CINCINNATI — Tonight's match may not have ended the way FC Cincinnati fans wanted, but those at TQL Stadium still had reason to celebrate after the whistles blew.
FCC was awarded the Supporters' Shield — its first major trophy since joining the MLS — after their 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls. The Orange and Blue officially clinched the award this weekend after a 3-2 win over Toronto, solidifying the best overall record in the regular season.
Winning the Supporters' Shield means FCC will also have the top seed in the playoffs, earning home-field advantage throughout.
Nanananananana! Whooaa FCC!#FCCincy pic.twitter.com/6ZHNfJl88r
— Caleb Noe (@CalebNoeTV) October 5, 2023
As the team received the award, fans chanted "M-V-P! M-V-P!" for Luciano Acosta, the Argentinian midfielder who just signed a contract extension to stay in Cincinnati through 2026, with a team option for 2027.
Acosta leads all MLS players in goals and is fifth in assists. He's in the lead for the 2023 MLS Golden Boot, which will be decided Oct. 21.
While Acosta did not start Wednesday, he scored on a penalty kick in the 68th minute to add to his already phenomenal season.
FC Cincinnati has two more regular season games left — an away match at Inter Miami and at home against Atlanta United. The team they'll face in the playoffs will be determined by a Wild Card match between the 8 and 9 seeds.
At this time, Chicago and Montreal sit in the 8 and 9 spots with New York City FC following closely behind. Wild Card matches will be Oct. 25-26, with Round 1 best-of-three series matches starting Oct. 28.
