Vazquez strikes for Monterrey to beat ex-club FC Cincinnati

MIAMI, Florida – Brandon Vazquez scored against his former club to help Liga MX side Monterrey defeat FC Cincinnati 1-0 in the first leg of their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series on Thursday night at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. The away winner gives the five-time Concacaf champions a healthy advantage going into next week’s return leg in Mexico. FC Cincinnati were keen to try to strike first and had a decent look in the 4’ through Aaron Boupendza off a pass from Luciano Acosta, but the shot went wide. Instead it was Monterrey breaking the deadlock and a familiar face to FC Cincinnati fans was the one who did it, as Vazquez, who played the previous four seasons in Cincinnati, received a pass and fired in a shot that spun in past FC Cincinnati GK Roman Celentano for a 1-0 Monterrey lead. FC Cincinnati increased the pressure at the start of the second half and came close to equalizing on two occasions when Corey Baird couldn’t connect on a deep Acosta cross in the 51’, followed by Boupendza hooking a shot wide in the 56’ FC Cincinnati remained on the front foot, but they never could find a way to breach the Rayados defense, as GK Esteban Andrada finished the night with four saves in the 1-0 clean sheet victory.