Luciano Acosta scored a goal and assisted on two others Saturday night as FC Cincinnati made it six straight wins with a 3-1 decision over visiting St. Louis City FC.
Yuya Kubo and Sergio Santos also scored for Cincinnati (9-2-3, 30 points).
Cincinnati controlled most of the match, outshooting St. Louis (3-3-7, 16 points) 15-10 and putting eight shots on frame to the visitors’ three. It also forced St. Louis into 16 fouls, one of which got Acosta on the board in the 26th minute.
Celio Pompeu took Acosta down on a clear scoring chance in the box and referee Timothy Ford pointed to the penalty spot. St. Louis goalie Roman Burki dove to his right but Acosta slotted the shot to Burki’s left for a 1-0 edge.
Acosta struck again in the 49th minute when he found an unmarked Kubo inside the box. Kubo got all the time and space he needed to slot a right-footed shot into the roof of the net over Burki.
Cincinnati defender Matt Miazga threw St. Louis a lifeline in the 54th minute with an embarrassing own goal. Goalie Roman Celentano passed the ball to Miazga just outside the box, thinking he would start a buildup in the back. But Miazga kicked the ball back to his goalie, who wasn’t ready for it, and it found the net’s backside.
However, Cincinnati kicked the ball into the correct net in the 80th minute to seal the outcome. Luca Orellano sent Acosta down the left wing in the box and the defense flowed to him. Acosta slipped a pass to a wide-open Santos at the right post and he made no mistake.
Santos was in the game after Kubo was pulled in the 67th minute by coach Pat Noonan with what appeared to be an injury.
The match continued a torrid stretch for Acosta, who has five goals and seven assists in the last eight matches.
–Field Level Media
