The Supporters’ shield race has seen ups and downs in the past few months. Teams like Columbus, Inter Miami, and Vancouver have all held leads or been considered favorites at some point in their history. At this point in the Season, three different teams are in a boat race for the Supporters’ Shield.
A Supporters’ Shield Race like never before
That all went to the wayside once Philadelphia and Cincinnati found a consistent quality in their play. Both teams are in a three-way battle for the Supporters’ Shield, which also includes San Diego FC.
The expansion team could have made it difficult for the top of the Eastern Conference teams, as they are all within a point of each other, making this a competitive race till the very end.
That makes this Eastern Conference matchup all the more important. Both teams have an edge going into the matchup; the question is, what are those advantages?
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FC Cincinnati’s Top of the League Talent
Cincinnati has a player they have invested in a major way, thanks to what was a record-breaking transfer at the time. Evander has been a star, from his time with the Portland Timbers to his time now in Cincinnati, where he has dominated the midfield.
Evander has been a difference maker in big games this season. When they need him the most, he steps forward and presents himself as a top-scoring option.
Despite being a midfield player, he is excellent in the box as Cincinnati has struggled to find a nine that can step into that role and become one of the best scorers in the league.
The Cincinnati defense will be a concern not just in this game but going forward due to DeAndre Yedlin being sold out West to Real Salt Lake. Yedlin is a top option at right back in the MLS and has been since his time in Seattle.
Despite his contribution to Cincinnati, they were not going to resign him, so instead of letting him walk for nothing, they got cash for them to reuse in the transfer market.
Evander will be the best player on the field against Philadelphia and will have the ball at his feet for the majority of the game. The question is, can his teammates follow their rules to win the game? Cincinnati may be one of the best teams in the league, but its style and roster leave more questions than answers.
Philadelphia’s Hungry Squad
Philadelphia prides itself on growing players out of its youth system that end up having great success for the club and in their own careers.
The Union also turns these players into cash later in their careers and turns them around to invest in the squad and fill in the gaps. A great youth system will lack in certain positions each year. That money they get from transfers goes into filling in those gaps to create a well-rounded squad.
These factors have allowed them to stay consistent at the top of the table over the past few seasons as they came up just short of the MLS Cup. This year, they have bigger goals to win the Supporters Shield and parlay it with an MLS Cup.
With Cincinnati in their way with less than eight games left, they will need to put goals on the stat sheet. There is one man for the Union who has done that all season long.
Tai Baribo is one of the top scorers in the league with 16, though he has dropped in the Golden Boot race, he remains one of the best finishers in the league.
Philadelphia has done a good job at spreading the ball out and creating chances through smart passing. This smart passing is usually to find Baribo in the box for a critical goal.
If the Union wants to score in quick transitions, they will need to depend on Baribo; if they can’t get him the ball, it will be hard to imagine a way that Philadelphia wins.
Main Photo
Credit IMAGO/Newscom World
Recording Date 18.10.2024