CINCINNATI — FC Cincinnati's 3-2 loss to the New England Revolution Wednesday night at TQL Stadium was another frustrating reminder of the defensive problems that have plagued the Orange and Blue throughout the season. Yet, despite the disappointing result, there were some encouraging signs from the club's newest additions, particularly Tyrell Malacia.
Cincinnati controlled much of the match, outshooting New England 23-10, putting 10 attempts on target, and holding nearly 59 percent of possession. Unfortunately, those advantages meant little when the Revolution converted three of their five shots on goal.
The evening began promisingly when Tom Barlow opened the scoring in the 13th minute, but Cincinnati's lead lasted just eight minutes. Dor Turgeman equalized in the 21st minute before Josh Wynder headed home a corner kick in the 43rd to give New England the halftime advantage.
Things deteriorated further just six minutes after the restart when Turgeman slipped behind Cincinnati's defense and rounded goalkeeper Evan Louro for his second goal of the night.
The three goals brought Cincinnati's season total to 68 conceded in MLS competition, the third-most in the league. For a team still fighting to secure a playoff position, that level of defensive vulnerability continues to undermine an otherwise productive offense.
The timing of the goals was particularly damaging. Cincinnati conceded shortly after taking the lead, just before halftime, and almost immediately after the second half began. Those are precisely the moments when defensive organization and concentration are most important.
While the defensive struggles dominated the result, Malacia's performance offered a glimpse of what Cincinnati's recent roster additions might bring to the club.
Making just his second appearance since joining the Orange and Blue, Malacia assisted on both Cincinnati goals. His first contribution came on Barlow's opener, when a throw-in from the left found the forward behind New England's defense for a finish inside the near post.
His second assist was considerably more impressive. In the 67th minute, Malacia created separation from his defender before delivering an excellent cross into the penalty area, where Kévin Denkey redirected the ball into the net.
Malacia's willingness to advance down the left side gave Cincinnati another option going forward. His early contributions suggest he could become an important part of the club's offense as the season enters its final stretch.
Fellow newcomer Julián Malatini also made his first start for Cincinnati, although his involvement ended at halftime. With the defensive unit still searching for consistency, integrating new players effectively will be particularly important over the remaining weeks of the season.
Meanwhile, Barlow has now scored in three consecutive MLS matches for the first time in his career, while Denkey has six goals in his last four appearances. Denkey's 17 league goals leave him just one shy of the club's single-season MLS record.
Cincinnati doesn't have much time to address its problems. The Columbus Crew visit TQL Stadium on Sunday for the latest installment of the Hell is Real derby, presenting another difficult challenge for a defense that has struggled to contain opposing attacks.
Wednesday's loss was disappointing, but Malacia's contributions provided something positive to take away. With playoff qualification still at stake, Cincinnati needs its new additions to settle quickly and, more importantly, its defense to stop surrendering leads and forcing the offense to chase games.
