Still seeking their first victory of the 2025 Major League Soccer campaign, Toronto will visit TQL Stadium on Saturday to face FC Cincinnati.
On matchday two last weekend, the Orange and Blue were beaten 4-1 by the Philadelphia Union, while the Reds suffered a 4-2 defeat at Orlando City.
Match preview
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A week after Cincinnati's near-perfect defensive outing in their regular season opener (1-0 win over the New York Red Bulls), they were made to look mediocre in Philly last Saturday.
Pat Noonan's men are now winless in their last three regular season matches away from home, conceding multiple times in each of those outings.
At TQL Stadium in 2024, they lost four of their final six matches in this competition - not including the playoffs - but have been better so far this year, unbeaten in three home games played across all competitions.
This weekend, they have a chance to win their first two regular season matches at TQL Stadium for only the second time in club history (2023).
The Orange and Blue have only lost one MLS home game in March since the start of the 2022 campaign, when DC United beat them 1-0 that same year.
Cincinnati have never lost a game against Toronto at TQL Stadium, without a single goal conceded in those previous four outings.
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Early into the 2025 domestic campaign, many of the Reds' defensive issues from previous seasons have crept up on them once again.
Robin Fraser's men have conceded a league-high six goals in two games, tied for the most in the competition so far this year.
Going back to the previous MLS campaign, TFC have conceded in their last four away matches in this competition, allowing multiple goals in three of those encounters.
Three of their four league goals this season have come in the second half, while they have given up four in the opening 45 minutes of play.
Toronto are unbeaten in their previous five MLS away fixtures when scoring first, dropping points in only two league contests as the visitors last year when doing so.
The Reds have not won a match against the Orange and Blue in Cincinnati since the 2019 MLS campaign when they triumphed 1-0 at Nippert Stadium.
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Team News
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Against the Union last weekend, Cincinnati were missing Sergio Santos, Luca Orellano and Gerardo Valenzuela with leg issues, Alec Kann was sidelined due to a sore hip, Nick Hagglund had an ankle strain and Matt Miazga was unavailable because of a knee injury.
Evander scored his first goal for them in MLS play last week, while Pavel Bucha had their lone strike in a 1-1 draw versus Mexican side Tigres in leg one of their round of 16 CONCACAF Champions Cup tie on Tuesday.
On the Toronto side Raoul Petretta and Derrick Etienne sat out of their previous match with lower body injuries, and they will both be questionable on Saturday, while Richie Laryea has been ruled out with a hamstring strain.
Sigurd Rosted and Deybi Flores scored in the second half for them in Orlando, but it was far too late as they were already well beaten by then.
FC Cincinnati possible starting lineup:
Celentano; Halsey, Robinson, Hadebe; Yedlin, Nwobodo, Bucha, Engel; Kubo, Evander; Denkey
Toronto possible starting lineup:
Johnson; Monlouis, Long, Rosted; Kerr, Coello, Flores, Spicer; Osorio; Bernardeschi, Corbeanu
We say: FC Cincinnati 3-2 Toronto
Three or more goals have been scored in three of the last four meetings between these two teams, but we trust the Orange and Blue can shut the door when needed.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
