FC Cincinnati did what they had to do. They drew 1-1 at home against Motagua, secured their spot in the quarterfinals of the Concacaf Champions Cup with an aggregate score of 5-2, and now they've got a date with Mexican giants Tigres UANL. Mission accomplished, right? Well, not so fast. Football has a funny way of throwing curveballs, and that draw might say more about Cincinnati's future than it seems at first glance.
Here’s the truth: even though they advanced, Cincinnati wasn’t exactly dominant. Motagua struck first, with Rodrigo Auzmendi scoring early on in the 9th minute. If not for Kévin Denkey’s nose for goal, things could’ve gotten a lot more uncomfortable. Fans might look at that aggregate score and think, “5-2? Piece of cake!” But what went down on the field was far from straightforward, a scrappy game with a few warning signs for anyone paying attention.
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If there's one player who deserves a shout-out, it's Kévin Denkey. This guy’s come in hot, scoring in all three of his games for the club, and he’s looking more and more at home up front. It’s no stretch to say he’s already become the offensive centerpiece of the team. His goal against Motagua was a thing of beauty: smart movement, perfect touch, and a clinical finish, no nonsense. He’s playing with the kind of confidence that suggests he could carry this team pretty far. And honestly, he might just do that.
Take a look at the game stats, and you’ll see Cincinnati holding 68% of the possession while Motagua barely touched 32%. On paper, it looks like the home team was all over them, but possession without purpose is pretty useless. The Hondurans managed to score with a tidy, efficient play and showed they could cause more problems. Cincinnati, on the other hand, passed the ball around, tried to break through Motagua’s defense, but mostly struggled due to their own lack of creativity more than any resistance from their opponents. Against teams like Motagua, you can get away with that. But against Tigres? If you’re not sharp and direct, they’ll punish you, no questions asked.
That’s the thing about Concachampions: you can coast through the group stage, but it’s the knockout rounds where the real separation happens, between the teams that are ready for the big time and those just along for the ride. Tigres UANL is not Motagua. Not even close. We’re talking about a team with international titles, experience, and a squad stacked with top-tier players.
If Cincinnati shows up against Tigres and plays the way they did against the Hondurans, they’ll get steamrolled. No doubt about it. The Mexican side knows how to suffocate teams that don’t take charge, they’re technically solid across the board, and they don’t waste chances.
The team has to be more direct. The attack needs to be sharper, stop messing around with possession that goes nowhere. If they end up with 70% of the ball but only five shots on goal, like they did against Motagua, they’ll be out of luck. The defense needs to stay fully switched on. Against a team like Tigres, mistakes will cost you big time. The goal Motagua scored came from a simple, almost nothing play, a cross that caught everyone off guard. Against the Mexicans, any lapse in focus will lead straight to the back of the net.
Now’s the time for someone other than Denkey to step up and make a difference. He’s been carrying the team so far, but no squad should depend on one player. If the attack doesn’t start sharing the load, Tigres will double-team Denkey and shut down the one real threat Cincinnati has.
The first leg is at home on March 4. This is Cincinnati’s chance to build a lead they can take with them to Monterrey for the second leg on March 11.