Louisville City FC will on Saturday meet an opponent that has proven more than just a geographic rival in its inaugural season. FC Cincinnati is also chasing LouCity closely in the United Soccer League standings heading into a highly anticipated matchup between the two clubs.
Record: 8-2-3 (27 points) in 13 matches
Conference: Eastern
Standings: 3rd
Coach: John Harkes
Series with LouCity: Saturday’s game marks the second meeting between the two rivals in what’s known as the River Cities Cup. Behind a hat trick by Chandler Hoffman, LouCity won the first on April 16 at Nipper Stadium in Cincinnati. The teams will meet once more this year, on July 23 in Ohio.
History: Announced as a USL expansion club last August, FC Cincinnati is backed by connections to the NFL’s Bengals (president and GM Jeff Berding) and MLB’s Reds (owner Carl Lindner III). On May 14, the club broke the USL attendance record by drawing 23,375 to Nippert Stadium for a match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.
Current form: Since defeated by Louisville, Cincinnati transformed into one of LouCity’s primary obstacles to a USL Eastern Conference title. Harkes, most well known as the first American to play in the English Premier League, has his squad on a nine-match unbeaten streak with two straight wins entering.
Style of play: Cincinnati is a fast-moving, versatile team, unafraid to challenge and quick to adapt. The club has been on a defensive tear as of late, allowing no more than one goal in a match since May 4.
Player to watch: Sean Okoli leads FC Cincinnati in goals this season with seven so far. The strong forward out of Wake Forest opened his professional career with Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders FC, making three appearances there before five for the New England Revolution.
