Eastern Conference side FC Cincinnati will welcome Western Conference outfit Vancouver Whitecaps to the TQL Stadium for their MLS encounter on Thursday.
The hosts have won, drawn and lost two games each in their last six on home soil, while the visitors have suffered defeat in seven of their nine away matches this season.
Match preview
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Cincinnati extended their unbeaten run to five matches and played out their third successive score draw when they drew 1-1 with Eastern Conference leaders New York Red Bulls last weekend.
Lewis Morgan's 29th-minute penalty cancelled out a 21st-minute opener from Brandon Vazquez, before the hosts were reduced to nine men in the second half with both Allan Cruz and Luciano Acosta shown red cards – the former dismissed for two bookable offences while the latter was shown a straight red for an apparent headbutt on Aaron Long in stoppage time.
Despite the draw, Pat Noonan's side remain seventh and inside the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, seven points behind the Red Bulls at the summit.
Cincinnati have already claimed more points (26) this term than in each of their previous three MLS campaigns, accumulating only 20 points last season, 16 points in 2020 and 24 points in 2019.
The Orange and Blue head into Thursday's encounter having only faced Vancouver once before, losing 2-1 on home soil in August 2019.
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Vancouver Whitecaps saw their four-game unbeaten run in all competitions come to an end when they suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Minnesota United last weekend.
After a goalless first half, Lucas Cavallini came off the bench to put the hosts in front in the 66th minute, but the visitors came from behind to claim all three points courtesy of strikes from Kemar Lawrence, Luis Amarilla and Franco Fragapane.
That result has seen Vanni Sartini's men slip down to 10th in the Western Conference, three points behind Nashville SC in seventh who occupy the final playoff spot.
Vancouver have performed much better on home soil so far this season, accumulating 18 points from their 10 matches at BC Place, while they have only claimed six points from nine games on the road.
After beating Dallas 2-0 in their last away match, the Whitecaps will be looking to secure back-to-back away wins for the first time since August 2018 when they face Cincinnati on Thursday.
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Team News
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Cincinnati will be without suspended duo Cruz and Acosta, with Yuya Kubo and Josh Nelson set to replace them in the first XI. Nelson's inclusion will likely see Alvaro Barreal switch from the left side of midfield to the number 10 role.
Ronald Matarrita has undergone ankle surgery and is set to be sidelined for some time, while Junior Moreno, Dominique Badji and Calvin Harris all remain out with leg injuries.
Vazquez and Brenner, who have scored 14 goals between them this term, are expected to continue up front, while a back three of Nick Hagglund, Geoff Cameron and Tyler Blackett is set to remain intact.
As for Vancouver, Michael Baldisimo (concussion) and Caio Alexandre (groin) are both doubtful and will be assessed ahead of kickoff, while Deiber Caicedo (knee), Sebastian Berhalter (foot), Thomas Hasal (finger), Cristian Gutierrez and Luis Martins (both calf) all remain sidelined with injuries.
Cavallini's strike last weekend was his six of the season and his fifth in his last seven MLS matches, so the forward will be hoping to return to the starting lineup at the expense of Cristian Dajome.
Scotsman Ryan Gauld is expected to start again in the number 10 role, while either Leonard Owusu or Andres Cubas could play alongside Russell Teibert in centre-midfield.
FC Cincinnati possible starting lineup:
Celentano; Hagglund, Cameron, Blackett; Gaddis, Kubo, Nwobodo, Nelson; Barreal; Vazquez, Brenner
Vancouver Whitecaps possible starting lineup:
Cropper; Brown, Veselinovic, Nerwinski; Godinho, Teibert, Owusu, Raposo; Gauld; White, Cavallini
We say: FC Cincinnati 2-1 Vancouver Whitecaps
A closely-fought contest between two evenly-matched teams is set to take place on Thursday, but Cincinnati will be regarded as the slight favourites considering Vancouver's poor away record this term.
The hosts have performed well against New York City FC, New England Revolution and New York Red Bulls in recent weeks despite only coming away with a point on each occasion, but we feel that they could claim a slender win this time around.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Oliver Thomas
