LOUISVILLE CITY FC 0, FC CINCINNATI 1 – GAME SUSPENDED 38’ MIN

In a USL fixture long anticipated like no other the Soccer Gods conspired to rain down not their expected divine football bounty … but, er, actual rain.

Thanks to their impertinent inundation there ended up being more spills than thrills and Saturday night was not to be the final chapter of this legendary though oh-so short-lived rancorous rivalry after all.

Even if the weather and the competing U of L “football” home opener prevented the turnstiles from yielding the hoped for near full house at Slugger there was electricity in the atmosphere, enhanced by another top showing from the Coopers and Scouse’s House SGs and the ever boundless Groove Machine. These stalwarts were impressively challenged by the noisy Nati traveling complement of Black Sheep, Pride, Roadies, et al, cloaked in the haze from their requisite Orange and Blue smoke bombs.

The forecast though had been ominous for days and the scene as the opening whistle approached of darkening skies, light but steady rain and lightning warnings had been wholly expected, however once the game got underway it seemed as though things were over the hump and nobody (or no entity) could get in the way of this hallowed sporting event. Instead, the showers built to a downpour and the auto warnings intensified to include flooding and even possible tornados.

With both teams struggling getting to grips early with the difficulty in footing in the wet conditions, the home team were looking after the ball for the most part, although there was an early half-chance for Cincinnati’s Emmanuel Ledesma which he lifted over from the 18 yard line.

George lV created a nice chance for Niall in space in the area but he couldn’t pick out a spot when perhaps he should have and his effort was stopped.

Kyle, really coming into his own on the overlap in recent games, was getting forward regularly and he moved the ball to Ilija whose shot was collected safely enough by Spencer Richey in the FCC goal.

Paulo set Oscar to deliver low from the left to Cameron who unfortunately turned into a defender and lost his chance.

With former Portland Timbers goal generator Fanendo Adi again on the bench in cotton balls with a long view toward USL playoffs, the chief source of danger for the visitors was the left foot of maestro “Manu” Ledesma, operating in the inside right channel.

But twin wing midfielder Corben Bone pops up every so often too, and in the 23’ minute the duo combined to shock City as Ledesma, in some room deep wide right, was able to switch the ball to his left and chip back to the top of the box. The situation didn’t appear menacing but Bone, in tight quarters, volleyed with his right, beating Greg as the ball skimmed in off his left hand post.

It was 5th of the season for Bone and expertly finished, though against the general run of play, it being Cincinnati’s 1st (and eventually to be only) shot on frame on the night.

The goal was their first versus Louisville City in 306 minutes of play, going back 419 days.

City responded going straight back on the attack and Niall laid to Oscar whose drive, aided by the slick surface forced Richey to push around his right post.

Kyle then found George lV inside the area but his shot was blocked and Cameron shot well over on a free kick from just inside 30 yards.

City had the pressure on, forcing several corners but FCC’s defense held.

At the 38 minute mark, with the rain unabating and lightning flickering in the area, referee Marcos De Oliveira decided to halt the play and take the players off the park and after a period of deliberation the match was suspended despite the vain hopes of the huddled masses.

Cincinnati coach Alan Koch didn’t feel that way however, deeming Slugger Field in his postgame, “ … obviously one of the poorest playing surfaces in professional soccer anywhere in the world.”, and adding that he was pleased when the game was suspended. Cheers Alan.

The decision in any case proved to be the correct one as in short order swathes of the field became irretrievably awash.

There was talk around the locker area afterward of a rescheduling for sometime in the coming week which would be the optimum possibility, rather than having to lever the remainder of the game in at a more disruptive time later on.

For the “rematch”, whenever it is scheduled, play will resume at the precise time of the suspension and the score at 0-1.

~~~ Fun Footnote ~~~

* In 2018, FC Cincinnati have recorded an average home gate at Nippert Stadium of 25,230, up 19% from 2017, and 68% from 2016. This places the club top in the entire USL, ahead of several MLS clubs and is one of the best performances in the world for a second tier club.

* Louisville City are in 5th place in USL attendance with a 7,618 average home gate, down 12% from 2017.