CINCINNATI — FC Cincinnati fans have experienced a roller coaster of emotions since last Saturday's match against the San Jose Earthquakes, after defender Matt Miazga was carried off the field on a stretcher.
While Yuya Kubo's hat trick was the talk of the town following FC Cincinnati's win Saturday night, fans waited Monday to hear more about the injury suffered by 2023's MLS Defender of the Year.
Head Coach Pat Noonan referred to Miazga's injury as a "leg contusion," according to a staff write-up by Carter Chapley on the FC Cincinnati website. The player was later taken to a hospital for evaluation, Chapley wrote.
Then, on Monday, Noonan revealed Miazga won't play Wednesday, when FC Cincinnati takes the pitch against the Philadelphia Union at TQL Stadium.
Chapley wrote in a social media post that Noonan said details of Miazga's injury are still unclear, so he couldn't give major updates beyond that. However, Noonan said the injury was "not great" and "could be long term," according to the social media post.
Miazga was named 2023 MLS Defender of the Year thanks to his performance last season. He joined the team in 2022 and since then has been a valuable member of the Orange and Blue; during several 2023 games, the six-foot, four-inch tall defender started and held opponent teams scoreless.
Despite the honor given to Miazga in November last year, the defender created waves after he was hit with a three-game suspension following allegations an MLS player gained unauthorized access to the referee's locker room.
Then, in February, the MLS reduced the number of games in Miazga's suspension from three to two, though he still missed the team's home opener for the 2024 season because of the suspension.
