Inside MLS: FC Cincinnati

Inside MLS: FC Cincinnati — page 3 — Waston center is mobbed by his teammates after his historic goal Cincinnati at last was home to Major League Soccer MLS The city’s soccer fans had been looking forward to this game for a long time It finally came on March 17 2019 against the defending MLS Western Conference champion Portland Timbers The sellout crowd had been waving orange and blue flags and banners They chanted and sang Many began standing 6

Inside MLS: FC Cincinnati — page 4 — long before kickoff and remained HAPPY DANCE on their feet all the way through the first 15 minutes of action MAKING HISTORY Before Waston scored the team’s first goal at home as part of MLS it was hard to imagine the stadium getting any louder But as soon as the ball skipped past a diving Portland goalkeeper crossed the goal line and settled into the left corner of the net it did The FC Cincinnati players swarmed together for a group hug The night before the team’s MLS home opener the four-year-old son of FC Cincinnati’s captain made up his own goal celebration Little Keysaack Waston made his father promise he would use it So when Kendall Waston scored the next day he kept that promise Waston lay down on his side and kicked his legs quickly spinning himself around In the joy of the moment teammates copied Waston and performed the fun and oddball celebration too Midfielder Roland Lamah turned to face the screaming fans Lamah spread his arms out wide with his palms up pumping them to the sky It was his way of asking the crowd for even more noise Happy fans in the supporters section known as the Bailey seemed to wave their rally towels even harder A cloud of orange and blue powder covered them It had been sprayed into the air around them as part of the celebration 7

Inside MLS: FC Cincinnati — page 5 — Waston’s goal was perhaps the most memorable moment of FCC’s first home game But it would not be the only one during the 3 0 victory against the Timbers Adding to the thrill of the event their first win as an MLS club was a shutout by goalkeeper Spencer Richey Two of Richey’s three saves came moments apart during the 32nd minute The first was a diving stop on a hard skipping shot by the Timbers Bill Tuiloma The second came from close range on a shot by Dairon Asprilla that had been set up by a corner kick But other than that one sequence FC Cincinnati allowed Portland just one shot on goal The Orange and Blue completely dominated the game especially during the second half They attempted 17 shots to just 10 for the Timbers Almost midway through that second half FC Cincinnati scored two goals less than three minutes apart Allan Cruz made it 2 0 with the highlight goal of the game In the 61st minute the team’s star midfielder scored the first of what would be his team-best seven goals of the 2019 season It was a backheel shot from the top of the six-yard box into a corner of the net The ball had been deflected to Cruz off a shot from long range by Lamah 8

Inside MLS: FC Cincinnati — page 6 — Allan Cruz celebrates after giving FC Cincinnati a 2 0 lead Mathieu Deplagne then sealed the victory when he scored two minutes later off a cross-field pass from Darren Mattocks It was the first MLS goal of Deplagne’s career The ball went into the net directly in front of the Bailey where many of FCC’s rowdiest supporters sit The fans jumped up and down and hugged each other after each of the goals 9

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