Field Level Media
01 Apr 2023, 05:49 GMT+10
Brandon Vazquez finally found the back of the net in the fifth match of the season, but FC Cincinnati is thriving despite the star striker's slow start.
Vazquez looks to kick into top gear against a team he terrorized last season when FC Cincinnati (3-0-2, 11 points) host Inter Miami (2-3-0, 6 points) on Saturday night.
Vazquez has five goals in six career matches against Miami, scoring four goals last season -- two apiece in a 3-1 victory and a 4-4 road draw.
Last Saturday, he was pleased to get into the goals column for the first time this season, tallying in the 48th minute of a 1-0 road win over Nashville SC.
"It was a big relief. I felt a weight off my shoulders," Vazquez said afterward. "It just feels so, so good to hit the back of the net and help my team be able to get three points on the road in a hard place. It's an unbelievable feeling."
Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan felt the significance as well.
"That was important for him," Noonan said of Vazquez. "It certainly came at an important time for us in the game, but, hopefully, that is just the start of what I think Brandon himself -- and a lot of us -- expect in terms of finishing plays off."
Cincinnati is in second place in the Eastern Conference and is the lone unbeaten squad in the East.
Miami has dropped three straight matches after opening the season with two consecutive wins.
Last Saturday, Miami fell 3-2 to the visiting Chicago Fire. Defender Franco Negri had a goal and an assist, and midfielder Nicolas Stefanelli scored the other goal.
Miami coach Phil Neville didn't like the result but appreciated his team's work rate.
"I can't fault their commitment, their effort, their drive, their determination to try to get back in the game from going two goals down," Neville said. "That for me was really admirable. ... That's the evolution of a team that's new and young, not young in age but young in build. We've got to learn fast."
Miami had been shut out in back-to-back games before the two ames against Chicago. Of the team's six goals this season, midfielder Jean Mota has assisted on three of them.
--Field Level MediaGet a daily dose of Orlando Echo news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Orlando Echo.
More InformationSLUBICE, Poland: Poland reinstated border controls with Germany and Lithuania on July 7, following Germany's earlier reintroduction...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: After months of warnings from former federal officials and weather experts, the deadly flash floods that struck the...
MOSCOW, Russia: Just hours after his sudden dismissal by President Vladimir Putin, Russia's former transport minister, Roman Starovoit,...
DHARAMSHALA, India: The Dalai Lama turned 90 on July 6, celebrated by thousands of followers in the Himalayan town of Dharamshala,...
ZAGREB, Croatia: A massive concert by popular Croatian singer Marko Perković, known by his stage name Thompson, has drawn widespread...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Elon Musk's entry into the political arena is drawing pushback from top U.S. officials and investors, as his decision...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: After months of warnings from former federal officials and weather experts, the deadly flash floods that struck the...
(Photo credit: Marc Vasconcellos / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) Lionel Messi scored a pair of goals to give Inter Miami enough...
(Photo credit: Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) All-Star Andrew Abbott carried a shutout into the...
(Photo credit: Marc Vasconcellos / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) Lionel Messi scored a pair of goals to give Inter Miami enough...
(Photo credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images) The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be without All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs to start...
(Photo credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images) The Atlanta Braves were crushed in their series opener against the Athletics, but overshadowing...