By Tony Álvarez
It´s do or die for Pumas after a tough rainy night in Charlotte as they travel north to face a team used to reverting deficits on their favor in Cincinnati.
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
- 1st matchup between the two sides
- Record at Leagues Cup: Cincinnati (7-4), Pumas (5-6)
LAST FIVE GAMES:
- Cincinnati:
- 4 Wins, 0 Draws, 1 Loss
- Pumas:
- 2 Wins, 0 Draws, 3 Losses
MAIN STORYLINES:
- FC Cincinnati will be closer to qualifying to second round with a 90-minute win.
- Pumas was scoreless in Leagues Cup opener with usual starting lineup.
- Cincy´s offense is red-hot after scoring at least three goals in seven of last nine games.
- FC Cincinnati will play second straight Leagues Cup match at home.
- Pumas are still adapting to a new head coach and style of play.
KEY FACTORS:
- Cincinnati:
- Evander continues to show his talent after scoring a goal in three of the team´s last four matches.
- Homefield advantage has proven to be determinant this season (7-2-1, including Leagues Cup).
- Have not recorded a clean sheet in last nine matches (2-0, April 25 vs New York Red Bulls).
- Pumas:
- Keylor Navas´s experience will be tested again against a high scoring attack.
- Esteban Solari will give Juninho more playing time after coming off the bench at Charlotte FC.
- The team knows they have to win in 90 minutes to have a chance to advance, therefore it makes them dangerous.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
Pumas faces a must-win match against Cincinnati on Friday at TQL Stadium (8:00 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), needing all three points to keep its hopes of reaching the Leagues Cup knockout stage alive.
It will not be an easy task. The Orange and Blue have looked dangerous in attack and enter the match on the heels of an impressive 3-1 victory over CF Pachuca. Once again, Cincinnati found itself trailing early but responded with composure, taking control of the match before pulling away for a convincing win.
Evander was once again the difference-maker, finding the back of the net and further establishing himself as one of the tournament's most dangerous attacking players. The Brazilian will pose another major challenge for a Pumas defense that struggled in its opening match against Charlotte FC on a rain-soaked night at Bank of America Stadium.
After a weather delay of 1 hour and 22 minutes, the Auriazules finally took the field, but they were never able to find their rhythm. Charlotte controlled much of the match, scoring three goals and threatening for more, if not for several outstanding saves from Costa Rica international Keylor Navas.
Guillermo Martínez led the line for Pumas but was unable to make an impact in the final third. Head coach Esteban Solari later turned to Juninho, hoping the Brazilian could build on the hat trick he scored in his most recent Liga MX appearance, but the substitute was unable to change the course of the match.
With little margin for error, Pumas will have to take more risks against a Cincinnati side that thrives on long spells of possession and has shown plenty of firepower in attack. The Mexican club will need a much sharper defensive performance while finding greater efficiency in front of goal if it hopes to leave Ohio with a result.
A victory would keep Pumas' quarterfinal hopes alive, while another defeat would almost certainly bring its Leagues Cup campaign to an early end. Cincinnati, meanwhile, knows another three points would put it in an excellent position to secure a place in the knockout stage and continue its pursuit of the club's first Leagues Cup title.
The market gives FC Cincinnati a narrow advantage, with the Orange and Blue holding 45% of Polymarket predictions while Pumas sits close behind at 32%, setting the stage for one of the day's most evenly matched contests.
