Charlie Hatch | chatch@enquirer.com

The Enquirer / Pat Brennan

Albert Cesare

Futbol Club Cincinnati entered last offseason gutting its roster to build toward a league championship. The club's on track.

With a two-week gap between United Soccer League matches, FC Cincinnati boasts a nine-point lead in the Eastern Conference standings and maintains the highest point total across the league. Solid results are proof of a solid roster. But what's often overlooked is the team's depth.

Saturday isn't the first example, but it's the most recent one, as Cincinnati beat fourth-place New York Red Bulls II 2-1 at Nippert Stadium.

Defenders Paddy Barrett and Matt Bahner hadn't started since June 27. Goalkeeper Spencer Richey and striker Tomi Ameobi hadn't played a USL match since May 12. Midfielder Will Seymore's last league game was May 2.

Each was impactful.

Richey was arguably the club's best player, while Barrett scored the game-winning goal. Bahner offered backline reliability, while Seymore and Ameobi offered stoppage-time attacking sparks.

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"What's very, very special for our group, and when you're not with us everyday you don't see it, is the players are pushing each other every single day," head coach Alan Koch said Saturday.

When the season started, Koch said the best players and teammates would play. No one's spot was sealed. Months later, the club's developed a routine starting lineup, but, as Saturday showed, players outside the 11 can fill in and produce similar quality.

In a three-match week, FC Cincinnati won its first two matches with an identical lineup. For the final game, Richey replaced Evan Newton, while Bahner and Barrett replaced Justin Hoyte and captain Dekel Keinan, respectively. What followed was a third win in the toughest playing conditions against the toughest team of the week.

"That's a credit to this coaching staff," Barrett said after the New York win. "We've got (24) players that, no matter what 11 you put out each week, you could put it up against any team in this league and we're a lot of confident lads. ...We go out with confidence and get three points, no matter who comes here."

Albert Cesare

Waiting for an opportunity has been difficult, Barrett said. When he learned he'd start against Red Bulls II, he said he changed his mentality to prepare for another start. The focus was on starting a game faster, rather than sometimes not making an appearance at all.

So far, FC Cincinnati has made one center-back substitution this season: Forrest Lasso replaced an injured Keinan on June 13 in a 2-2 draw with Bethlehem Steel.

“It’s difficult, of course," Barrett said. "You have to prepare day in and day out to play. When you get the chance, obviously we’ve been working hard all week and I kind of knew over the past couple days I was playing tonight, so I kind of prepared myself differently."

Those who haven't played as much might see more field time Saturday night when Cincinnati hosts RCD Espanyol, a La Liga side, it its third-annual international friendly.

In the two previous midseason friendlies, the majority – if not all of the squad's players – will make an appearance. Though, that might change Saturday.

Following the win over Red Bulls II, Koch said the Espanyol meeting is important for players to receive deserved minutes.