The TQL Stadium will be in a celebratory mood on Wednesday night when Supporters' Shield champions FC Cincinnati host a playoff-chasing New York Red Bulls in MLS.
The Orange and Blue secured their first-ever trophy with a dramatic win across the border against Toronto on the weekend, while the Red Bulls' top-nine hopes took a hit after they lost to Chicago Fire on home soil.
Match preview
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After finishing bottom of the entire MLS in three successive years between 2019 and 2021, FC Cincinnati have produced one of the most dominant Supporters' Shield victories in the division's history, and the champions earned their 19th win of the term in Canada on the weekend to secure the crown with three games left to play in the regular season.
Back-to-back wins in MLS looked very possible by 35 minutes, when the lively Brandon Vazquez had already notched up his seventh and eighth goals of the term, but a brace from Toronto midfielder Jonathan Osorio threatened to delay the Orange and Blue's title celebrations for a few days at least.
Summer arrival Aaron Boupendza had different vision for the night's ending however, with the Gabonese marksman scoring a 72nd-minute winner at BMO Field to send the travelling supporters - and all those watching on back in Ohio - into raptures, with Pat Noonan men securing all three points against Terry Dunfield's basement dwellers.
With home advantage sealed for the playoffs with three matches remaining of the regular season, onlookers would see little reason for Cincinnati to be motivated for their clash with the Red Bulls on Wednesday night, although a trio of maximums over the next week would put the club onto 74 points, breaking New England Revolution's record for most points in an MLS regular season.
A driving force for the Supporters' Shield winners has been Argentinian playmaker Luciano Acosta, who is a favourite to collect the division's MVP award at the end of the term having netted 15 goals and provided 10 assists in just 29 league matches, meaning he has reached double digits in both attacking metrics in 2022 and 2023.
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New York Red Bulls' three-game unbeaten run came to a disappointing end on Saturday night at home to Chicago Fire, leaving the club's playoff ambitions in serious jeopardy with only nine points left to play for in the regular season, despite the hosts at the Red Bull Arena having the lion's share of the chances.
Troy Lesesne's men peppered Chris Brady's goal throughout the contest, having 15 shots compared to Chicago's five, but a telling truth was that the Red Bulls managed just three on target and were ultimately punished for their inability to finish opportunities, with 19-year-old Georgios Koutsias bagging the winner in the second half.
The Red Bulls currently sit 12th in the MLS Eastern Conference standings having collected 37 points from 31 league matches so far, meaning they are three point behind ninth-placed CF Montreal with three matches left to play, and a very congested-looking section of the table is set to make the final matches even more tantalising.
A clear issue for Wednesday's visitors is their inability to consistently find the back of the net, with Lesesne's side managing just 30 goals in 31 matches - only the aforementioned Toronto and a 26-point Colorado Rapids outfit have made the net ripple on fewer occasions in the 2023 season.
After a trip daunting outing in Ohio on Wednesday night, the Red Bulls will face Toronto and Nashville SC in matches which are likely to define their regular-season fate and whether they have a post-season future this year.
Team News
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Cincinnati are expected to make a number of changes to their starting XI considering that the Supporters' Shield has already been secured, meaning the likes of Dominique Badji and Yuya Kubo could go from the off on Wednesday night.
The Orange and Blue will be hoping that striker Arquimedes Ordonez can play some part in the club's playoff run later in the year, with the 20-year-old currently sidelined due to a leg injury.
A long-term absentee for the hosts is 16-year-old Stiven Jimenez, who made his debut for the club in December 2022 but is not featuring at the moment after breaking his leg in August.
New York Red Bulls will be without the services of first-choice centre-back Hassan Ndam on Wednesday, as the Cameroonian picked up a second yellow in the defeat against Chicago on the weekend.
Andres Reyes will therefore need a new defensive partner for the trip to Ohio in the week, meaning Dylan Nealis or Cameron Harper will be promoted from the bench into the visitors' starting side.
The Red Bulls are light in options at the front end of the pitch, with Belgian Dante Vanzeir out for the remainder of the campaign due to a spinal cord injury.
FC Cincinnati possible starting lineup:
Celentano; Mosquera, Miazga, Murphy; Arias, Nwobodo, Moreno, Barreal; Badji, Kubo, Boupendza
New York Red Bulls possible starting lineup:
Miguel; Duncan; Reyes, Harper, Tolkin; Luquinhas, Amaya, Edelman, Fernandez; Barlow, Manoel
We say: FC Cincinnati 2-0 New York Red Bulls
Cincinnati have already clinched the Supporters' Shield, but we are not expecting a drop in performances levels as members of the squad attempt to impress Noonan in order to start in the playoffs.
New York Red Bulls face a tough trio of fixtures as they attempt to sneak into the top nine of the Eastern Conference, and we feel their efforts will be unrewarded at TQL Field on Wednesday.
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