ORLANDO – FC Cincinnati's moving quickly toward kicking off its 2019 season in Major League Soccer. In some ways, the league year has already started and the rigors of the season have commenced.

In that vein, the Monday release of the 2019 regular-season schedule brought the reality of the forthcoming season into even clearer focus.

Now everyone knows which teams and star players to expect at the University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium and when.

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For many, their summer's travel itinerary was also set. Cincinnati will take their show on the road at least 17 times in 2019.

Here's an analysis of the schedule, and some of thekey, can't-miss dates:

• At first glance...: Yeah, I'll admit it. While I'm typically the patient, wait-and-see guy on the FC Cincinnati beat, I must concede the schedule looks pretty unforgiving. Facing eight 2018 MLS Cup playoff sides (several of which are recent MLS Cup champions) in the first 10 matches is brutal. The unfortunate truth is there's potential for things to get ugly there, at least in terms of results if not scorelines and play. But there's a "but." We're basing the expected high degree of difficulty in the first 10 games on the reputation of the other clubs. Fact is, those clubs are all capable of starting slow, having off seasons, etcetera. FC Cincinnati could catch Seattle Sounders FC sleeping on opening night. Or they could be routed by Seattle. The point is we don't know who or what Seattle is yet, so don't slam on the panic button quite yet. The early-season matches will be especially hard to predict, and I think FC Cincinnati could sneak some surprise results.

• If FC Cincinnati intends to advance to the MLS Cup playoffs, it must...: Seven clubs in each MLS conference will advance to the playoffs in 2019. Last year, the seventh-place team in the Eastern Conference (Montreal Impact) hauled in 46 points. Do I see 46 points for FC Cincinnati over the balance of the schedule it has been dealt? Ehhhh... OK, better question: What must FC Cincinnati do in that opening stretch of 10 tricky matches to be in the playoff race heading into summer? Thirty points will be at stake, and FC Cincinnati's going to need to grab at least 12 points to stay afloat, and I don't think that's an unreasonable ask of the club if its playoff intentions are sincere.

• If you can only go to one home match, make it FC Cincinnati vs. LA Galaxy (Saturday, June 22): Cincinnati is no stranger to Hollywood. Movies are filmed on Cincinnati streets with increasing regularity. In terms of soccer, though, FC Cincinnati's most glitzy home fixture all season will be against the storied LA Galaxy, now led by Guillermo Barros Schelotto (who, upon taking the head coaching job with the Galaxy, proclaimed them the most important team in MLS). Maybe the world-renowned Zlatan Ibrahimovic skips the match at Nippert Stadium on account of the artificial playing surface, but that's really just a popular piece of conjecture for now. It's not written in stone. With three points on the line, I tend to think Zlatan will at least consider playing. The Galaxy are American soccer's version of the New York Yankees, and this game will be FC Cincinnati's shot to take them down.

• If you can afford to make the trip, go to FC Cincinnati at Los Angeles Football Club (April 13): One of FC Cincinnati's sexier away days occurs early in the schedule with a trip to the glittering Banc of California Stadium. LAFC, the Bob Bradley-coached side that advanced to the MLS Cup playoffs during its inaugural season in 2018, has arguably the flashiest home venue in American soccer. It also boasts one of the best atmospheres in the league (as well as the ugliest chants including a slur for opposition goal kicks).

• Save these dates: Aug. 10 and Aug. 25. That's when the Hell Is Real Derby resumes and FC Cincinnati continues its burgeoning rivalry with Columbus Crew SC. The first meeting between the teams will take place in Columbus at Mapfre Stadium. The return date happens two weekends late in an 8 p.m. Sunday night match that's sure to keep Cincinnati up late.

... odds and ends to consider...

• Home schedule breakdown by month: Two matches in March; Two in April; Two in May; One in June; Three in July; Three in August; Four in September.

• The schedule is front-loaded with road matches. FC Cincinnati plays just seven road matches the rest of the season starting with a June 29 date at Minnesote United FC's Allianz Field.

• From April 27 to June 6, FC Cincinnati plays six of eight matches on the road.

• Cincinnati closes out the regular season with four of its final six matches inside Nippert.

The Schedule

March 2 - @ Seattle Sounders FC, CenturyLink Field (10 p.m. ET).

March 10 - @ Atlanta United, Mercedez Benz Stadium (5 p.m. ET).

March 17 - vs. Portland Timbers, Nippert Stadium (5 p.m. ET).

March 23 - @ New England Revolution, Gillette Stadium (noon ET).

March 30 - vs. Philadelphia Union, Nippert Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET).

April 6 - versus Sporting Kansas City, Nippert Stadium (3 p.m. ET).

April 13 - @ Los Angeles Football Club, Banc of California Stadium (10:30 p.m. ET).

April 19 - versus Real Salt Lake, Nippert Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET).

April 27 - @ New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Arena (7 p.m. ET).

May 1 - @ Philadelphia Union, Talen Energy Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET).

May 4 - @ San Jose Earthquakes, Avaya Stadium, (10 p.m. ET).

May 11 - v. Montreal Impact, Nippert Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET).

May 19 - @ Orlando City SC, Orlando City Stadium (5 p.m. ET).

May 25 - versus New York Red Bulls (Nippert Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET)

June 1 - @ Colorado Rapids, Dick's Sporting Goods Park (11 p.m. ET).

June 6 - @ New York City FC, Yankee Stadium (7 p.m. ET).

June 22 - versus Los Angeles Galaxy, Nippert Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET).

June 29 - @ Minnesota United FC, Allianz Field (4 p.m. ET).

July 6 - Houston Dynamo, Nippert Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET).

July 13 - @ Chicago Fire, Toyota Park (8 p.m. ET).

July 18 - versus DC United, Nippert Stadium (8 p.m. ET).

July 21 - versus New England Revolution, Nippert Stadium (6 p.m. ET).

July 27 - @ Toronto FC, BMO Field (8 p.m. ET).

Aug. 3 - Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Nippert Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET).

Aug. 10 - @ Columbus Crew SC, Mapfre Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET).

Aug. 17 - versus New York City FC, Nippert Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET).

Aug. 25 - versus Columbue Crew SC, Nippert Stadium (8 p.m. ET).

Aug. 31 - @ FC Dallas, Toyota Stadium (8 p.m. ET).

Sept. 7 - versus Toronto FC, Nippert Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET).

Sept. 14 - @ Montreal Impact, Stade Saputo (7:30 p.m. ET).

Sept. 18 - versus Atlanta United FC, Nippert Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET).

Sept. 21 - versus Chicago Fire, Nippert Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET).

Sept. 29 - versus Orlando City FC, Nippert Stadium (5 p.m. ET).

Oct. 6 - @ DC United, Audi Field (4 p.m. ET).