FC Cincinnati have some lofty expectations following the best season in the franchise’s young history.
Meanwhile, another rebuilding campaign could be in store for the Houston Dynamo.
However, FC Cincinnati will try to end the visiting Dynamo’s 11-match unbeaten streak in season openers when they meet Saturday night.
In its fourth MLS season, Cincinnati finished fifth in the Eastern Conference and made that initial playoff appearance while setting club records for points (49), wins (12) and goals (64). FCC also won 2-1 at New York Red Bulls in its playoff opener before falling 1-0 at Philadelphia.
“The goal from the beginning was to create a winning culture,” Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan said. “We haven’t won anything, but the expectations are to win.
“The goal will be to improve on what we did last year and have another successful season.”
Though the pressure is likely to increase, FCC returns a core group of contributors. Brandon Vazquez (19 goals), Brenner (18) and Luciano Acosta (11) combined for 48 goals and 33 assists last season.
Meanwhile, a full season with defender Matt Miazga and defensive-minded midfielder Obinna Nwobodo, plus the addition of veteran Colombian right-back Santiago Arias, could help Cincinnati improve on the 58 overall goals conceded in 2022.
FCC won and drew its previous two meetings with Houston, which is amid a 7-0-4 stretch in season openers. However, after going 10-18-6 to miss the playoffs for a fifth straight season, another roster makeover was made.
Longtime D.C. United coach Ben Olsen is on the Dynamo touchline, while key contributors Tim Parker, Fafa Picault and Memo Rodriguez are gone. Sebastian Ferreira, though, is back after scoring 13 of Houston’s 43 MLS goals, and two-time MLS Cup-winner Franco Escobar arrives to potentially improve a back end that contributed to the 56 goals conceded last season.
“It’s all with an eye toward where we want to go,” Olsen told the Houston Chronicle. “Like, who we are now, and how we’re going to be effective with the group we currently have. And, also building, then, toward this vision of where we want to see this club in the next few years.”
–Field Level Media
