For FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan, this is the time of the Major League Soccer season.
You can feel the break from the summer heat, Noonan said Thursday at mercy health training center, and the trail of autumn air portends big games with playoff implications.
There are 4 games left in what has already been an exciting season for FC Cincinnati (10-8-12, points), who can tighten their grip on one of the seven eastern Conference playoff spots with a win Saturday against Real Salt. Lake at America First Field in Sandy, Utah.
“It’s in our hands. It’s been in our hands for weeks,” Noonan said. “It’s the most productive time of the year. You feel like the weather is changing a little bit. You play matches. You’re in the game. I’m lucky to be in the playoffs. It’s the most productive time of the year. “
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Cincinnati’s furthest journey west since the 2019 season will see it take on an 11-game Real Salt Lake team holding on to seventh and final place in the Western Conference playoffs. Not far from “RSL” in the rankings are the Los Angeles Galaxy and Seattle Sounders.
With both the fcc and RSL up for grabs, Noonan said the club expects a playoff atmosphere for the game.
RSL features an offense largely motivated by Sergio Cordova’s 8 goals and Jefferson Savarino’s six touchdowns, and Salt Lake has used tough defense to hold on to the playoff symbol for virtually the entire 2022 season.
“It’s a very similar club to where we are, just above the line,” Noonan said on Thursday. “At home, I’m looking to be a playoff team. We saw some turnover there. We expect a very strong organization and a very motivated organization. . . It will be a very complicated game and we know that with the place where they are, with the place where we are, there will be a playoff feeling, whatever. And what the execution looks like, because the effort is not even spoken.
Since the 2019 season, FC Cincinnati hasn’t ventured as far west geographically as the club will for Saturday’s game at Real Salt Lake.
After the COVID-19 pandemic began, FC Cincinnati’s road trips were only west of Minneapolis and St. Cincinnati. Paul, Minnesota and Houston. This makes Saturday’s game at America First Field, an elevation of more than 4,400 feet, an infrequent air tactics than one.
Fc Cincinnati’s training seeks to focus less on altitude and more on the game itself. Meanwhile, Cincinnati players are preparing by applying their anecdotal betting reports at high altitudes.
“We talked about it briefly. We have had enough discussions and in other capacities over the years about the most productive technique. We’ll spend as little time as possible there, so we’re moving on to be late on Friday and we’re moving on to see what that means,” Noonan said. “We will ask the guys to take additional supplements and, with their diet, what is the most productive way to prepare. Other than that, it’s “let’s play a game. ” Don’t say it’s as big as others would say or when you’re playing in Denver at a higher altitude. We know this will play a role.
After Saturday’s 6-0 win over the San Jose earthquakes at TQL Stadium, FCC goalkeeper Roman Celentano said some members of his family circle had recently moved to Colorado. air.
Alvaro Barreal said on Thursday that he had played in the heights of Bolivia and would be aware of this RSL trip.
America First Field is located at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains, which are a picturesque but brutal reminder of the impact altitude can have on Cincinnati.
Start: 21:30 h. EST, Saturday, | First field in America; sandy, utah
TV/Radio/Broadcast: WSTR Star/ESPN1530/FCCincinnati. com (in the region); ESPN (outside the region)
Series Information: Real Salt Lake won the first and only meeting between the clubs in the 2019 season.
Prediction Cincinnati. com: Real Salt Lake 2, FC Cincinnati 2.
2022 record: 10-8-12, 42 points; tied for fifth place in the Eastern Conference of mls
Targets for: 54
Goals against: 49
Coach: Pat Noonan – first season at FC Cincinnati
Planned training:
Román Celentano, goalkeeper
Alvas Powell, back
Geoff Cameron, central defender
Matt Miazga, central defender
Nick Hagglund, central defender
Álvaro Barreal, left back
Obinna Nwobodo, midfielder
Junior Moreno, midfielder
Luciano Acosta, midfielder
Brandon Vazquez, striker
Brenner Souza da Silva, striker
2022 record: 11-10-10, points, Seventh in the Eastern Conference
Objectives for: 38
Goals against: 41
Coach: Pablo Mastroeni – year as head coach (19-18-11 overall)
Projection of the XI:
Zac MacMath, goalkeeper
Aaron Herrera, back
Justen Glad, central defender
Marcelo Silva, central defender
Andrew Brody, left back
Maikel Chang, midfielder
Jasper Löffelsend, midfielder
Pablo Ruíz, midfielder
Justin Meram, midfielder
Sergio Córdova, striker
Jefferson Savarino, striker
Note: FC Cincinnati has lost only once in its last 16 games, a 2-0 loss to Columbus Crew on July 17. This is the only blemish on the FCC record since the resumption of play after the foreign hiatus in June. By winning the last Saturday against San Jose, Cincinnati took seven numbers out of nine imaginable in eight days.