FC Cincinnati welcome the in-form Seattle Sounders to the TQL Stadium in the early hours of Sunday morning as both sides look to build on their unbeaten starts to their respective MLS campaigns.
Cincinnati currently occupy sixth in the Eastern Conference, while Seattle are top of the Western Conference at this early stage of the new season.
Match preview
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Pat Noonan's Cincinnati followed-up their 2-1 opening day victory over the Houston Dynamo with a goalless stalemate away at Orlando City last time out.
Cincinnati dominated possession and had more shots on target than their opponents but could not find the breakthrough that they desired. However, that draw means that Noonan's side have not yet tasted defeat at the start of the 2023 MLS campaign.
Cincinnati finished last season in terrific form, losing only one of their last six matches of the 2022 campaign, with four of those games being wins, meaning they can record their seventh win in 10 league games against Seattle this weekend.
The hosts had the eighth-worst home record in the entire league last year, winning six, drawing six and losing five of the 17 matches they played in front of their own fans.
However, Noonan may be quietly confident his side can get a positive result here, as Seattle only won three times on the road last season.
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After a disappointing domestic campaign in 2022, Seattle have begun the current regular season about as well as Brian Schmetzer could have hoped, winning their opening two matches by a convincing margin.
The Sounders cruised to a 4-0 opening-day victory over the Colorado Rapids, thanks to strikes from Cristian Roldan, Jordan Morris (2), and Heber, before enjoying a comfortable 2-0 win against Real Salt Lake last weekend.
Those two victories leave Seattle sitting top of the Western Conference, and Schmetzer will want his side to maintain that position throughout the duration of the 2023 campaign.
With a more relaxed schedule this season, the Sounders appear to be well rested, mainly healthy and poised to contend for the Supporters' Shield once again, finishing first or second in the Western Conference in five of the previous six regular-season campaigns.
However, as mentioned above, Seattle only managed to pick up three victories on their travels last term and Schmetzer will be aiming to rectify that issue as the season rolls on.
Team News
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Alec Kann missed the draw with Orlando City due to a leg injury, and it looks likely that he will be absent again this weekend, meaning that Alvaro Barreal will start in his place.
Raymon Gaddis and Brenner were the two changes Noonan made against Orlando to the side that beat Houston a week prior, so he could stick with the same XI, or bring Santiago Arias and Santos back into the fold.
The Sounders could be without Raul Ruidiaz once again as he is dealing with a right hamstring strain, while Obed Vargas is out due to a right quad injury.
Heber and Jordan Morris have both scored in Seattle's opening two MLS fixtures, so it seems highly likely that they will both keep their places in the starting XI.
FC Cincinnati possible starting lineup:
Celentano; Hagglund, Miazga, Mosquera; Gaddis, Moreno, Nwobodo, Barreal; Acosta; Vazquez, Brenner
Seattle Sounders possible starting lineup:
Frei; A. Roldan, Ragen, Gomez, Tolo; Rusnak, Paulo; C. Roldan, Lodeiro, Morris; Heber
We say: FC Cincinnati 1-2 Seattle Sounders
It is difficult to look past Seattle for this one, given how well they have started the season.
The season is still young, but the Sounders look re-energised and primed to regain their status as an MLS powerhouse, showing poise along the backline in their opening two games with plenty of outstanding individual performances.
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