All good things must come to an end, and that was the case for Union II’s unbeaten streak which was halted by a 3-1 loss to FC Cincinnati 2 on Sunday afternoon.
The match at Northern Kentucky Soccer Stadium saw the hosts claim the first lead with a drive from Gerardo Valenzuela, who found the back of the net in the 21st minute. The 19-year-old Homegrown midfielder scored another in the 49th minute – this time on a tap-in. Cincinnati earned a free kick, and Valenzuela got a foot on it to direct it past Andrew Rick in net.
Despite their opponent’s two-goal advantage, Head Coach Marlon LeBlanc’s squad did not back down. Instead, team captain Kyle Tucker led the charge toward cutting the deficit, taking a bending free kick through Cincinnati defenders and out of reach for Cincinnati’s keeper. His effort made the scoreline 2-1 in the 76th minute.
The goal marked his second of the year, as his first came against Atlanta United 2.
It stayed that way nearly until the end of regulation; in the 88th minute, a Cincinnati chip up the sideline to sub Ben Stitz turned into a pass toward Valenzuela at the top of the box. The midfielder took advantage of the opportunity, sprinting onto the ball, and although Rick looked to have gotten a hand on the final touch toward the net, the ball continued to bounce toward the goal line before eventually going over for the score.
The Union were unable to overcome Valenzuela’s hattrick, leaving the match with no points added to their total for the very first time this season. Union II will be back home at Subaru Park on May 5th for a 3:00 pm matchup against Huntsville FC.
