Cincinnati's soccer franchise is going to be among the stars Wednesday.
FC Cincinnati players Luciano Acosta and Brandon Vasquez will play in Major League Soccer's 2022 All-Star Game Aug. 10. It will be the first time any member of Cincinnati's club has been invited to the game in the league's 26 installments (FC Cincinnati became the 24th team to enter the MLS as a professional soccer team in 2019; before that, the team played in the second-division United Soccer League from 2016 to 2018). The MLS All-Stars will take on the Liga MX All-Stars.
Acosta, FC Cincinnati's captain, was selected for the All-Star team on July 12. An attacking midfielder from Argentina, Acosta joined the team in March 2021 and has scored a goal or assist in each of FC Cincinnati's eight wins this season. Acosta has 24 assists in MLS competition – the all-time FC Cincinnati leader in that category – which more than double any other player in franchise history., a press release from FC Cincinnati says.
Vasquez, a forward, was added to the All-Star Team on Aug. 3, replacing New York City FC’s Taty Castellanos. Vazquez has 14 goals for the 2022 season and holds the team's single-season record for goals.
The 2022 MLS All-Star Game will be played at Allianz Field, home to Minnesota United FC, on Aug. 10. Fans can watch the game at 8:30 p.m. on ESPN, Univision, TSN or TVA Sports. In Cincinnati, FC Cincinnati fans can attend a watch party at Rhinegeist Brewery at 1910 Elm St. in Over-the-Rhine beginning at 7:30 p.m.
As of Aug. 10, FC Cincinnati holds a record of 8-8-8 for 2022 so far – already significantly better than the 4-22-8 record the franchise posted in 2021.
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