FC Cincinnati vs. DC United Betting Preview

FC Cincinnati vs. DC United Betting Preview

Ryan Knuppel
3 years ago
3 min read
FC Cincinnati  vs. DC United Betting Preview

FC Cincinnati looks for their first home win of the season as they host eight-place DC United on Saturday. FCC sits in 12th place in the Eastern Conference but could end the weekend in 10th place if they grab all three points and Toronto fail to win. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati and will be televised on ESPN+.

These teams have met four times since FC Cincinnati joined the MLS in 2019. DC. United is unbeaten in all four with two wins and two draws. They have won on two of their three trips to Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Needs to Hold Onto Leads

For some reason, FC Cincinnati just can’t grab a home win. They have six losses, and two draws in their eight games in Cincinnati this year and are still looking to reward the TQL Stadium faithful. Their eight-match winless streak is tied for the longest active streak in MLS, and they have allowed at least one goal in 10 straight home games.

Allan Cruz and Ronald Matarrita are both back from Gold Cup service, and it will be interesting to see how Jaap Stam reintegrates them into the lineup. They didn’t grab a win while those two were gone on international duty as FCC has three draws and two losses since a 2-0 road win over Toronto on June 23.

The Orange and Blue lost leads against CF Montreal, Columbus Crew, and Atlanta United earlier this month. Those missed chances resulted in two draws and a loss. Last time out, they were taken apart from the start in a 3-0 road loss to Nashville, SC.

Luciano Acosta leads FCC with four goals in the season, while Brenner has three, including two against Montreal earlier this month. Matarrita has three assists, matching Acosta for the team lead. Kenneth Vermeer has started 11 games in goal with 19 goals allowed.

United Defense Stepping Up

This DC United team has been streaky all season. They lost five of six games in April and May before turning things around after the international break. With a 1-0 win over New York Red Bulls last weekend, they have now won four and tied two in their last eight games.

The defense is vastly improved for DC. United with four clean sheets in their last eight contests. In the early-season losing streak, they allowed three goals and four goals in back-to-back games. During the recent run of success, they switched to a 3-4-3 formation after opening the year in more of a 3-5-2.

Ola Kamara leads United with seven goals on the season, and he netted the game-winner against Red Bulls. Keeper Bill Hamid has been in net for four of United’s six wins on the season. In eight games started, he has allowed just seven goals while the other two keepers have allowed 11 goals in seven games.

Betting Analysis

FC Cincinnati +175 ML. -0.5 goals (+145)
DC United +150 ML. +0.5 goals (+125)
Draw +260
Total goals 2.5, Over -110. Under -110
First goal: FCC +105. DC United -110. No Goals +750

Cincinnati is the second-worst team in the MLS with 29 goals allowed and has dropped more points from a leading position than any other team in 2021. United have just one win this season away from home and are -5 goal differential on the road. The first goal in this game will be crucial, especially if FCC has to play from behind.

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