FC Cincinnati (16-8-4) travel to face off against Minnesota United (11-11-6) on Wednesday, September 18th. This match will be played at Allianz Field in Saint Paul, MN. Minnesota United is coming off a win in their previous match, while FC Cincinnati played to a draw vs. Minnesota United. The match is scheduled for 8:30 PM ET.
FC Cincinnati vs Minnesota United
FC Cincinnati Is Coming Off A Draw
FC Cincinnati will be looking to get back in the win column after playing to a 0-0 draw vs. the Columbus Crew. This match took place on their home pitch, and even though the match was a draw, they had a money line of +125, which was the most favorable line on the three-way money line.
The offensive attack for Cincinnati was very limited, taking just seven shots and only two shots on goal. The club didn’t have a single assist or corner kick, and the match finished with a total of zero goals, which was just below the line of 3.5 goals.
On the defensive side, FC Cincinnati was able to keep the Columbus Crew off the scoreboard despite the Crew taking a total of 11 shots. Cincy’s defenders blocked two shots and intercepted nine passes, but the club did finish with just a single corner kick.
In their last four matches, FC Cincinnati has gone 1-2-1. Their only win came against CF Montréal, who is currently 12th in the Eastern Conference. Their loss to Inter Miami CF was their only loss at home this season. Overall, they are 16-8-4, which has them in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference. They are three points behind the Los Angeles Galaxy for the best record in the league. After this match, they will take on Nashville SC on the road.
Minnesota United Is Coming Off A Win
In their last match, Minnesota United traveled to take on St. Louis City SC. Heading into the match, they were the heavy underdog at +225. The four combined goals surpassed the over/under line of 3.5 goals.
Minnesota’s offensive attack was spread out, with two players finding the net and no player finishing with an assist. Kelvin Yeboah and Bongokuhle Hlongwane were the two players to score, with Yeboah taking six total shots.
On the defensive end, Minnesota’s back line allowed just one goal on St. Louis City SC’s eight shots on goal. Dayne St. Clair finished with seven saves, and the club as a whole finished with six interceptions.
Minnesota United will be looking to extend their winning streak to three matches as they take on FC Cincinnati at home. So far this season, Minnesota has played 28 matches and has a record of 11-11-6, which has them sitting in 9th place in the Western Conference. Over their last six matches, they have gone 3-2-1. Following this match, they will hit the road to take on Sporting Kansas City on September 22nd.
FC Cincinnati Offense Breakdown
FC Cincinnati has been a middle-of-the-pack offensive team this season, ranking 9th in the MLS with 1.7 goals per match. Luciano Acosta has been the club’s top scorer, finding the back of the net 11 times, which is 21st in the league. Luca Orellano has been the team’s leader in shots on goal, with 32, and he has scored seven times, which is 46th in the MLS. Overall, Cincinnati is 6th in the league in shots on goal and 12th in corner kicks. In 39.3% of their matches, they have had fewer corners than their opponents.
Minnesota United Offense Breakdown
Minnesota United’s offense has been solid this season, averaging 1.6 goals per match, which is 11th in the league. They have scored more than their season average in three straight matches. Bongokuhle Hlongwane has been their top scorer, finding the back of the net 10 times, which is 27th in MLS. He also leads the club in shots on goal, which is 29th in the league. Robin Lod has been their top playmaker, dishing out 10 assists, which is 6th in MLS. He has also scored six goals this season.
FC Cincinnati Defense Breakdown
FC Cincinnati’s defense will be tested against Minnesota United, who comes in with the 11th-ranked offense in MLS. Overall, FC Cincinnati’s defense is 6th in goals allowed, giving up 1.3 goals per match. They have been inconsistent of late, as they have given up two or more goals in three of their last five matches. However, they did pitch a shutout against the Columbus Crew, who has the 4th-ranked offense in MLS. Roman Celentano is 9th in MLS with seven clean sheets this season.
Minnesota United Defense Breakdown
Minnesota United’s defense has struggled this season, as they are 19th in MLS, allowing 1.6 goals per match. However, they have been better of late, allowing just one goal in their last match against St. Louis City SC. Overall, they are 11th in blocked shots and 3rd in interceptions. Goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair is 26th in MLS with three clean sheets, and he is 26th in saves. Over their last three matches, they have given up an average of 1.7 goals per match.
FC Cincinnati vs Minnesota United Prediction
Looking at how we expect this match to play out, we are going to take Minnesota United on the money line at +123. Our projections have this one finishing with a score of 2-1 in favor of Minnesota United. They have been slightly better on offense this season, coming in 11th in goals scored, and our projections have Teemu Pukki as the top goal scorer for the match. As for FC Cincinnati, our top projected goal scorer is Luciano Acosta.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
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Last updated:September 17, 2024 FC Cincinnati, Minnesota United FC