Repeated Union misfires result in a 1-0 loss against FC Cincinnati in penultimate regular season match
Though the visitors outshot the hosts 15-7, including 6-2 in shots on target, a lack of clinicality and a few good stops by Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano kept the door shut.
The Union suffered the consequences of not finishing their chances on Saturday in a 1-0 loss at FC Cincinnati.
While the visitors outshot the hosts 15-7, including 6-2 in shots on target, a failure to remain clinical and a few good stops by Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano kept the door shut. Ayoub Jabbari did the rest with a goal in the 70th minute.
Interim Union manager Ryan Richter made another round of lineup changes after a three-game week, including a surprise one.
Though Jesús Bueno and Cavan Sullivan were fit enough to play, they were not fit enough to start. So with Danley Jean Jacques suspended, Richter put Indiana Vassilev in that defensive midfield spot, and put Ben Bender and Quinn Sullivan in the attacking midfield roles.
Ezekiel Alladoh also got another start at striker for the injured Milan Iloski, next to Bruno Damiani in his return from suspension.
Cincinnati manager Pat Noonan, a former Union assistant, made his own pile of big moves enforced by injuries. The biggest absence was centerback Miles Robinson, a veteran of the U.S. national team.
» READ MORE: Malik Jakupović is the Union’s new hot prospect. Here’s why the team is being patient with him.
Noonan also chose not to start attacking midfielder and perennial MVP candidate Evander, after four starts in 10 days. The playmaker had been dealing with an illness in recent days, but it still left an opening for Union if they could seize it.
They did not in the first half, despite a 10-2 advantage in shots. Some of the best chances came off corner kicks, including an attempt by Nathan Harriel in the 21st minute that drew a highlight-reel stop from Celentano.
Evander entered at the start of the second half, which upped the ante.
The Union’s seventh corner kick of the game, in the 53rd, brought them closest to scoring. Damiani rose out of a big crowd, making full contact on a header, but it slammed off the crossbar and back into play.
» READ MORE: The Union’s 2027 ‘sprint season’ schedule is set as MLS begins its big calendar flip
Cavan Sullivan and Bueno finally arrived in the 60th, replacing Bender and Alladoh. That let Vassilev return to his usual attacking midfield role, while Quinn Sullivan stepped into Alladoh’s place.
Jabbari, another substitute, finally broke the game open with Evander’s help. Evander drove forward, none of four Union players shut him down, and he took a shot from just inside the 18-yard box that Union goalkeeper Andre Blake saved but didn’t catch. The rebound came straight to Jabbari, who had an easy finish.
Agustín Anello replaced Vassilev in the 74th as the Union chased an equalizer. He had a good look at a shot from the top of the box in the 79th, but Celentano dove to smother it.
Malik Jakupović was the last Union substitute, at the start of six minutes of stoppage time. But there weren’t many opportunities in that span. Cavan Sullivan had one, blasting high from long range as Richter looked a bit annoyed.
» READ MORE: In addition to the No. 1 MLS comeback story, the Union are another thing: Completely unpredictable. | Kerith Gabriel
The loss meant that the Union (13-12-8, 47 points) no longer can finish in fifth place, which matters for playoff matchups. Charlotte’s rout of Orlando earlier Saturday also officially put fourth place, the last spot with home field advantage in the first round, out of reach.
At least that was the extent of the damage. The Union stayed in sixth place, and can’t be overtaken for the rest of this weekend. A win at home over lowly Toronto FC in the regular-season finale next Saturday (4 p.m., Apple TV) will seal sixth. Toronto plays its next-to-last game at Atlanta on Sunday (4:30 p.m., Apple TV), and must win to avoid elimination from the playoff race.
There will be further scoreboard-watching to see whom the Union’s playoff opponent will be. New England-Miami on Sunday night (7 p.m., Apple TV) is a big one, with the winner taking the driver’s seat for second place the rest of the way. Charlotte is also in contention for third, and Chicago was in contention heading into a Saturday night visit to Colorado.
