One of the high-octane fixtures on Saturday, August 1 will occur in the rowdy TQL stadium in Cincinnati, OH. The 4th place in the East FC Cincinnati will host 3rd place in the West (but tied on points) San Jose Earthquakes.
Here are five reasons to watch.
1. Cincinnati’s Concentrated Firepower
Cincinnati features two potent goal scorers: Togo’s Kévin Denkey and Brazil’s Evander. They have each scored ten goals, with 30 total goal contributions between the pair. That’s more goals than nearly two-thirds of MLS, concentrated in two players. Three players from the Blue & Orange have scored four or more times, and six have a single goal.
Offensively this team is dynamite. They’re second in MLS in goals scored per match (2.4), and they’ve exceeded their xG of 31.6 by nearly TEN points (41 goals scored). Who doesn’t want to watch that kind of firepower do its thing?
2. Cincinnati’s Abysmal Defense
Sometimes soccer is like physics. For every positive action (attack) there’s an equal and opposite action (defense). And let’s be frank: FC Cincinnati’s defense sucks. They’re second WORST in goals conceded per game: 2.5. Yes, they are in 4th place with a negative goal differential. They only have two clean sheets. Four of their players have scored own-goals, the league’s highest.
Many question the huge contract extension signed by Miles Robinson in the off-season, but the team’s defensive woes are deeper than one player.
3. Earthquakes’ Grit
The Quakes speak often of the grit that defines their team. Center-back Reid Roberts best exemplifies that, whether by clearing a ball off the line with an overhead kick (against Toronto), or plowing his way through bodies to score an equalizer (in last week’s California Clásico).
He spoke with the media earlier this week and had this to offer: “We’re pretty much just sticking to what we’ve been doing, working hard, working for each other and trying to be as clean on the ball and as solid defensively as possible. The coaching staff has emphasized that we know the second half of the season is going to be tougher than the first, so we just have to take it one game at a time, give it our all every single match and continue playing together as a team.”
4. Will the Real San Jose Please Stand Up?
While Cincinnati’s terrible defense is unquestionable, you can make the argument for San Jose as well. The Quakes started off strong, registering five clean sheets in their first six matches. But since then… they’ve conceded at least one in every league match. Since May, the Quakes have taken 6 out of 21 points. In the first half of the season they were the only team to not concede a goal from a set piece OR from outside the box. Orlando City, in their 4-0 win, wiped that away.
Nevertheless, it’s been one of the strongest starts for the Black & Blue in years, particularly thanks to Preston Judd. The journeyman striker has exploded this season, scoring 11 times from open play. Back from a one game suspension due to yellow card accumulation, he will be licking his chops at taking on that porous FC Cincinnati back line.
San Jose will also be counting on their ferocious away form, which has seen them win six of their eight road games this season.
5. A Rare Tie Between Two Hungry Teams
This will be the fourth time ever for these two teams to meet. Back in September 2022, San Jose suffered a 6-0 thrashing at TQL Stadium, their only previous time in the venue. The previous three games produced 13 goals. No reason to expect any fewer fireworks.
FC Cincinnati will be eager to redeem themselves after last week’s crushing loss to Columbus Crew in the Hell is Real derby. Coach Pat Noonan described the game as: “Super-disappointing. We were as poor on the ball, with time and space and good options, as you can be.”
On the other hand, San Jose are rueing missed chances after only claiming one point from their California Clásico tie against LA Galaxy. Timo Werner’s soft penalty in stoppage time was easily blocked by keeper James Marcinkowski.
…Poop Jokes?
Apologies for the squeamish, but it does bear mentioning that San Jose Earthquakes announced a new back of shirt sponsor this morning: DUDE Wipes. I’ll pause a moment to let the possibilities percolate in the reader’s minds.
The founder of DUDE Wipes, Ryan Meegan, had this to offer: “We’ve always believed the best partnerships happen when you don’t take yourself too seriously. Landing on the back of the Earthquakes jersey feels pretty fitting for a brand that always has your back.” Far from a tongue–in-cheek statement, it’s more a between-the-cheek swipe.
No doubt somebody in the broadcast booth will make a more tasteful comment about this than I have. And that’s the end of that.
