The biggest CCC night so far
FC Cincinnati host CF Monterrey and Brandon Vazquez for Leg 1 of their Round of 16 series in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup. Kickoff is set for 7 pm ET on FS2 and ViX. Then, Nashville SC welcome Inter Miami CF at 9 pm ET on FS2 and TUDN.
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New England slammed the door on Alajuelense, Columbus waited until they couldn’t wait anymore and two huge matchups are finally here. Let’s talk it out.
We talked yesterday about New England potentially skying the metaphorical open shot on goal over the crossbar in their CCC matchup with Alajuelense. Instead, they metaphorically and literally sent it into the net. And then did it again and again and again. The Revs rolled and didn’t even need Carles Gil on the pitch to do it. Tomás Chancalay, playing as a striker, scored twice. This tie is over barring something truly spectacular.
It took until the last possible moment, but the Crew broke through with one of the last kicks of their CCC meeting with Houston. Alexandru Matan somehow sent a shot from the wing of the 18 through Coco Carrasquilla’s legs and into the bottom right corner of the net to give the Crew a critical away goal and a 1-0 lead heading into the second leg.
Overall, Houston played pretty well in this one. But a 1-0 disadvantage as they head on the road is going to be tough to overcome against Columbus. Then again, a late goal in Leg 1 didn’t derail them against St. Louis… then also again, it kind of feels like the Dynamo can’t catch a break right now.
FC CINCINNATI VS. CF MONTERREY
Other than maybe Club América and Chivas – a tie that’s now very much over after América thumped Chivas 3-0 in their own building last night – this is the most exciting matchup of the Round of 16.
You can start with the teams themselves. FC Cincinnati are fresh off a Supporters’ Shield-winning season where they likely came one ill-timed center back suspension away from winning MLS Cup, too. They look a little different today, but they’re still one of the elite teams in MLS.
Monterrey are the most successful team in the modern history of this competition. They’ve won five titles since the tournament expanded in 2008 with wins in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2019 and 2021. Rayados are currently undefeated atop the Clausura standings in Liga MX with six wins, four draws and a +13 goal differential over 10 games. Along with América, they’re a clear favorite in the competition.
This a massive test for Cincy in a purely sporting sense. But it’s also got a healthy dose of narrative. It’s likely we’ll see former Cincinnati striker Brandon Vazquez take the field at TQL Stadium for the first time since leaving the club this offseason. Vazquez became a star in Cincinnati before joining Monterrey for a reported $7.5 million fee. Since then, he’s earned five goals in five Liga MX starts.
In addition to Vaquez’s homecoming, we’re also likely to see a Cincy debut. This week, the Garys made a stunning high-value move for Inter Miami right wingback DeAndre Yedlin. They had a clear need at the position and were able to add one of the league's best players at the position for just $172,799 in GAM. International spots have been sold for more. Head coach Pat Noonan has said Yedlin will play a role tonight.
Cincinnati will need Yedlin and the rest of the group at their best. They’re facing one of Concacaf’s toughest challenges and a striker on a hot streak that will feel right at home. But Cincy are one of the few teams that can go blow for blow with Monterrey. There’s a chance they pull off something special.
NASHVILLE SC VS. INTER MIAMI CF
Remember that Leagues Cup final back in August?
That’s it. That’s the whole pitch. Do I really need to sell you on this any further?
I guess I can, but it’s all going to feel superfluous from here on out. Like, more than normal.
Inter Miami’s CCC campaign begins tonight in a matchup with one of the league’s most defensively sound teams. It feels unlikely that the same mistakes Orlando City made on Sunday will be made by Nashville tonight. It should be a little more difficult for the Herons to find the net… Unless, ya know, it’s not.
We could be seeing one of the freshest and healthiest versions of this year’s Inter Miami team come into its own in the next few weeks. We’ll see if that keeps up as they pile on games, but these are the moments where we expect one of the most talented XIs in MLS history to look the part. It’s not often we say that we’d be surprised to see an MLS team come up short of making the final in Concacaf, but that’s where we are with this group. You should be well aware of why.
That being said, Nashville could potentially get a big boost tonight. Head coach Gary Smith said that Hany Mukhtar should be available for selection after dealing with an early-season injury. Whether he can start or come off the bench is unclear. The Boys In Gold won’t have DP forward Sam Surridge available, but we know by now that Mukhtar can be a game-changer on his own. All it will take to make this interesting is a stout defensive performance and one moment of magic from Mukhtar. It’s possible, right?
- Sebastián Driussi is continuing to drive Austin FC forward.
- New York City FC provided a stadium update.
- Lorenzo Insigne won AT&T Goal of the Matchday.
Good luck out there. Sometimes you have to wait for something good.
