Brenner scores 3 to beat D.C United, putting Cincinnati in MLS playoffs for first time
Ljubisa Tumba led the Cincinnati United side to a 2-1 advantage in the second qualifying round, but fell to Toronto FC in the final seconds of stoppage time to drop the US club to the fourth round for a second straight season. Photo credit: Cincinnati Soccer Club
By Sam Wiginton
The Cincinnati soccer club have lost to Toronto FC in playoff play for a second straight year. The Reds fell 2-1 to the Montreal Impact in extra time, who completed a win on the road that would have put them into the Canadian Championship final.
The Reds have been on a three-season winning streak, but now are tied for 12th in Major League Soccer, one point out of playoff position with the Montreal Impact. The loss meant that Cincinnati will have to wait another year for a berth in the playoffs.
The Reds went into the game with high hopes of making it back to the MLS playoffs for the first time since 2008 and were a goal away from moving into the top eight teams of this season; however, they fell to a TFC side that has just one less win than the Reds.
In a tactical and tactical game, TFC kept a clean sheet in the first leg and, to complement their strong offensive play, added another goalscoring striker. They also created several chances but they were unable to get past goalkeeper Jon Busch.
Cincinnati will now try to win its next game in MLS with the help of a home game against the San Jose Earthquakes this Tuesday.
Coach Patrick Maroon was not surprised with how the Reds took the loss as he believes that they were not prepared for it.
“We had some good chances to score,” he said. “When the teams get closer to each other, you can tell the teams they are outplaying each other. I don’t think the match was fair to us. We’ve got to be better about our defending.”
The Reds’ only win in MLS this season came against Toronto FC, and has cost Patrick Maroon’s side points.
However, Patrick Maroon does have some silver lining in what has been a losing season.
“We’ve been looking for a year to go into a good run for us, and we’ve been a little bit unlucky here,”
