February 19 – Two goals in the final 10 minutes from Ayoub Jabbari pushed FC Cincinnati to a 4-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League tie against O&M FC in the Dominican Republic.
O&M were making their debut in the competition and being 2-0 down at half time had battled valiantly to stay in the tie until Jabbari, on as a substitute, scored in the 86th minute and again two minutes into added time at Estadio Cibao FC in Santiago.
Cincinnati controlled the ball from the start, ending up with 68% possession overt the game. They will wonder how they didn’t score more with 11 of their 17 shots being on target.
It was a busy night for Omry Bello in the O&M goal that included giving away penalty after a foul in the box on Jabbari. He then made amends by saving the Jabbari penalty.
In Cincinnati’s goal Celentano had a comfortable evening. Not one of O&M’s nine shots were on target.
Cincinnati started strongly and were a goal ahead at 12’ with Tom Barlow hitting a left-footed shot from inside the box past Bello.
19’ later and after a period of pressure, Cincinnati were two up with Kevin Denkey, who assisted the first goal, firing in his own right footed. Bello had no chance.
With the score 2-0 at half time and a procession of missed chances, it looked like being a pretty grim second half for O&M.
It looked like they had saved face with a rearguard action and Bello’s athleticism in goal until Jabbari scored from the right side of the box.
Hi second on 90’+2’ saw him control the ball in the area before sending a right-footed shot past Bello.
It was a tough way to finish on a difficult night for O&M buit it could easily have been worse. They now have to regroup for next week.
Neither of these sides had met before. They now meet for the second leg next Wednesday at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, with Cincinnati red-hot favourites to advance to the Round of 16.
O&M 0 FC Cincinnati 4