FC Cincinnati: Roster, player profiles & stats

After winning the Leagues Cup, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are preparing for the semifinals of the US Open Cup. Their opponents will be FC Cincinnati, the current Eastern Conference leaders.

FC Cincinnati have reached the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup semifinals for the second time in club history. The Orange and Blue made the semis in 2017 before falling to New York Red Bulls in extra time.

Ahead of Wednesday’s clash, we take a look at the FC Cincinnati roster that will take on Tata Martino’s side, who are looking to advance to another final.

Roman Celentano

Celentano is the club’s starting goalkeeper and has played in all 24 games of the current MLS season, although he did not feature in the Leagues Cup. He has conceded 28 goals, and kept nine clean sheets along the way.

Alec Kann

Kann played in all three of the club’s Leagues Cup matches (conceding five goals) and the previous four in this US Open Cup (conceding two goals). He is the club’s second-choice keeper.

Yerson Mosquera

The young centre-back arrived at the club on loan from Wolves in February. Playing a key role for the side, he has made 25 appearances in three competitions, scoring two goals.

Matt Miazga

The former Chelsea, Anderlecht and Alavés man has played 24 games in 2023. He has picked up six yellow cards.

Ian Murphy

Murphy has gradually made his way into the starting XI. In 2023 he has featured for Cincinnati on 21 occasions.

Nick Hagglund

The 30-year-old has appeared in 24 matches for the Ohio side, although he has spent more time on the bench in recent times.

Santiago Arias

After being released by La Liga side Atlético Madrid, Arias joined Cincinnati at the beginning of the year and since then, the right-back has played 21 matches for the team, scoring three goals and providing two assists. Despite some good performances, the change of system, from a back four to a back three, has caused him to lose his place in the starting lineup.

Obinna Nwobodo

Nwobodo is the club’s defensive midfielder and plays a key role in the side. With 27 games under his belt this year, he is set to start against Inter Miami.

Junior Moreno

Next to Nwobodo in the engine room, Moreno has a license to get forward more from midfield.

Marco Angulo

The Ecuadorian was a Copa Libertadores and Sudamericana champion with Independiente del Valle. He has mostly played off the bench for Pat Noonan’s side.

Luciano Acosta

Acosta is the club captain and star of the team. The former Boca Juniors and Estudiantes player arrived in Cincinnati in 2021 and since then he has become a talismanic figure. This year he has scored 13 goals and registered eight assists in 30 games. He is also the second top scorer in MLS, only behind Germany’s Hany Mukhtar.

Yuya Kubo

Japan’s Yuya Kubo is an attacking midfielder to keep an eye on. He played 22 games for Cincinnati so far in 2023.

Brandon Vázquez

Another of the team’s goalscorers and an important name in attack is Vázquez. The 24-year-old, who was close to being called up by the USA to play at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, has 11 goals and two assists in the 25 games this season.

Aaron Boupendza

After a stint in the Saudi Pro League, Boupendza arrived in Cincinnati in July and has quickly made a name for himself in the team. The Gabonese player started all the Leagues Cup matches and has already scored his first MLS goal.

Álvaro Barreal

Barreal has four goals and 10 assists in 31 games. If he plays in the semifinal against Miami, he will play his 100th game for Cincinnati.

When is FC Cincinnati vs Inter Miami?

The match between FC Cincinnati and the Herons will take place on Wednesday, August 23 (7:00 p.m. ET) at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.

The winner of the match will face the winner of Houston Dynamo and Real Salt Lake in the final.