FC Cincinnati downs Saint Louis FC, 2-1
Futbol Club Cincinnati head coach John Harkes wanted a spark. Omar Cummings lit the fuse.
Following a loss Wednesday night that snapped an 11-match uneaten run, FC Cincinnati responded Saturday night with one of its best performances of the season: a 2-1 win over Saint Louis FC at World Wide Technology Soccer Park.
Much of that dominance came from forward Omar Cummings.
Making his first United Soccer League start since May 7, Cummings took a mere eight minutes to put FC Cincinnati in front. The goal was the club’s first in the opening half since June 11.
While FC Cincinnati usually plays a 4-2-3-1 formation, which leaves Sean Okoli as the lone striker, Harkes deployed Cummings in a 4-4-2 as a second forward against Saint Louis.
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The consequences were catastrophic for the home side.
Cummings’ goal, which came off an Okoli assist, immediately dissected the Saint Louis backline, forcing defenders out of position and into unnecessary errors.
As Okoli and Cummings cut through the defense, Cincinnati crept up the field and limited opportunities for Saint Louis to score.
The first half was Cincinnati’s best this season.
And the second half had a similar feel, as Cincinnati resumed play with the same intensity it had in the first.
Again, Saint Louis looked confused. And again, it was Cummings who was stirring up trouble.
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In the 78th minute, he held up the ball and attempted a shot from 20 yards out. After the goalkeeper parried it, second-half substitute Eric Stevenson was there for the rebound and the second goal of the match.
For as much as Cincinnati has dominated opponents this season, it appeared as though the club finally has a breakthrough up front it had been lacking.
But the late defensive woes crept with the usually frequency still linger.
Saint Louis scored in the 85th minute when Jordan Roberts slipped through FC Cincinnati centre-backs Paul Nicholson and Austin Berry , who stood motionless like statues.
FC Cincinnati ultimately survived future defensive scares and picked up its 10th win this season, which keeps the club in third place in the USL Eastern Conference.
The win comes at a good time for the first-year expansion franchise. While it minimizes the harm of Wednesday night’s 1-0 loss to the Rochester Rhinos, it also reaffirmed Cincinnati’s ability to tinker with tactics to find the right formula to produce the best results.
FC Cincinnati will now take a brief pause from USL play, with the next league match coming July 20 at Nippert Stadium against New York Red Bulls II.
But first, Cincinnati will host Crystal Palace, an English Premier League club, in a friendly on July 16 at Nippert Stadium.