| 2017 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General manager | Jeff Berding | |||
| Head coach | Alan Koch | |||
| Stadium | Nippert Stadium | |||
| USL | Sixth, Eastern Conference | |||
| USL Playoffs | Quarterfinals | |||
| U.S. Open Cup | Semifinals | |||
| Top goalscorer | League: Baye Djiby Fall (11) All: Baye Djiby Fall (15) | |||
| Highest home attendance | League: 30,417 (September 16 vs. New York) All: 33,250 (August 15 vs. New York) | |||
| Lowest home attendance | League: 15,244 (April 19 vs. Tampa Bay) All: 6,519 (May 31 vs. Louisville City) | |||
| Average home league attendance | League: 21,199 All: 21,696 | |||
| Biggest win | CIN 4–0 STL (4/15) | |||
| Biggest defeat | LOU 5–0 CIN (8/12) | |||
|
| ||||
The 2017 FC Cincinnati season was the club's second season of existence, and their second in the United Soccer League (USL). It was FC Cincinnati's first season as a second-tier team in the U.S. soccer pyramid, as the United States Soccer Federation provisionally promoted the USL from Division III to Division II for the 2017 season. FC Cincinnati plays in the Eastern Division of USL.
The season is best remembered for FC Cincinnati's championship run in the U.S. Open Cup. They won matches against five teams, including Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire of MLS (the highest division of U.S. soccer), to advance to the semifinals, a feat not achieved by a lower-division team since 2009. Their run was also noted for setting many attendance records; their matches against the New York Red Bulls and Chicago Fire were respectively the 2nd and 3rd highest-attended U.S. Open Cup matches ever, beaten only by the 2011 Final.[1] Their match against Chicago Fire aired on ESPN, marking the first time a match from the Round of 16 received a national television broadcast.[2]
Club
Coaching staff

_(cropped).jpg.webp)
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head coach | |
| Assistant coach | |
| Goalkeeper coach | |
| Scout/Youth Coordinator | |
| Athletic Trainer | |
| Strength & Conditioning | |
| UC Health | |
The club announced on October 21, 2016 that assistant coach Ryan Martin would not be returning for the 2017 season.[3] On December 14, 2016, the club announced that Alan Koch, former head coach of the Whitecaps FC 2, would be taking Martin's place as an assistant coach, in addition to acting as the director of scouting and analytics.[4] On February 17, 2017, the club announced that head coach John Harkes was relieved of his coaching duties and replaced with Alan Koch. On March 28, 2017, Yoann Damet was added to the staff as assistant coach.[5]
Roster
_(cropped).jpg.webp)
As of December 15, 2016, FC Cincinnati has confirmed the return of seventeen players from the 2016 roster, as well as the signing of one new player. Fifteen of these players were announced on November 14, and goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt was announced three days later.[6][7] On December 15, the return of Eric Stevenson and the new signing of Kadeem Dacres were announced.[8] The club held a public tryout with over eighty participants on December 18, 2016.[9] On January 6, 2017, the club announced the signings of Andy Craven, Marco Dominguez, and Aaron Walker (who was selected from the public tryout).[10] On February 6, 2017, the club announced they acquired striker, Victor Mansaray, on loan from Seattle Sounders FC.[11] On March 29, 2017, the club signed Justin Hoyte, a former defender for Premier League club Arsenal.[12] On May 10, 2017, the club traded forward Andy Craven to the OKC Energy FC for forward Danni König.[13] On May 15, 2017, the club announced the signing of defender Josu.[14]
Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth.[15]
| No. | Position | Player | Nation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Mitch Hildebrandt | |
| 2 | DF | Matt Bahner | |
| 3 | DF | Tyler Polak | |
| 4 | DF | Harrison Delbridge | |
| 5 | MF | Aodhan Quinn | |
| 6 | MF | Kenney Walker | |
| 7 | FW | Kadeem Dacres | |
| 8 | MF | Paul Nicholson | |
| 9 | FW | Djiby Fall | |
| 11 | FW | Danni König | |
| 12 | MF | Aaron Walker | |
| 15 | DF | Pat McMahon | |
| 16 | FW | Kyle Greig (on loan from Vancouver Whitecaps FC) | |
| 19 | MF | Corben Bone | |
| 20 | MF | Jimmy McLaughlin | |
| 21 | MF | Marco Dominguez | |
| 22 | DF | Austin Berry | |
| 23 | FW | Andrew Wiedeman | |
| 26 | DF | Garrett Halfhill | |
| 27 | GK | Dan Williams | |
| 30 | GK | Dallas Jaye | |
| 32 | DF | Justin Hoyte | |
| 51 | DF | Sem de Wit | |
| 70 | FW | Kevin Schindler | |
| 74 | DF | Mélé Temguia | |
| 99 | DF | Josu |
Competitions
Win Draw Loss
USL
Results Table
| Charleston Battery | 2–1 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Lasso Portillo |
CIN Report CHS Report Box Score |
Fall |
| Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 0–1 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Agbossoumonde Washington |
CIN Report PIT Report Box Score |
Dacres Fall Mansaray |
| Bethlehem Steel FC | 2–0 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Burke McKenzie Jones Conneh |
CIN Report BTH Report Box Score |
Nicholson |
| FC Cincinnati | 4–0 | Saint Louis FC |
|---|---|---|
| Mansaray Fall |
CIN Report STL Report Box Score |
Guzman |
| FC Cincinnati | 1–1 | Tampa Bay Rowdies |
|---|---|---|
| Delbridge Bahner Dacres |
CIN Report TB Report Box Score |
Schäfer Lowe Nanchoff Boden |
| FC Cincinnati | 1–1 | Louisville City FC |
|---|---|---|
| Mansaray Berry Walker Quinn Fall |
CIN Report LOU Report Box Score |
Ownby Totsch DelPiccolo |
| Bethlehem Steel FC | 1–0 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Seku Conneh Wijnaldum Moar Roberts |
CIN Report BST Report Box Score |
Polak Craven |
| Richmond Kickers | 1–1 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Sekyere |
CIN Report Box Score |
McLaughlin Delbridge |
| FC Cincinnati | 0–2 | Orlando City B |
|---|---|---|
| Bahner Quinn König McLaughlin Bone |
CIN Report OCB Report Box Score |
Hines da Silva Laryea Donovan |
| FC Cincinnati | 2–1 | Bethlehem Steel FC |
|---|---|---|
| König Fordyce Quinn |
CIN Report BST Report Box Score |
Conneh Nanco Tribbett Brown |
| FC Cincinnati | 1–0 | Toronto FC II |
|---|---|---|
| König Delbridge Quinn |
CIN Report TOR Report Box Score |
Alseth |
| Rochester Rhinos | 1–0 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Kamdem |
CIN Report ROC Report Box Score |
Walker Halfhill |
| FC Cincinnati | 1–1 | Charlotte Independence |
|---|---|---|
| K. Walker Hoyte |
CIN Report Box Score |
E. Martínez A. Martínez Waechter |
| FC Cincinnati | 2–2 | Charleston Battery |
|---|---|---|
| Djiby König Wiedeman |
CIN Report CHS Report Box Score |
Romario Williams Lasso |
| FC Cincinnati | 2–0 | Saint Louis FC |
|---|---|---|
| Cochran Djiby König |
CIN Report STL Report Box Score |
Guzmán Cabalceta Cochran Charpie |
| Orlando City B | 1–1 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Schweitzer Hines Clowes da Silva |
CIN Report OCB Report Box Score |
Djiby Berry |
| Tampa Bay Rowdies | 2–0 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Paterson Cole Savage Mkandawire |
CIN Report TBR Report Box Score |
Quinn Dacres McLaughlin |
| FC Cincinnati | 2–0 | Richmond Kickers |
|---|---|---|
| Djiby Nicholson Bahner Quinn |
CIN Report RIC Report Box Score |
Sekyere |
| Louisville City FC | 2–3 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Ilić Smith Davis DelPiccolo Wiedeman |
CIN Report LOU Report Box Score |
Djiby Bone Delbridge König |
| FC Cincinnati | 3–0 | Harrisburg City Islanders |
|---|---|---|
| Djiby König McLaughlin |
CIN Report HAR Report Box Score |
Thomas DiPrima |
| FC Cincinnati | 2–3 | Rochester Rhinos |
|---|---|---|
| McLaughlin Djiby Josu Berry Jaye König Greig Walker |
CIN Report ROC Report Box Score |
Graf Kamdem Fall |
| FC Cincinnati | 2–2 | Orlando City B |
|---|---|---|
| Greig Quinn König |
CIN Report OCB Report Box Score |
Ellis-Hayden Martz Hines Barry |
| Louisville City FC | 5–0 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| McCabe Spencer Kaye Ballard Reynolds |
CIN Report LOU Report Box Score |
Schindler de Wit Walker |
| New York Red Bulls II | 4–0 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Bonomo Tinari Ndam Flemmings Scarlett |
CIN Report NYRB Report USL Report |
Berry Josu Nicholson |
| FC Cincinnati | 3–1 | Ottawa Fury FC |
|---|---|---|
| König McLaughlin Polak de Wit |
CIN Report OTT Report |
Manesio Dos Santos Barden |
| FC Cincinnati | 1–1 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds |
|---|---|---|
| Hildebrandt Wiedeman Walker Delbridge |
CIN Report PIT Report Box Score |
Hertzog Jack |
| Harrisburg City Islanders | 1–1 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Brent McLaws Mendoza Miller Mensah |
CIN Report HAR Report Box Score |
Dacres McLaughlin |
| FC Cincinnati | 4–2 | New York Red Bulls II |
|---|---|---|
| Berry Fall Wiedeman Bahner Bone Delbridge Walker |
CIN Report NYRB Report Box Score |
Valot Baah |
| Saint Louis FC | 2–2 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Rudolph Volesky Stojkov Radosavljevic |
CIN Report STL Report Box Score |
Greig Bone König |
| Charlotte Independence | 0–1 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Martínez |
CIN Report CHA Report Box Score |
Schindler Walker |
| Ottawa Fury FC | 4–0 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Obasi Haworth Reid Dos Santos Venter Campbell |
CIN Report OTT Report Box Score |
Fall Greig |
| Toronto FC II | 3–4 | FC Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Endoh Spencer Hundal Onkony Taintor |
CIN Report TOR Report |
Delbridge König Walker Fall Hoyte |
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville City FC (C) | 32 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 58 | 31 | +27 | 62 | Conference Playoffs |
| 2 | Charleston Battery | 32 | 15 | 9 | 8 | 53 | 33 | +20 | 54 | |
| 3 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 32 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 50 | 35 | +15 | 53 | |
| 4 | Rochester Rhinos | 32 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 36 | 28 | +8 | 53 | |
| 5 | Charlotte Independence | 32 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 52 | 40 | +12 | 48 | |
| 6 | FC Cincinnati | 32 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 46 | 48 | −2 | 46 | |
| 7 | New York Red Bulls II | 32 | 13 | 5 | 14 | 57 | 60 | −3 | 44 | |
| 8 | Bethlehem Steel FC | 32 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 46 | 45 | +1 | 44 | |
| 9 | Orlando City B | 32 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 37 | 36 | +1 | 42 | |
| 10 | Ottawa Fury | 32 | 8 | 14 | 10 | 42 | 41 | +1 | 38 | |
| 11 | Harrisburg City Islanders | 32 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 28 | 47 | −19 | 37 | |
| 12 | Saint Louis FC | 32 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 35 | 48 | −13 | 36 | |
| 13 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 32 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 33 | 42 | −9 | 36 | |
| 14 | Richmond Kickers | 32 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 36 | −12 | 32 | |
| 15 | Toronto FC II | 32 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 27 | 54 | −27 | 25 |
Rules for classification: 1) total wins; 2) total goal differential; 3) total goals scored; 4) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 5) disciplinary points; 6) coin toss or drawing of lots
(C) Champions
Statistics
Appearances
| No. | Pos. | Name | USL | USL Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | 20 | - | 3 | 23 | |
| 2 | DF | 19 | - | 3 | 22 | |
| 3 | DF | 16 | - | 2 | 18 | |
| 4 | DF | 18 | - | 4 | 22 | |
| 5 | MF | 14 | - | 3 | 17 | |
| 6 | MF | 17 | - | 2 | 19 | |
| 7 | FW | 16 | - | 3 | 19 | |
| 8 | MF | 9 | - | 2 | 11 | |
| 9 | FW | 15 | - | 3 | 18 | |
| 10 | MF | 1 | - | 3 | 4 | |
| 11 | MF | 13 | - | 3 | 16 | |
| 13 | FW | 1 | - | - | 1 | |
| 14 | MF | 3 | - | - | 3 | |
| 15 | DF | 2 | - | 1 | 3 | |
| 16 | MF | 9 | - | - | 9 | |
| 16 | FW | 7 | - | - | 7 | |
| 19 | DF | 18 | - | 3 | 21 | |
| 20 | MF | 20 | - | 3 | 23 | |
| 21 | MF | 3 | - | 3 | 6 | |
| 22 | DF | 19 | - | 3 | 22 | |
| 23 | FW | 20 | - | 4 | 24 | |
| 24 | DF | - | - | 1 | 1 | |
| 26 | DF | 2 | - | 1 | 3 | |
| 30 | GK | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | |
| 32 | DF | 11 | - | 3 | 14 | |
| 70 | DF | 1 | - | - | 1 | |
| 74 | FW | 1 | - | - | 1 | |
| 80 | FW | 10 | - | 1 | 11 | |
| 99 | FW | 3 | - | - | 3 | |
| 99 | DF | 7 | - | 1 | 8 | |
- Updated to matches played on August 1, 2017.[16]
Goals
_(cropped).jpg.webp)
| No. | Pos. | Name | USL | USL Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | DF | 2 | - | - | 2 | |
| 5 | MF | 2 | - | - | 2 | |
| 9 | FW | 11 | - | 4 | 15 | |
| 11 | MF | 8 | - | - | 8 | |
| 16 | FW | 1 | - | - | 1 | |
| 19 | DF | - | - | 1 | 1 | |
| 20 | MF | 3 | - | - | 3 | |
| 22 | DF | - | - | 1 | 1 | |
| 23 | FW | 1 | - | - | 1 | |
| 32 | DF | 1 | - | - | 1 | |
- Updated to matches played on August 17, 2017.[16]
References
- ↑ Goff, Steven (August 15, 2017). "Red Bulls use late rally to stun FC Cincinnati in U.S. Open Cup semifinal". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
- ↑ McCauley, Kevin (June 29, 2017). "FC Cincinnati shows there is no limit to what American soccer can become". SBNation. Retrieved October 25, 2017.
- ↑ Kimura, Fumi (October 21, 2016). "Ryan Martin to Pursue New Opportunities". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
- ↑ Kimura, Fumi (December 14, 2016). "Alan Koch Joins FC Cincinnati Staff". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
- ↑ Kimura, Fumi (March 28, 2017). "Yoann Damet joins Coaching Staff as Assistant". FC Cincinnati. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
- ↑ Kimura, Fumi (November 14, 2016). "Key Players Under Contract For 2017". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
- ↑ Kimura, Fumi (November 17, 2016). "FC Cincinnati Re-Signs Mitch Hildebrandt". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on November 22, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
- ↑ Kimura, Fumi (December 15, 2016). "FCC Returns Stevenson, Signs Dacres". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
- ↑ Switzer, D.J. (December 23, 2016). "2016 Open Tryout Recap". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on December 31, 2016. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
- ↑ Kimura, Fumi (January 6, 2017). "Trio Added to 2017 FC Cincinnati Roster". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on January 7, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
- ↑ Kimura, Fumi (February 6, 2017). "Top USL Under-20 Prospect Mansaray Joins FCC". FC Cincinnati. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
- ↑ Kimura, Fumi (March 29, 2017). "Former Premier League defender Justin Hoyte Joins FCC". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on April 24, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
- ↑ Kimura, Fumi (May 10, 2017). "FC Cincinnati Adds König From OKC Energy FC". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on May 16, 2017. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
- ↑ Kimura, Fumi (May 15, 2017). "FCC Adds Defender Josu". FC Cincinnati. Archived from the original on May 19, 2017. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
- ↑ "2017 Roster". FC Cincinnati. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
- 1 2 "FC Cincinnati Players Stats". USL. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
- "United Soccer League Assignments". Professional Referee Organization. Archived from the original on May 31, 2017. Retrieved May 28, 2017.
External links
Media related to 2017 FC Cincinnati season at Wikimedia Commons