FC Cincinnati
2018 season
General managerJeff Berding
Head coachAlan Koch
StadiumNippert Stadium
USL1st (Eastern Conference)
USL PlayoffsConference Semifinals
U.S. Open Cup4th round
Top goalscorerEmmanuel Ledesma (16)
Highest home attendance31,478
(September 29 vs. Indy)
Lowest home attendance22,532
(May 5 vs. Atlanta 2)
Average home league attendance25,717

The 2018 FC Cincinnati season was the club's third season of existence, and their third in the United Soccer League (USL). It was FC Cincinnati's second season as a second-tier team in the U.S. soccer pyramid, as the United States Soccer Federation provisionally promoted the USL from Division III to Division II for the 2017 season. FC Cincinnati played in the Eastern Conference of the USL.

This was the final season of the club's USL incarnation. On May 29, 2018, Major League Soccer awarded the FCC ownership group an expansion franchise, which began play in MLS under the FC Cincinnati name in 2019.[1]

On September 26, 2018, the club clinched their first USL Regular Season Championship with a 4–1 victory over the Richmond Kickers.[2]

Club

Coaching staff

Alan Koch started as head coach in 2017.
Position Staff
Head coachSouth Africa Alan Koch
Assistant coachFrance Yoann Damet
Goalkeeper coachUnited States Jack Stern
Technical directorUnited States Luke Sassano
Athletic TrainerUnited States Aaron Powell
Strength & ConditioningUnited States Austin Berry
UC HealthUnited States Dr. Angelo Colosimo
United States Dr. Brian Grawe

Roster

The players and staff celebrate winning the USL 2018 regular season trophy.

On October 25, 2017, general manager Jeff Berding held a press conference to make the first announcements about the 2018 roster. The return of nine players from 2017 was confirmed at this press conference: Matt Bahner, Kenney Walker, Danni König, Corben Bone, Jimmy McLaughlin, Garrett Halfhill, Justin Hoyte, Sem de Wit, and Josu. Six additional players from the 2017 roster—Austin Berry, Mitch Hildebrandt, Djiby Fall, Harrison Delbridge, Andrew Wiedeman, and Paul Nicholson—were mentioned as still under consideration for 2018, pending contract discussions and future announcements. Berding also confirmed they would not renew contracts or exercise options for any other former players.[3] In the following weeks, Djiby Fall implied he would not be returning via Twitter,[4] and Paul Nicholson announced his retirement from professional soccer.[5]

The club began announcing new signings in November 2017. The team signed Israeli defender Dekel Keinan on November 10,[6] as well as Canadian forward Daniel Haber on November 15.[7]

On April 16, 2018, the club announced they had mutually agreed to part ways with defender Josu.[8]

On April 17, 2018, the club announced they had reach an agreement for the free release of defender Garrett Halfhill. Halfhill subsequently join the New York Cosmos B of the NPSL.[9]

On July 9, 2018, the club announced the free transfer of forward Daniel Haber to Ottawa Fury FC.

On July 30, 2018, forward Fanendo Adi was acquired from the Portland Timbers as the first MLS designated player for FC Cincinnati.[10] The club also announced the acquisition of midfielder Fatai Alashe from the San Jose Earthquakes.[11]

On August 1, 2018, the club announced the acquisition of defender Pa Konate from Serie A S.P.A.L.[12]

Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth.

No. Position Player Nation
1 GK Evan Newton  United States
2 DF Matt Bahner  United States
3 DF Forrest Lasso  United States
4 MF Tyler Gibson  United States
5 MF Nazmi Albadawi  United States
6 MF Kenney Walker  United States
7 FW Russell Cicerone  United States
9 FW Fanendo Adi  Nigeria
10 FW Emery Welshman  Guyana
11 FW Danni König  Denmark
12 DF Pa Konate (on loan from SPAL)  Sweden
13 MF Michael Lahoud  Sierra Leone
16 MF Richie Ryan  Ireland
17 GK Mark Village  Canada
18 GK Spencer Richey (on loan from Vancouver Whitecaps)  United States
19 MF Corben Bone  United States
20 MF Jimmy McLaughlin  United States
21 DF Dekel Keinan  Israel
23 DF Blake Smith  United States
24 FW Tomi Ameobi  England
27 MF Fatai Alashe (on loan from San Jose Earthquakes)  United States
29 DF Paddy Barrett  Ireland
32 DF Justin Hoyte  Trinidad and Tobago
45 MF Emmanuel Ledesma  Argentina
51 DF Sem de Wit  Netherlands

Competitions

  Win   Draw   Loss

USL

Results Table

Matchday12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
StadiumAAHAHAAHAHHAAHHAHAHHHHHHAAHAHAAHAA
ResultWWLDDWWWLWLWWDWDWDWWWDWWWWWWWWWWDD
Source: MLS
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

|text_H=Home|text_A=Away

1
Charleston Battery0–1FC Cincinnati
Guerra Yellow card 51'
van Schiak Yellow card 80'
Griffith Red card 90+2'		 CIN Report
CHS Report		 Smith 18'
Laing Yellow card 63'
Lasso Yellow card 85'
König Yellow card 90+2'
Ryan Yellow card 90+7'
Attendance: 0
Referee: Elvis Osmanovic
2
Indy Eleven0–1FC Cincinnati
Ferreira Yellow card 41'
McInerney Yellow card 45+4'		 CIN Report
IND Report		 Welshman 26'
Keinan Yellow card 54'
Lasso Yellow card 74'
Attendance: 17,535
Referee: Malik Badawi
3
FC Cincinnati0–1Louisville City FC
Ledesma Yellow card 35'
Keinan Yellow card 61'
Laing Yellow card 76'		 CIN Report
LOU Report
Box Score		 Lancaster 13' Yellow card 47'
Ilić Yellow card 90+4'
Attendance: 25,667 (USL record for home opener)
Referee: Joseph Dickerson
4
Bethlehem Steel FC1–1FC Cincinnati
Burke 15' Yellow card 83'
Chiluya Yellow card 66'		 BTH Report Albadawi 72'
Attendance: 0
Referee: Amber O'Connor
5
FC Cincinnati2–2Pittsburgh Riverhounds
König 59'
Ledesma Yellow card 68'
Walker 78'
Keinan Yellow card 88'
Laing Yellow card 90+2'		 CIN Report
PIT Report
Box Score		 Dover 6' Yellow card 36'
Vancaeyezeele 73'
Attendance: 24,505
Referee: Greg Dopka
6
Ottawa Fury FC0–3FC Cincinnati
Reid Yellow card 63' CIN Report
OTT Report
Box Score		 Lasso Yellow card 50'
Smith Yellow card 57'
Walker 68'
Bone 69'
Ledesma Yellow card 56' 77'
Attendance: 2,785
7
Indy Eleven2–3FC Cincinnati
Jack McInerney 24'
Ayoze 30' (pen.) Yellow card 88'		 CIN report
IND report
Box score		 Kenney Walker 7' (pen.) Yellow card 75'
Jimmy McLaughlin 41'
Corben Bone 54'
Forrest Lasso Yellow card 60'
Emery Welshman Yellow card 72'
Attendance: 8,079
Referee: Marco de Oliveira
8
FC Cincinnati4–2Atlanta United 2
König 26'
Ledesma 28' 48'
Keinan Yellow card 30'
Bone 39'		 CIN Report
ATL Report
Box Score		 Gallagher 31'
Kissiedou Yellow card 37' 41'
Carleton Yellow card 87'
Attendance: 22,532
Referee: Guido Gonzalez Jr.
9
Charlotte Independence4–1FC Cincinnati
Cato 38'
Ekra 45+2'
Voser 57'
Martínez Yellow card 68'
Zayed 87'		 CIN Report
CLT Report
Box Score		 Ledesma Yellow card 45+1'
König 51'
Ryan Yellow card 71'
Lasso Yellow card 75'
Keinan Yellow card 85'
Attendance: 2,314
Referee: Kevin Broadley
10
FC Cincinnati4–1North Carolina FC
Smith Yellow card 29'
Albadawi 11', 45'
Ledesma 62' (pen.)
König 69' Yellow card 75'		 CIN Report
NCFC Report		 Bekker Yellow card 65'
Lomis 86'
Attendance: 22,884
Referee: Victor Rivas
11
FC Cincinnati0–2Louisville City FC
Barrett Yellow card 28'
Ryan Yellow card 33'
Keinan Yellow card 81'		 CIN Report
LOU Report		 Lancaster 15'
Craig Yellow card 55'
Davis IV 73'
Williams Yellow card 85'
Attendance: 26,495
12
New York Red Bulls II1–2FC Cincinnati
Moreno 7'
Stauffer Yellow card 69'		 CIN Report
NYRB Report
Box Score		 Welshman Yellow card 52'
Barrett Yellow card 61'
Ledsema 65'
Ryan Yellow card 71'
König 77'
Attendance: 613
Referee: Ismir Pekmic
13
North Carolina FC0–2FC Cincinnati
CIN Report
NCFC Report		 Ledesma Yellow card 36'
König 37' Yellow card 52'
Hoyte Yellow card 72'
McLaughlin 87'
Attendance: 4,039
Referee: Mark Allatin
14
FC Cincinnati2–2Bethlehem Steel FC
Albadawi 66'
Cicerone 68'		 CIN Report
BTH Report		 Jones 29'
Mbaizo
Herbers 69' Yellow card 86'
Attendance: 22,407
Referee: Marcos de Oliveira
15
FC Cincinnati4–0Richmond Kickers
Ledesma 8', 67'
Albadawi 36'
König 60'
WelshmanYellow card 82'
KeinanYellow card 90+1'		 CIN Report
RIC Report		 CordovésYellow card 33'
WilliamsYellow card 90'
Attendance: 28,026
Referee: Elvis Osmanovic
16
Toronto FC II3–3FC Cincinnati
Akinola 28'
Bjornethun Yellow card 45'
Boskovic 70'
Hamilton 75'
Campbell Yellow card 88'		 CIN Report
TOR Report		 Albadawi 8'
Welshman 38'
Ledesma 40'
Attendance: 288
Referee: Fabrizio Stasolla
17
FC Cincinnati2–0Ottawa Fury FC
König 16'
Smith Yellow card 86'
Albadawi 90+2'		 CIN Report
OTT Report
Box score		 Oliveira Yellow card 71'
Attendance: 27,107
Referee: Daniel Gutierrez
18
Nashville SC0–0FC Cincinnati
Moloto Yellow card 15' CIN Report
NSH Report		 Keinan Yellow card 17'
Attendance: 18,228
Referee: Lorant Varga
19
FC Cincinnati2–0Tampa Bay Rowdies
Ledesma 54', Yellow card 63'
König 84'		 CIN Report
TBR Report		 Flemmings Yellow card 23'
Attendance: 25,416
Referee: Malik Badawi
20
FC Cincinnati2–0Charlotte Independence
Keinan 7'
Lasso 20'
Ledesma Yellow card 67'
Welshman Yellow card 87'		 CIN Report
CLT Report		 Duckett Yellow card 28'
Zayed Yellow card 65'
Voser Yellow card 87'
Attendance: 25,251
Referee: Jon Freemon
21
FC Cincinnati2–1New York Red Bulls II
Lasso 17'
Barrett Yellow card 22', 35'
Smith Yellow card 60'		 CIN Report
NYRB Report		 Tinari Yellow card 14'
König 25' (o.g.)
Barlow Yellow card 53'
Stauffer Yellow card 80'
Attendance: 23,602
Referee: Michael Radchuk
22
FC Cincinnati1–1Nashville SC
König 1', Yellow card 71'
Lasso Yellow card 30'
Walker Yellow card 60'		 CIN Report
NSH Report		 Hume 85'
Mensah Yellow card 90+1'
Davis Yellow card 90+3'
Attendance: 27,426
Referee: Ismir Pekmic
23
FC Cincinnati1–0Penn FC
Ledesma 80' CIN Report
PENN Report		 Baffoe Yellow card 43'
Tribbett Yellow card 79'
Mkosana Yellow card 83'
Attendance: 24,249
Referee: Mark Allatin
24
FC Cincinnati3–0Charleston Battery
Ledesma Yellow card 13', 21'
Bone 45+1'
Barrett Yellow card 53'
Thomas 90+5' (o.g.)		 CIN Report Anunga Yellow card 30'
Svantesson Yellow card 87'
Attendance: 27,142
Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
25
Atlanta United 21–5FC Cincinnati
Bello Yellow card 16'
Nicklaw 65'
Gallagher Yellow card 90+1'		 CIN Report
ATL Report		 Bone 18'
Albadawi 25', 55'
Konate Yellow card 36'
Alashe Yellow card 45+1', 53'
Welshman 87'
Attendance: 1,638
Referee: JJ Bilinsk
26
Tampa Bay Rowdies1–2FC Cincinnati
Taku Yellow card 1'
Cole Yellow card 15'
Poku Yellow card 43', 75'
Portillos Yellow card 68'
Oduro Yellow card 80'
Diakité Yellow card 82' Yellow-red card 85'		 Report Ledesma 2' (pen.), 86' (pen.)
Smith Yellow card 50' Yellow-red card 62'
Barrett Yellow card 88'
Newton Yellow card 90+2'
Attendance: 5,963
Referee: Kevin Broadley
27
FC Cincinnati2–1Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Lasso Yellow card 38'
Keinan 80'
Adi 88', Yellow card 88'		 USL Report
CIN Report		 Parkes 57'
Attendance: 25,735
Referee: Joseph Dickerson
28
Louisville City FC0–1FC Cincinnati
DelPiccolo Yellow card 90+3' USL Report
CIN Report		 Bone 23'
Richey Yellow card 90+2'
Attendance: 10,009
Referee: Joshua Brooks
29
FC Cincinnati4–3Toronto FC II
Lasso 31'
Adi 45+2'
Bone 78', 88'		 Report
CIN Report		 Endoh 24', 45+4', 73'
Johnson Yellow card 29'
Hundal Yellow card 63'
Attendance: 27,275
Referee: Lorant Varga
30
Penn FC1–2FC Cincinnati
Calvano Yellow card 7'
Paulo 33'
Osae Yellow card 45+1'		 CIN Report
PENN Report		 König Yellow card 7'
Ledesma Yellow card 32', 68'
Bone 84'
Attendance: 3,117
Referee: Thomas Snyder
31
Richmond Kickers1–4FC Cincinnati
Eaton Yellow card 14'
Cordovés 32'
Luiz Fernando Yellow card 50'
Sekyere Yellow card 72'
Shanosky Yellow card 85'		 CIN Report
RIC Report
Report		 Albadawi 16'
Ledesma 40', 44', Yellow card 45+3'
Alashe Yellow card 45+5'
Welshman 63'
Attendance: 1,519
Referee: Nickrod Fateh
32
FC Cincinnati3–0Indy Eleven
König Yellow card 31', 65'
Adi 34'
Mitchell 74' (og)		 CIN Report
IND Report
Report		 Matern Yellow card 31'
Attendance: 31,478 (USL record)
Referee: Timothy Ford
33
Pittsburgh Riverhounds0–0FC Cincinnati
CIN Report
PIT Report
Report		 Lasso Yellow card 35'
Attendance: 3,205
Referee: Eric Tattersall
34
Nashville SC3–3FC Cincinnati
Hume 5'
LaGrassa Yellow card 40'
Allen 80'
Akinyode 90'		 CIN Report Albadawi Yellow card 39', 63'
Bone 52', 81'
Attendance: 9,083
Referee: Marcos DeOliveira

Standings

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 FC Cincinnati (X) 34 23 8 3 72 34 +38 77 Conference Playoffs
2 Louisville City FC (C) 34 19 9 6 71 38 +33 66
3 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 34 15 14 5 47 26 +21 59
4 Charleston Battery 34 14 14 6 47 34 +13 56
5 New York Red Bulls II 34 13 13 8 71 59 +12 52
6 Bethlehem Steel FC 34 14 8 12 56 41 +15 50
7 Indy Eleven 34 13 10 11 45 42 +3 49
8 Nashville SC 34 12 13 9 42 31 +11 49
9 North Carolina FC 34 13 8 13 60 50 +10 47
10 Ottawa Fury 34 13 6 15 31 43 −12 45
11 Charlotte Independence 34 10 12 12 44 57 −13 42
12 Tampa Bay Rowdies 34 11 8 15 44 44 0 41
13 Penn FC 34 9 10 15 38 47 −9 37
14 Atlanta United 2 34 7 10 17 37 72 −35 31
15 Richmond Kickers 34 6 4 24 30 80 −50 22
16 Toronto FC II 34 4 6 24 42 77 −35 18
Source: 2018 USL standings
Rules for classification: 1) total wins; 2) total goal differential; 3) total goals scored; 4) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 5) disciplinary points; 6) coin toss or drawing of lots
(C) Champions; (X) Regular Season League Champion

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2018 FC Cincinnati season.
  1. ↑ "Cincinnati awarded MLS expansion club, will start play in 2019". MLSSoccer.com.
  2. ↑ "USL REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPIONS". FCCincinnati.com. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  3. ↑ Kimura, Fumi (October 25, 2017). "Nine Return for 2018". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on October 26, 2017. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
  4. ↑ Fall, Djiby [@baye_djiby] (October 31, 2017). "Thank Mr carld Jeff. Alan and all the staff my teammates people in the administration and the fantastic fans wish the klub all the best 🙏🙏🙏" (Tweet). Retrieved November 7, 2017 – via Twitter.
  5. ↑ Kimura, Fumi (November 6, 2017). "Paul Nicholson Announces Retirement". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  6. ↑ Kimura, Fumi (November 10, 2017). "FCC Inks Maccabi Haifa Captain Dekel Keinan". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  7. ↑ Kimura, Fumi (November 15, 2017). "FCC Signs Forward Daniel Haber". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  8. ↑ Kimura, Fumi. "FCC JOSU AGREE TO PART WAYS". FCCincinnati.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  9. ↑ Switzer, D.J. "FC CINCINNATI RELEASE HALFHILL, JOINS NEW YORK COSMOS". FCCincinnati.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  10. ↑ "FCC ANNOUNCES ADI AS FIRST MLS DESIGNATED PLAYER". FCCincinnati.com. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  11. ↑ "FC CINCINNATI ADDS FATAI ALASHE FROM SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES". FCCincinnati.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  12. ↑ "FC CINCINNATI TAKES PA KONATE ON LOAN FROM SERIE A'S S.P.A.L". FCCincinnati.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
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