2 days ago
FC Cincinnati gearing up for road contest against Portland Timbers
As FC Cincinnati buckles up for their match against the Portland Timbers, the final stretch is fully in focus.
With eight matches to go when they take the field on the road Aug. 16, the Orange and Blue are third in the Supporters' Shield race, two points behind the leading Philadelphia Union.
Every point matters.
But their opponent, the Timbers, are also a playoff-positioned team at sixth in the Western Conference and 14th in the league.
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Coach Pat Noonan noted the opponent's form during Leagues Cup, in which they secured seven points out of nine in the first phase. He also praised how the Timbers balance possession and direct play, while also noting their defensive organization.
"There's just been consistency in their play, and they have a lot of talent on that roster," Noonan said of the Timbers.
Brian Anunga out after red card
FC Cincinnati also returned to league play after Leagues Cup, losing to Charlotte FC on Aug. 10 after midfielder Brian Anunga picked up a red card in the second half.
Per MLS rules, Anunga will be suspended against the Timbers because of the offense.
"We have to figure out who we put in there to replace (Anunga), and how that impacts the group, and what's our strongest group," Noonan said. "It's unfortunate, but it's the reality that we are in right now."
Kévin Denkey ramping up minutes
But forward Kévin Denkey, the team's second-highest goal scorer, could return to more meaningful minutes after returning from injury against Charlotte FC.
Denkey, who missed almost a month due to a leg injury, played three minutes versus the team's last opponent, and Noonan said the forward will see an uptick in minutes against the Timbers.
Coach Pat Noonan said the team missed his goal-scoring production and on-field relationships in his absence.
"(Kévin)'s had a good week, and hopefully he can have a good Thursday and Friday and then be ready to go on Saturday with whatever those minutes look like," Noonan said. "But he's pushed himself in a good way."
Evander returns to Providence Park
Midfielder Evander, who leads FC Cincinnati in goal contributions, is returning to his former team's stadium. He scored 15 goals and 15 assists for the Timbers in 2024 before the Orange and Blue acquired him.
Noonan said that players should not worry about taking over games in potentially emotional moments like these. He said Evander has understood the correct times to make an impact, and that the midfielder should do the same against his previous club.
"I don't care how talented you are, you have to simplify decisions," Noonan said. "When you start trying to do too much and take over games in the wrong moments, that could be detrimental to the team."
Evander said he has mixed feelings about heading back to Portland. He said he still knows many of the players and staff there, and he is excited to see them.
But he also noted that he wants to concentrate on the match and his play for FC Cincinnati.
"(I'm) just trying to be focused on my team," Evander said. "I know that I played there for two years, and I know that a lot of things happened throughout these two years, but I gotta represent well for Cincinnati."
That attention is especially vital in the final stretch, Evander said. He noted that the team has remained around the top of the table for most of the season, and the Supporters' Shield race is tight.
The final stretch will decide everything.
"We want to go out there and win the game, especially because our last game wasn't good enough," Evander said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati gearing up for road contest against Portland Timbers
