CINCINNATI — The Orange and Blue couldn't complete its Thursday night match after thunder and lightning rolled in, but FC Cincinnati finished the job without any fans, beating Chivas de Guadalajara 3-1 in its 2nd game in the group stage of the Leagues Cup.
The game against Chivas de Guadalajara resumed on Friday at 2 p.m. Fans who huddled in TQL Stadium waiting out the storms Thursday night weren't able to see the conclusion to the match in person.
"Due to the tight turnaround, and to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of players, staff and fans, the match will be played behind closed doors," reads the announcement from FC Cincinnati.
The match picked up with the same score that was on the board when the game was called Thursday night, with the same players on the field and substitutes available.
The Thursday night match ended in the 60th minute, with FC Cincinnati leading 2-0 as the teams played in first-half stoppage time. Both teams were quickly taken off the field as lightning began to strike near TQL Stadium.
Brandon Vazquez managed to collect an additional goal, clinching himself a tidy hat-trick, despite the game being split between two days.
The game was held on a delay Thursday night for hours, as fans either waited out the rain under TQL's concourse or left to return home altogether. After four hours, officials decided the game could not resume.
This is the third FC Cincinnati match in a row that has had to be delayed for lightning.
FC Cincinnati now advances to the knockout round of the Leagues Cup and will host another game in the 3-country tournament next week.
