FC Cincinnati Goals: Brandon Vazquez 56'
New York City Football Club Goals:
Quick Read
New York City Football Club’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign came to an end with defeat at FC Cincinnati. Brandon Vazquez’s second-half strike edged the encounter for the hosts at TQL Stadium, handing the 2017 semi-finalists a place in the Round of 16.
Match Recap
The Boys in Blue traveled to Ohio unbeaten in all previous meetings with The Orange and Blue, but facing a side sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 100% record on their home turf.
In the second fixture of a three-game week, Head Coach Nick Cushing made seven changes to the side that fell to a 3-2 defeat at Charlotte FC on Saturday.
Maxime Chanot, Gabe Segal, Kevin O’Toole, Talles Magno, and Justin Haak (replacing Alfredo Morales in the warm-up) were restored to the starting XI, while goalkeeper Matt Freese and Tony Alfaro lined up for their debuts.
The City Boys started brightly with Talles Magno carving the game’s first chance on four minutes, firing off-target after some neatly-worked, intricate build-up play in the midfield.
Thiago Martins then went close, denied by an excellent Matt Miazga block – the Brazilian’s low drive diverted over the bar.
Freese, donning the gloves for the first time in NYCFC Blue, produced his first stop shortly after the quarter-hour mark, superbly tipping over Yuya Kubo’s powerful long-range half-volley, with a free-kick only half-cleared.
Set-pieces proved a threat for both sides, as Alfaro almost marked his first appearance with a goal, heading Jasson’s delivery across the box, while Freese had to be alert to thwart Álvaro Barreal.
Vazquez then attempted an ambitious lob from distance, which the City shot-stopper plucked out of the air before denying Barreal once more.
Jasson then tried his luck but skewed over in the last real action of the half, as the two sides headed into the break goalless.
The hosts would break the deadlock just 11 minutes after the restart however, as City’s struggles from dead-ball situations continued – Vazquez converting Barreal’s corner delivery.
In response, Cushing introduced attacking trio Richy Ledezma, Santiago Rodríguez and Gabriel Pereira on the hour in a bid to try and ignite an NYCFC comeback.
O’Toole went close, arrowing a thunderous 35-yard free-kick a matter of inches over the crossbar, before James Sands tested Cincinnati ‘keeper Alec Kann’s reactions on 79’ with a header.
Ledezma also went in search of a late leveler, while Freese was equal to another Barreal effort at the other end, and the home side held on to progress.
How We Lined Up
What's Next
New York City Football Club are on the road again on Saturday, 13 May traveling to Red Bulls in the first Hudson River Derby of the season. The two sides lock horns in a 7:30pm ET kick-off at Red Bull Arena.
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