June 25, 2018 USL Toronto FC II--Toronto FC II vs FC Cincinnati game preview (from fccincinnati.com)
Preview: 6/27 at Toronto FC II By D.J. Switzer, 06/25/18, 5:15PM EDT After a 10-day layoff, FC Cincinnati returns to action Wednesday evening, June 27, with a trip to face Toronto FC II. Originally scheduled to kickoff an hour later at the MLS club's BMO Field, the match was moved up to 7 p.m. and to nearby Allan A. Lamport Stadium, a 9,600-seat multi-purpose venue that also is home to the Canada national rugby team. For those making the trip to Canada, tickets for the match are available online or at walk-up. The match will be shown live in Greater Cincinnati on CW Cincinnati, as well as on the live stream on ESPN+. A Little Background Wednesday's match will be the first meeting of the year for FC Cincinnati and Toronto FC II. The match will be the fifth all-time meeting in a series that is heavily lopsided towards the Orange and Blue: all four previous meetings have resulted in FCC victories, including both previous visits to Ontario. As for this season, the two clubs will also enter the fixture at opposite ends of the USL spectrum. Toronto finds itself at the bottom of not just the Eastern Conference table, but also the league-wide table. That leaves the reserve side of Major League Soccer's Toronto FC in 16th place with an 0-2-12 record and two points. Their eight-match losing streak is the longest in the league this season, and their last point came on April 28 when they played to a scoreless draw at home against New York Red Bulls II. FC Cincinnati, meanwhile, still sit top of the USL's Eastern Conference with a five-point gap between themselves and second-place Louisville City FC. They've held that spot by riding a four-match unbeaten streak in the league, including three wins. What to Expect Despite sitting near the bottom of the league, taking Toronto FC II lightly would be unwise. Though their record says otherwise, the Reds are routinely competitive from a statistical standpoint. They've kept their opponents within a goal in half of their matches in 2018. They've scored two or more goals on three occasions, including twice in their last four. And, they've won the possession battle in each of their last four losses. Normally rolling out in a 3-4-3 formation, watch for Toronto to keep that high possession by working the ball up the flanks before crossing into more dangerous 18-year-old US youth international Ayo Akinola (#20). They've averaged almost 14 crosses per match over the last month. But, they've also struggled to get off many good looks on goal from those, mustering no more than five shots on target during the same stretch. That said, Toronto has conceded at least three goals in each of its last four outings as 18-year-old goalkeeper Gianluca Catalano (#70) heads into the second half of his first season as a professional. Like Cincinnati, TFCII also had a 10-day break entering Wednesday's game – so both teams should come in well-rested. As it likely did for Toronto, the break allowed the Orange and Blue some much needed time off for veterans and youth alike. The team should have practically a full squad to choose from on Wednesday, though head coach Alan Koch may be mindful of Saturday’s home match at Nippert Stadium against Ottawa Fury FC.
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