There were a bunch of really good sports on this evening. We sat out on our back patio and watched the Reds lose to the Nats, the United States Men’s National Team thump Nicaragua 3-0 in their final group stage match of the Gold Cup and… we watched our FC Cincinnati down geographic rival Louisville City FC 3-2… in Louisville…
It was a bunch of sports. Maybe too much for some of us…
Thank goodness for having a bunch of devices. 😀⚾️⚽️⚽️❤️
Posted by Thadd F. on July 15, 2017
https://tplusg.com/2017/07/15/super-sports-saturday/
If you didn’t already know, FC Cincinnati has an international friendly just around the corner with Valencia CF of Spain’s La Liga. After work this evening, I walked down to the FC Cincinnati Team Store on Fourth Street…
They had the model of FC Cincinnati’s proposed new soccer-only stadium on display right when you walked in the door…
But I was there for the special FC|C Valencia dual logo t-shirt that was just released…
And I picked up a couple of the special FC|C Valencia limited edition scarves…
Only 500 scarves were created. We got scarves number 100 and 101…
We can’t wait for this season’s big international friendly! 😀⚽️❤️
Posted by Thadd F. on July 12, 2017
https://tplusg.com/2017/07/12/gearing-up-for-valencia-cf/
IT’S FC CINCINNATI MATCH DAY TEN! FC Cincinnati was hosting Richmond Kickers…
We ended up talking to a couple that always sits at the table next to us at Mac’s Pizza Pub before the matches and as a result, we missed the teams walking out onto the pitch. And we missed Djiby scoring the opening goal for FC Cincinnati just three minutes into the match…
And at the half, it was 1-0 FC|C. SPRINKLES!
They announced the attendance of 21,769 but they never put it on the scoreboard…
PENALTY TO FC|C!
Aodhan Quinn buried the penalty, but the referee called it back after an FC|C player encroached the penalty box before the kick. He’d have to retake the penalty. And he buried the penalty again!
At the full-time whistle, it was 2-0 to FC Cincinnati…
Walking to get our Uber, we noticed these crazy gargolyes sitting at ninety-degree angles off of one of the UC buildings…
AND… it was announced on Thursday that the US Women’s National Team will be visiting Nippert Stadium this fall to play the second match of a two game set of international friendlies against New Zealand!
How exciting is that? 😀❤️⚽️
Posted by Thadd F. on July 9, 2017
https://tplusg.com/2017/07/09/fc-cincinnati-versus-richmond-kickers-2/
IT’S MATCH DAY! And if you thought there was a buzz around FC Cincinnati playing Columbus Crew at Nippert Stadium, prepare to get your mind blown. US Open Cup Round of 16. FC Cincinnati versus Chicago Fire. Live from Nippert Stadium. There was soooo much hype around this match…
Yesterday, US Soccer declared Cincinnati, Ohio: Soccer City USA. There was also a scheduling change. The match was pushed back from 7:30pm to 8pm to accommodate television schedules. FC Cincy matches are usually streamed on YouTube and broadcast locally. This match was first set to broadcast on ESPN2. But then it was moved to ESPN. This marked the first time a US Open Cup match outside of the semifinal or final had been televised on an ESPN network. And… FC Cincinnati was the first USL team to be featured on ESPN since the Rochester Rhinos lifted the cup in the 1999 Open Cup Final. Leading up to the match, not so subtle hints were dropped that ticket sales surpassed those of the Columbus Crew match, that all the tarps covering seats in Nippert Stadium had been removed to accommodate the crowd because this was going to be one of the BIG ones. Even SBNation‘s daily soccer email newsletter, Backheel Breakfast made note of tonight’s match at Nippert Stadium…
When I got home off the bus, I switched backpacks, grabbed our tickets, we hopped in our Uber and we were off to one of the most highly anticipated matches of this soccer season…
We got to Nippert super extra early just in case there were silly, massive crowds or ridiculously long lines…
But we got there so early that I think we beat most everyone to the stadium…
Up there was the ESPN MLS video truck…
A mere seventy minutes before kick-off. That was cutting it kinda close. 😜🙃
And it sounded like it was going to be a gorgeous night for soccer…
We even beat FC|C to the pitch…
There’s Bastian Schweinsteiger. He’s the former captain of the German National Team and the fourth most-capped German player of all time. Before joining Chicago Fire at the beginning of the season, he used to play for Bayern Munich and then Manchester United. And now he’s at Nippert Stadium…
I didn’t know this until after the match but Chicago Fire has lifted the US Open Cup four times and been runners-up twice. The most of any MLS team.
Here comes the march of the supporters groups into The Bailey…
There were a fair number of Chicago Fire supporters who came out to the match…
That guy on the right held his two-sticks backward for most of the pregame…
O say can you see…
Cool tifo for today’s match…
Cincinnati, Here We Go!
Here we go…
Sooo many people…
Both teams had more than a few good chances but neither team could capitalize on their opportunities, and the score was 0-0 at the half. And we were pretty happy with that. Chicago Fire really came out on er… um, fire. They really took the game to FC|C in the beginning of the match but the orange and blue stood their ground. Eventually, FC Cincy got more of the ball and created some really good chances…
SPRINKLES!
It was another beautiful night for a soccer match indeed…
Here we go. The second half is underway…
The second largest crowd to ever watch a US Open Cup match. The largest crowd was 35,615 set by the Seattle Sounders in the 2011 US Open Cup final.
One unfortunate Chicago Fire fan was going to spend the night at Justice Center…
Three minutes of time added on…
Chicago Fire’s goalkeeper made a couple of spectacular saves near the end of the ninety minutes of regulation…
This one’s going into overtime…
Ninety minutes wasn’t enough time to decide this one, EXTRA SOCCER!
Two fifteen minute halves coming up…
Still scoreless after the first half of extra time…
GOAL! FC CINCINNATI!
But it was called back for offsides. Even though it wasn’t offsides.
FULL TIME! And still no goals. We’re going to a penalty kick shootout…
FC CINCINNATI WON THE SHOOTOUT 3-1!
Here’s the complete shootout as we saw it from our seats…
This match tops the Columbus Crew match but not by much. I put this night right next to being at GABP when Todd Frazier won the Home Run Derby. NUTS. Just nuts. A raw outpouring of emotion and pride for your city and your team. And there really aren’t words. After the match was over and after the smoke had cleared, Genifer and I were standing on our seats, looking around, mouths hanging open and all we could muster was, “WOW!” I didn’t want to leave because I was afraid I might wake up for this incredible dream I was having. Only it wasn’t a dream. This was really happening.
It was simply unbelievable. There really aren’t words.
Eventually, we managed to finally pull ourselves away and head for home…
4 wins, 2 wins vs rivals, 2 wins vs MLS clubs and about 80,000 fans in 4 US Open Cup home games. Orange and Blue Press had their Four Numbers That Mattered.
I found this one to be pretty incredible…
499 – Number of minutes since the last time FC Cincinnati conceded a goal in U.S. Open Cup play. Ever since the 11th minute in the loss at Tampa Bay June 1st of last year, the combination of Hildebrandt and backup Dallas Jaye have completely shut down the opposition over the four games this year (three 1-0 wins and the 0-0 result vs. Chicago). All of Hildebrandt’s 10 saves came in the second half and extra time, not including those stellar three blocks in PK time.
SBNation posted this article with the headline and subhead of…
FC Cincinnati shows there is no limit to what American soccer can become
On Wednesday night, over 32,000 people showed up to watch a minor-league team play in a scarcely covered secondary competition. It was incredible.
And there was this article by Forbes. I’m sure there were a million others, all making note of what is going on here and what took place tonight just like Taylor Twellman and Alexis Lalas. Not surprisingly, one of them was ESPN’s Sportscenter…
What a night! There is something special happening in Cincinnati. And we’re beyond thrilled to have a front row seat. 😀😂🤣⚽️🔥🏆❤️
UPDATE: Next up for FC Cincinnati in their amazing US Open Cup run…
Posted by Thadd F. on June 28, 2017
https://tplusg.com/2017/06/28/usoc17-fc-cincinnati-versus-chicago-fire/
IT’S FC CINCINNATI MATCH DAY NINE! This evening FC Cincinnati played host to Saint Louis FC for the second time this season. The last time the two teams met at Nippert, Djiby put the ball in the back of the St. Louis net four times…
We stopped at Mac’s Pizza Pub again before the match…
Such good stuff. Speaking of good stuff, they were giving away FC Cincinnati license plate frames before the match. We already have on one our car from last season…
But we got another one for as a backup…
And look who we saw walking to our seats…
O say can you see…
It was Pride Night as tonight’s FC Cincinnati match…
The closest thing I saw at tonight’s match was the rainbow corner flags but wouldn’t know I completely forgot to get a photo of them. By the way, did you happen to see the USMNT & USWNT pride jerseys? Those were pretty sweet. I wished FC|C would have done something special to their kit for tonight’s match to further celebrate pride…
Here we go…
GOAL! ANDREW WIEDEMAN! 1-0 FC CINCINNATI!
At the end of the first half, FC Cincinnati still had a 1-0 over Saint Louis FC…
SPRINKLES!
And the second half is underway…
Danni Konig came on for Djiby in the 64th minute…
And he scored almost immediately! DANNI KONIG! 2-0 FC CINCINNATI!
Four minutes of time added on…
AND THERE’S THE FULL-TIME WHISTLE! 2-0 FC CINCINNATI!
FC|C looked really good tonight. The best they’ve looked in quite some time…
WEDNESDAY…
It was just a perfect night for a soccer match. Absolutely beautiful night.
See you on Wednesday for the huge US Open Cup match against Chicago Fire. ESPN is going to be there. It’s going to be a soccer party in Cincy. And we’re all invited. We simply can’t wait! 😀⚽️❤️
Posted by Thadd F. on June 24, 2017
https://tplusg.com/2017/06/24/fc-cincinnati-versus-saint-louis-fc/
We’ve already received our tickets in the mail for a couple of upcoming FC Cincinnati matches are going to be huge. HUGE! First up is the massive Fith Round US Open Cup match at Nippert Stadium against the Chicago Fire of MLS…
And we’ve also received our tickets for this season’s incredible international friendly when FC Cincinnati welcomes Valencia CF of Spain’s La Liga to Nippert Stadium…
And here are our tickets in all their spectacular soccer glory…
To say that we are just a little bit excited for these matches might be the biggest understatement of the season. 😀❤️⚽️
Posted by Thadd F. on June 21, 2017
https://tplusg.com/2017/06/21/we-have-our-tickets/
IT’S FC CINCINNATI MATCH DAY EIGHT! FC Cincinnati was taking on Charleston Battery. It was another big match for FC|C! Coming into today’s match, the Battery was sitting on top of the USL’s Eastern Conference…
We got into Nippert Stadium just ahead of the march of the supporters groups…
O say can you see…
FC Cincinnati head coach Alan Kock started both big forwards, Djiby and Danni König!
HERE WE GO!
GOAL! FC CINCINNATI! 1-0! Djiby stole that one from Harrison Delbridge…
At the half, it was still 1-0 FC Cincinnati…
And that means it’s time for SPRINKLES!
Charleston Battery found their equaliser, but it was another great crowd tonight…
And then the Battery took the took the lead…
But then FC Cincinnati’s Andrew Wiedeman scored the equaliser that would go on to make Sportscenter’s Top 10 later the next morning…
Three minutes to be added on…
I thought it was a pretty good result for FC Cincinnati to be able to get a point against the first place team…
Next match for FC Cincinnati is next Saturday when they welcome St. Louis FC back to Nippert Stadium. If you remember back, St. Louis FC is the team that Djiby scored four against earlier in the season. It’ll be exciting to see if he can manage to repeat that amazing feat…
And of course, we’ll see you there! 😀❤️⚽️
Posted by Thadd F. on June 17, 2017
https://tplusg.com/2017/06/17/fc-cincinnati-versus-charleston-battery-2/
IT’S HERE! IT’S MATCH DAY! It’s the Inaugural Hell Is Real Cup! The first ever Battle for Soccer Supremacy in Ohio! FC Cincinnati versus Columbus Crew. At Nippert Stadium!
A fair number of Crew fans made the drive down to Cincinnati for the match…
The Crew brought their “A” team to Cincinnati tonight. In the red pinnie is the Crew’s star player Frederico Higuan…
And in front of him is Justin Meram…
O say can you see…
HERE… WE… GO!
Neither team could open the scoring, and FC Cincinnati survived the first half against Columbus Crew unscathed…
SPRINKLES!
And the second half is underway…
DJIBY! GOAL! 1-0 FC CINCINNATI!
FC Cincinnati has an average attendance of 19,132 as of Week 11 with a total attendance of 114,790 off of just 6 home matches (far and away the highest
in the USL).Columbus Crew has an average attendance of 13,050 and total attendance
of 104,402 as off Week 14 off of 8 home matches (lowest in the MLS).(Attendance stats provided by SoccerStadiumDigest.com)
It seemed like a smoked grenade accidentally went off in the middle of the traveling Crew supporters…
Or were they conceding the match? The fourth official signaled there would be an agonizing six additional minutes of time added on…
BLOW! THE! WHISTLE! 👏👏👏
AND THERE’S THE FINAL WHISTLE! 1-0 FC CINCINNATI! FC|C JUST KNOCKED THE COLUMBUS CREW OUT OF THE 2017 US OPEN CUP! HELL IS REAL FOR COLUMBUS!
FC|C take on first-placed Charleston Battery this Saturday at Nippert Stadium…
It was such an unbelievable night. Electric atmosphere. Pretty indescribable. There really aren’t words. And the game actually made Scott Van Pelt’s SportsCenter.
UPDATE: FC Cincinnati were placed in the South Region of the US Open Cup. The draw for the Fifth Round of the US Open Cup pits FC|C against Bastian Schweinsteiger and the MSL’s Chicago Fire. And once again as the luck of the draw would have it, FC Cincy’s Sweet Sixteen USOC match will be played at Nippert Stadium on June 28th…
And of course, we’ll see you there! 😀❤️⚽️👊💯
Posted by Thadd F. on June 14, 2017
https://tplusg.com/2017/06/14/usoc17-fc-cincinnati-versus-columbus-crew/
IT’S FC CINCINNATI MATCH DAY SEVEN! This evening FC Cincinnati was taking on Charlotte Independence in the battle for the Queen City Cup. Coming into today’s match up at Nippert Stadium, Charlotte Independence was sitting in near the bottom of the USL’s Eastern Conference in 12th place and our FC|C was residing in 7th place. It seemed like it would be a great place to pick up a much needed three points and start to climb up the table a bit…
We stopped at Mac’s Pizza Pub again before the match. When I went to the restroom,
I came back to find this photo on my phone…
Silly head. We headed over to Nippert…
Sam the Cincinnati’s Zoo’s Bald Eagle made an appearance at today’s match…
And we’re underway…
It was a beautiful evening for soccer…
Charlotte Independence was on the board first courtesy of a near post screamer…
And just the before half, FC|C’s former Arsenal defender, Justin Hoyte levelled the score at 1-1 with a beauty of a goal…
And that was the score at the break…
SPRINKLES!!!
SOOOO EXCITED FOR THIS WEDNESDAY…
But first, FC Cincinnati still had some work to do here today…
Here we go…
DJIBY! Back from suspension was about to enter the match…
Three minutes of time added on…
But no one could break the deadlock, and the match ended 1-1.
Not surprisingly, Justin Hoyte was the Man of the Match…
WEDNESDAY!
After the match, there were postgame fireworks set to the music of Bunbury…
Eagerly awaiting the start of the fireworks…
At the start of the fireworks, I sat my Polaroid Cube on the wall next to us. This is the video I captured of the FC Cincinnati fireworks…
It was a pretty spectacular fireworks display. And speaking of fireworks, there are going to even more fireworks happening at Nippert Stadium this coming week as our FC Cincinnati welcomes an MLS squad into Nippert for the very first time. As mentioned, they will host the Columbus Crew on Wednesday in the fourth round of the 2017 US Open Cup. And then Saturday, FC|C hosts the USL Eastern Conference first-place side, Charleston Battery at Nippert as well. Talk about a couple of really big matches!
We’ll see you there!
Posted by Thadd F. on June 10, 2017
https://tplusg.com/2017/06/10/fc-cincinnati-versus-charlotte-independence/
There were a bunch of great soccer matches slated for later today. But first things first, this morning we had to do some yard work. We trimmed the bushes, pulled some weeds and mowed the grass in our little front yard…
We worked on our backyard a bit too. Before last night, before mowing today, and finally the beautiful after shot…
And we wrapped up just in time to watch the Champions League final. The result was kind of disappointing with Real Madrid beating Juventus 4-1. I thought it would have been a much more competitive match. But the lone Juventus goal was one for the ages. But 4-1 is still a little bit sad trombone.
Afterward, we walked down to Second Place to watch our FC Cincinnati play away to Rochester Rhinos…
FC Cincy rested most of their starters, opting to go with mainly a second squad and as a result had a really hard time generating any sort of real offense and lost 1-0. The loss snaps FC|C’s four-match winning streak. They play another three home matches in the next seven days starting this Saturday when they welcome the Charlotte Indepence to Nippert Stadium. That match is then followed by the big #MLS2Cincy US Open Cup Hell Is Real Ohio derby match against Columbus Crew on Wednesday and then another home USL match this time against the first-placed Charleston Battery two weeks from today.
Soon after the FC Cincinnati match, the USMNT played a friendly against Venzelua. We made it home just after the kick-off. And that match ended 1-1. But the USMNT pride jerseys were pretty awesome. I might just have to look into ordering one of those for myself. They were some of the sharpest uniforms the USMNT has worn in quite a while. In fact, they’re my US favorite jerseys dating back to the old “sash” jerseys from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. And I’m probably well overdue for a new USMNT jersey. 
And even though not one team I was cheering for managed to win today, it was still a great afternoon and evening of soccer. 
Posted by Thadd F. on June 3, 2017
https://tplusg.com/2017/06/03/soccer-saturday/
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