With FC Cincinnati not having hosted paying spectators since the 2019 season, the 6,000 in attendance for the first match at TQL Stadium might as well have been 26,000.
The chanting and banging of drums emanated from the Bailey supporters section and bounced off the new venue's canopy roof.
Before kickoff, the familiar sight of pyrotechnic smoke devices filled the stadium.
All the while, FC Cincinnati's players seemed to be spurred on by the home support, which only dimmed slightly when Brek Shea installed a 1-0 lead for Inter Miami CF in the seventh minute.
The goal was the first in TQL Stadium history. But another score followed later in the first half via Miami's Gonzalo Higuain, who added another late in the contest as FC Cincinnati lost the opening match in its $250 million home, 3-2.
Alvaro Barreal notched the first FCC goal in TQL Stadium history with about 30 minutes to play and Greater Cincinnati native Nick Hagglund tied the match with less than 10 minutes remaining.
Higuain scored on the back of Hagglund's equalizer, though, which condemned FCC to defeat and an 0-3-1 record thus far in 2021.
The flags continued to wave after FCC conceded first. The drummers banged on and the chanting was ceaseless, and the same was true at 2-0.
A new-look FC Cincinnati starting lineup that featured debuts by goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer and center backs Geoff Cameron and Gustavo Vallecilla – all recent acquisition – presented questions about how FC Cincinnati would play, and if they could maintain a high-pressing, attacking style.
The pursuit of that style prevailed even as the end product was disjointed. Cincinnati brought their fans to their feet in several instances.
Playing in his first match since the April 17 season opener, Luciano Acosta lifted FCC to a higher level of play. He picked out Allan Cruz on a long diagonal pass that nearly resulted in a goal for 1-1, but for Cruz's shot trickling wide.
Acosta nearly leveled the score himself when he forced a diving save from Miami goalkeeper John McCarthy in the 30th minute.
Barreal forced another McCarthy save in the 37th minute.
Gonzalo Higuain's goal, which came off a heel-flick assist from his brother, Federico Higuain, landed FCC in familiar territory – trailing and with all the chances amounting to nothing on the scoreboard.
For fans that hadn’t seen FC Cincinnati play in-person since a Sept. 29, 2019 match and endured a four-win season in during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, Barreal provided a long-awaited moment of joy when he chipped McCarthy for 2-1 with about 30 minutes to play.
Hagglund, who came on as a substitute, elevated Barreal’s moment of joy to delirium when he headed home off a corner kick to even the score at 2-2 in the 83rd minute.
Just moments later, though, FC Cincinnati handed the lead back to Miami off a turnover in its own half. Gonzalo Higuain got on the end of a centering feed on the counter attack for his second score of the match.
That goal proved decisive.
FC Cincinnati next plays Saturday against CF Montreal, which is temporarily playing in Inter Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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