FC Cincinnati faces a home curse it has never broken against New England | OneFootball

FC Cincinnati is on its first road win of 2025, but what is at stake this Saturday goes beyond recent form. Hosting the New England Revolution at TQL Stadium, the Orange and Blue must overcome a worrisome history, a demanding upcoming schedule, and the expectation of not losing points in a stadium where the support usually carries the team. Home invincibility means so much

Three matches, two wins, one draw. That is FC Cincinnati's home record to date. Nice, yes, but not the kind of dominance the club would like to establish at its home ground. And that contrasts even more sharply when you look at the head-to-head against the Revolution. In five MLS games played in Cincinnati, FCC has never registered a win. Four losses, one tie, not even a hint of dominance.

And that number, as cold and insensitive as it is, does pain. The coaches know. So does the team. And for that reason, even after a good performance on the road last week, this week has been about mentality, performance, and execution. Head coach Pat Noonan wasn't being coy about anything: "Our next test is New England, and we need to make sure we have the right mentality for this game to get a result at home. That's the target."

No arrogance. No expectation the other team will implode. Pressure is internal — and it's real.

Nashville SC v FC Cincinnati | Johnnie Izquierdo/GettyImages

Attitude and execution as a starting point

Left back Brad Smith supported that. No hype, just simplicity: "I think if we go out there and play the way we can and do the things we need to do, I don't really think it matters who's in front of us."

That kind of thinking is mature. It's not merely a matter of viewing New England as a bottom-of-the-table team. It's a matter of understanding that any misstep could cost them. particularly given the upcoming schedule. The home game this Saturday is one of only a few in the entire next three-month period. Over April, May, and June, Cincinnati is going to be playing 14 games — merely four of which at TQL Stadium. A stretch of this nature does more than necessitate success away from home. It makes every game at home increasingly precious.

A maddening streak that still sticks

New York Red Bulls v New England Revolution | Andrew Katsampes/ISI Photos/GettyImages

Since joining MLS, FC Cincinnati has tried to establish a consistent trend. With Noonan, things have improved. The team has won 53, lost 27, and tied 28 since 2022. But still lingering is one pesky issue the club hasn't been able to shake: trouble with certain teams at home. Aside from the Revolution, there are eight Western Conference clubs Cincinnati has never beaten at TQL — some haven't even played there yet. The chances will come. But this weekend's match has its own stakes. There is a bad record, a sense of business left undone, and, of course, a real shot at momentum. Conversely, a Revolution in rebuild mode

The Revolution arrived in Cincinnati trying to regroup after a rocky beginning to the season. Caleb Porter's squad picked up their first win last week, having gone four games in a row without scoring. That 2–1 win over the New York Red Bulls was a welcome relief, but it also showed how exposed the team still is — they've yet to score from open play.

Once more, all attention on Carles Gil. The Spanish midfielder has been the face of the club since 2019, led his team to a Supporters' Shield championship, and was named 2021 MLS MVP. Last weekend, he scored both goals — both set pieces — and proved that even in the midst of a funk, he's still capable of taking the brunt.

A roster still searching for its identity

The truth is, Porter's still trying to figure out his best lineup. Seven players left in the offseason, another 11 weren't re-signed, and the new players haven't quite gelled yet. Leonardo Campana, who came in from Inter Miami, had big aspirations but is out injured. Ignatius Ganago, on loan from Nantes, and Maxi Urruti have been experimented with up top, but the offense is still nowhere near ominous.

The Revolution played in a 4-4-2 formation in the last game, with Gil centrally, Fofana and Omsberg at the back, and forward duo Ganago and Urruti. Head coach Caleb Porter was quoted as follows on the team's mentality on the road.

"I think we need to be aggressive. We were aggressive in the last game. That doesn't mean we were reckless. We had balance in how we wanted to play, how we wanted to attack, and how we wanted to bring numbers forward. So, balance is always important, but I think we had the right balance. In that last game, we took a little more risk. We had more numbers pushing forward, especially in open-play situations. We had more intent in our attacking game. We were strong on our transitions, [and] even on set-piece attacks. I don't think we're all of a sudden going to play cautious because we're on the road and the fans in the seats are different."