 L1), including eliminating Philadelphia from last season's playoffs.

FC Cincinnati have won eight of their last nine matches (L1), and are looking to become just the fourth team in the post-shootout era (since 2000) to win nine times in a span of 10 league matches.

Meanwhile, The Union have won one of their last 11 league matches (D5 L5) following their loss to Inter Miami on Saturday. The eight points Philadelphia have collected over that span are their fewest in any 11-game stretch of league play since 2015.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Cincinnati – 50.8%

Draw – 25%

Philadelphia – 24.3%

Luchi Gonzalez has urged San Jose Earthquakes to turn PayPal Park into a fortress, starting against FC Cincinnati in the MLS on Saturday.

San Jose sit bottom of the Western Conference, three points adrift of FC Dallas and Sporting Kansas City after winning just three games this season.

The ‘Quakes are winless in their last four matches, but Gonzalez is confident the mid-season break served his team’s preparation for Cincinnati well.

"The guys had some time off to kind of recharge and miss each other, miss training, miss the competition," Gonzalez said. "They're showing hunger, they're showing intensity and excitement as we approach Cincinnati.

"It's about getting the stadium back to being our fortress. Making teams miserable here and our intensity and our urgency to push the game. We know Cincinnati defend very well. They can hurt you with some individual talent."

Meanwhile, Cincinnati’s seven-game winning streak was ended by defeat to Nashville SC last time out.

They sit second in the Eastern Conference, just two points behind leaders Inter Miami, having played two games less, but head coach Pat Noonan does not want them to pay any attention to the standings.

"I don't want our group to focus at all on where they are in the standings," said Noonan. I don't think it's indicative of the quality they have and the challenges that we'll face so that part’s important.

"The second you think you have any type of advantage because of the position in the standings, or your opponents’ position, you step on the field and understand pretty quickly that's a poor approach."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

San Jose – Amahl Pellegrino

Pellegrino scored his team-leading fifth goal in San Jose’s last match on May 31. He’s scored four of the Earthquakes’ last nine MLS goals dating back to early May.

Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

Acosta has recorded at least one goal contribution in each of his last five away matches (three goals, four assists), the longest streak in club history. Only Cristian Arango (11) has more goal contributions in road matches than Acosta (10 – four goals, six assists) this season.

MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN

Each team recorded a home win over the other in the first two meetings between San Jose and FC Cincinnati. Cincinnati won the last meeting, 6-0, in 2022, the largest margin of victory in team history and tied for San Jose’s largest-ever defeat.

Cincinnati has lost only one of its last 14 MLS away matches (incl. playoffs) dating back to last August (W9 D4) including winning the last four in a row. The only team in MLS history to lose just once in a span of 15 road games (incl. playoffs) was LA Galaxy in 2009-10.

Meanwhile, San Jose has just 11 points from 16 matches this season, equaling their worst total at this stage of a season in club history (also in 2018). The ‘Quakes have never hit the halfway point of a 34-match season with fewer than 12 points.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

San Jose – 21.6%

Draw – 21.8%

Cincinnati – 56.6%

Despite watching his side beat Atlanta United in midweek, FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan still wants more from his side when they host St. Louis City this weekend.

Kevin Kelsy's seventh-minute strike was enough to earn Cincinnati a 1-0 win over Atlanta to make it five straight MLS victories.

Cincinnati currently sit second in the Eastern Conference, but Noonan is still demanding more from his side than Wednesday's performance.

"I wouldn't say 'negatives' but [there are] things we could have done better, and here we are with the guys keeping a clean sheet and winning the game," Noonan told reporters.

"They deserve credit and to be proud of the fact that they're still walking off the field with a win tonight."

St. Louis saw a five-game unbeaten streak end as they lost 2-0 to Los Angeles FC in midweek.

The defeat leaves St. Louis ninth in the Western Conference, though they are just three points off sixth-placed Austin FC.

Bradley Carnell is looking to get players back fit and raring to go for the visit to Cincinnati at the weekend, saying: "It's about how we manage over the next couple of days to get a solid, fit line-up for Cincinnati.

"We don't have much time to sit and dwell, and we have to be brave and positive to head to Cincinnati."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Cincinnati – Kevin Kelsy

In his first MLS start, Kelsy scored Cincinnati's lone goal on Wednesday. The 19-year-old has scored in consecutive games, making him the first teenager to score multiple MLS goals for Cincinnati, and if he gets the nod from the off again here, he will once more hope to mark it with a goal.

St. Louis City – Joao Klauss

Having netted four in his previous four games, Klauss drew a blank against LAFC as St. Louis slumped to defeat. He is clearly a key man in St. Louis' attack, and he will hope to get back among the goals this weekend, and with a win too.

MATCH PREDICTION – CINCINNATI WIN

St. Louis beat Cincinnati 5-1 in the lone previous meeting between the sides last April. The four-goal margin is Cincinnati’s largest defeat since the start of last season and equals St. Louis' largest ever margin of victory.

But St. Louis are winless in eight straight away matches in all competitions (four draws, four defeats). St. Louis have won three of their last 23 on the road after winning the first three away matches in club history.

Cincinnati have won five straight regular season matches with all five wins coming by one-goal margins, the first team to do so since the Red Bulls in 2012, and though it may be a tight game again this weekend, the hosts will fancy their chances of coming out on the right side of the result and collecting another three points.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Cincinnati: 44.3%

St. Louis: 28.2%

Draw: 27.5%

Pat Noonan will not let his FC Cincinnati team get too high following Saturday's memorable win over their rivals Columbus Crew, warning Atlanta United will offer them a stern test on Wednesday.

Cincinnati recorded a huge 2-1 road win over the MLS Cup holders last time out, with Kevin Kelsy and Luciano Acosta on target.

That victory – their fourth in a row – kept them three points behind Inter Miami at the Eastern Conference summit, but Noonan says any drop-off in midweek will be punished.

"The sign of a good team is when you have a poor performance or result, how do you respond to it and come back and have a better performance, or have a better result?" Noonan said.

"On the other side, when you have a good performance, how do you respond to that? Obviously, we have a short turnaround against a difficult opponent who we've just seen.

"If we don't turn it around the right way and if we're not prepared for Atlanta, we'll get humbled very quickly. Just like we can't get too low with bad performances, we can't get too high."

Atlanta, meanwhile, are 12 points behind Cincinnati in 10 th place, having been beaten 3-2 by D.C. United on Saturday.

They also lost 2-1 to Cincinnati when the sides last met in April, with two goals in two second-half minutes handing the Orange and Blue a comeback victory.

Asked what he would look to change ahead of Wednesday's rematch, boss Gonzalo Pineda said: "Simplify the message. It's about putting the players in a position to succeed, giving them tools, and the message that sometimes less is more."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

FC Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta

Acosta has scored in four consecutive games, tied for the longest goalscoring streak in MLS play in Cincinnati's history.

He also had a four-game streak last June while Brandon Vazquez did so between July and August in 2022. Will he break new ground on Wednesday?

Atlanta United – Thiago Almada

Almada scored from the penalty spot against D.C. last time out, with one of his five shots in the game.

He has recorded five MLS games this year with at least five attempts at goal, with only Denis Bouanga (eight) and Lionel Messi (six) having more. He also netted his team's only goal when they last faced Cincinnati on April 20.

MATCH PREDICTION – FC CINCINNATI WIN

Atlanta are unbeaten in five all-time trips to Cincinnati in MLS, recording two wins and three draws there. Cincinnati are the only team the Five Stripes have visited more than twice without ever losing in MLS play.

However, Atlanta have only won two of their last 23 away games in all competitions (10 draws, 11 defeats) in a run dating back to late March 2023. No MLS team has fewer away wins in all competitions in that time.

Cincinnati have won their last four games and could set a new team record for successive victories here. With home advantage on their side, they are favourites to do so.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

FC Cincinnati: 45.4%
Atlanta United: 26.9%
Draw: 27.7%