FC Cincinnati vs. Columbus Crew SC in MLS? Koch says fans must choose their team

Charlie Hatch | Cincinnati Enquirer

Show Caption Hide Caption FC Cincinnati players celebrate 2018 USL regular-season title FC Cincinnati players celebrate their 2018 regular-season championship in their locker room after a 4-1 win at Richmond Kickers.

Hell could be real – for Futbol Club Cincinnati and Columbus Crew SC, at least.

The two clubs will meet in Major League Soccer next season, and news last Friday that Crew SC might stay in Columbus means the intrastate rivals could revive the "HELL IS REAL Derby" that started last June at Nippert Stadium.

Then, FC Cincinnati beat Columbus 1-0 in the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in a rivalry named after a billboard between the cities on Interstate 71.

When asked about the future matchup next season, Cincinnati head coach Alan Koch said his club focuses on itself, and in this case, is excited to be in MLS. That the newcomers could have an instant geographical rivalry is something that should be embraced, he said.

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Matchups in 2019 between the sides could serve as a transformative occasion, too.

Before FC Cincinnati kicked off in the United Soccer League in 2016, soccer fans in the city could travel to Columbus to support the Crew. Even when the teams met in 2017, they were in different leagues, keeping some distance between them. Come 2019, Koch hopes anyone who might've made the drive north on I-71 keeps their fan loyalty to the team at Nippert Stadium.

"Well, I hope if there are fans from Cincinnati and they supported the Crew, it's not even a choice who they support now," Koch said Monday after practice. "What we have in this city and what we have in this club is very, very special. If any fans did go and support the Crew, we now certainly hope they're only FC Cincinnati fans."

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Cincinnati has embraced rivalries in the past.

Currently, the club's biggest rival is Louisville City FC, but after 2018, the only instances the clubs can meet are friendlies or the U.S. Open Cup. There's also a rivalry with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, but Cincinnati is unbeaten against the Riverhounds.

The only opponent FC Cincinnati will face in USL and MLS alike is Nashville SC, who comes to Nippert on Saturday afternoon for the USL Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

Regarding potential MLS rivalries, Koch mentioned the club will embrace all rivalries, even if they're farther away. An easy implication from that suggests one with Orlando City SC, at least as long as James O'Connor is the team's coach. (O'Connor coached Louisville.)

Fatai Alashe said rivalry matches are equally as special for fans as they are for the players. Alashe, who joined Cincinnati from the San Jose Earthquakes, said his former club had a strong rivalry with LA Galaxy.

"It adds another cool game on the schedule that fans and teams can get excited for," he said Monday. "It's always cool playing in rivalry games. There's always a little bit more bite in rivalry games. I think that's definitely going to be special for us and Columbus."

As for FC Cincinnati and Crew SC meeting next year, Koch said fans must choose which MLS club they'll support.

"Don't support both teams," he said. "You choose, and you better choose the team that's the right team."