FC Cincinnati's first TQL Stadium sellout spoiled in 2-0 loss to Colorado Rapids

FC Cincinnati's roar returned with its first sold-out home match in more than 20 months. Goals and wins remain lacking, though. 

FC Cincinnati's trademark raucous support packed TQL Stadium Saturday for a visit from Colorado Rapids. An attendance figure wasn't announced, but the sellout was, and it was the most fans to witness an FCC home match since September 2019.

Deafening noise and smoke emanated from the Bailey supporters section, and the vast majority of seats from the top row to the clubs, suites and all levels in between appeared to be full. 

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The experience was FC Cincinnati as locals came to know and love the club prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The sellout crowd saw FC Cincinnati win in the box score but not on the scoreboard, though, as the club dropped to 1-5-1 on the season in a 2-0 loss to the Rapids.  

The match was FCC's third loss in three matches at its new home. It was also the fourth time in seven games that Cincinnati was kept off the scoreboard. 

Colorado goalkeeper William Yarbrough stole the show, making seven saves in blanking FCC. That, plus seven blocked shots from the players in front of Yarbrough and goals from Diego Rubio and Jonathan Lewis condemned Cincinnati to defeat.

"I give him (Yarbrough) credit," FC Cincinnati head coach Jaap Stam said. "Also, sometimes we make it easy because we shoot that ball against him, so he doesn't need to do a lot. If you take an angle and take a corner then it goes in probably, but that's also got to do with players. When you're under pressure, sometimes you don't have time to make that decision and you just need to shoot... but he made good saves and, yeah, the difference is that we give them two opportunities and they score two. We get, like, I don't know, seven very good opportunities and then I'm still very on the low side maybe and we cannot score and that's unfortunate."

FC Cincinnati went close to scoring multiple times. That fact was punctuated by Jurgen Locadia, who made what might have been his final home appearance for FC Cincinnati as his loan term ends June 30.

Late in the 90 minutes, Locadia fired a volley straight at Yarbrough, who made himself big and turned the shot away.

"We had (opportunities) and we just didn't have the calmness to finish those opportunities," Allan Cruz said via an interpreter. "It's great to be playing at full capacity. Unfortunately, we weren't able to bring the win to our fans but we just want to take this as a learning opportunity." 

After a convincing opening 20 minutes from Cincinnati, Colorado broke the game open when Rubio slammed home his third goal of the season in the 21st minute. 

Statistically, FC Cincinnati deserved better. It won the possession battle, took more shots and fired more on-target than did the Rapids. 

Further, FC Cincinnati attempted and completed more passes. It had more corners, more crosses and fewer offsides, but Yarbrough's and Colorado's bend-but-don't-break defending still won the day.

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Generally, it was superior soccer from FC Cincinnati, but the performance was an incomplete one. 

As FCC pushed for an equalizer in the second half, it seemed to be spurred forward by its home support until the Rapids hit back on the counter attack in the 71st minute.

Lewis broke in and fired across Cincinnati goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer's net, finding the side-netting for 2-0. 

The victory saw the Rapids, which have proven to be lethal on the road during head coach Robin Fraser's tenure, to 5-2-1 in 2021.

Personnel-wise, Stam made multiple changes to the starting lineup from the last match on May 29.

Isaac Atanga provided some attacking zest and Alvaro Barreal returned to the starting lineup. 

"He (Atanga) has got pace. He can play very direct. He showed it already the last couple weeks in training sessions," Stam said of Atanga's appearance. "More than before, he's feeling, himself, what's the right term for it? More at home."

Edgar Castillo also made his debut for Cincinnati in place of Ronald Matarrita, who didn't dress for the contest after battling a calf injury since the first half of the May 29 game against New England. 

FC Cincinnati continues play with a midweek game at Chicago Fire FC's Soldier Field (8 p.m. ET).