As 2018 USL regular season champions, FC Cincinnati (23-3-6) will head to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (15-4-12) for their third meeting this season at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Highmark Stadium. FC Cincinnati is 1-0-1 against the Hounds this regular season, in addition to a third round Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup victory against Pittsburgh.
The Queen City team has strung together a winning streak of 10 straight games. The last time the club did not come away with three points was on Aug. 4 – a 1-1 result against Nashville SC.
The team has not lost a match its May 26 defeat to Louisville City FC (2-0 result), marking the second time Cincinnati dropped a game to the reigning USL champions. Its third loss this season came at the hands of the Charlotte Independence.
FC Cincinnati has an 11-1-3 record on the road this season.
Arriving to FC Cincinnati in late July, Fanendo Adi has found his footing with the squad’s attack. Appearing in eight games for the club, the striker has posted three goals – all three of which have come in September. Adi notched his first goal with Cincinnati against the Hounds on Sept. 1 and he is starting to blossom for the first-place team.
Strengths
Scoring: The club ranks first in the entire USL in goals (69) and conversion rate (22 percent).
Goal prevention: With 31 tallies conceded this season, the squad has allowed the third-least goals in the Eastern Conference.
Weaknesses
Fouls: FC Cincinnati has recorded the fifth-most fouls (406) and third-most yellow cards (59) in the Eastern Conference.
