FC Cincinnati coach Alan Koch didn’t sugarcoat Sunday's outcome, which saw his squad draw 1-1 against visiting Sporting Kansas City. 

FCC had multiple chances to take a big advantage against an SKC team featuring eight new faces from its game Thursday in the Concacaf Champions League play in Mexico, but the hosts couldn’t capitalize.

“Against a squad like Sporting Kansas City, in only our sixth game together, to get a point, that is satisfying,” Koch said. “In the small picture of the actual individual game we played today and how the game unfolded, our hope, our goal was to get three points. Little disappointing in the small picture today, in terms of not getting the three points, but in terms of the big picture, to play against what I consider one of the best franchises in the league, it was satisfying to get a point.” 

FCC had the run of the play in the first half, using a direct, attacking style that could have manifested itself into a multi-goal lead. 

Making a start in place of injured Kekuta Manneh, Kenny Saief was stopped point-blank in the first minute. 

The Orange and Blue pressed their action, resulting in a goal in the 19th minute. 

Roland Lamah was taken down in the box and Darren Mattocks, making his second consecutive start for suspended Fanendo Adi, buried the penalty to put the hosts up 1-0. 

Mattocks had several chances in the first half, including a point-blank opportunity in the 29th minute, a hammer off the post in the 34th minute, and a shot that was denied by SKC goal Adrian Zendejas in the 46th minute. 

“Against good teams if you don’t put a chance away early they are going to find a way to get into the game and they did just that,” Mattocks said of the first-half chances. “But overall we take a point against a very good SKC team.”

Mattocks and Saief formed a deadly combination early, with Allan Cruz and Lamah making solid runs down the wings. 

“We will take a lot of positives from this game that we created so many chances and maybe next time we score four or five goals,” Mattocks said of the offense, which was night and day compared to last Sunday’s home loss to Philadelphia. “That is a really big positive to take away from this game.”

While the first half went the hosts' way, the second half was a complete reversal as SKC subbed Felipe Gutierrez into the midfield, swapping the momentum clearly in the visitors' favor. 

SKC quickly found gaps all over the field, narrowly missing opportunities in the first 15 minutes before tying the game in the 63rd minute.

A long ball into the box was misplayed by left back Greg Garza and goalie Spencer Richey, leaving a ball at the 15 that 16-year-old midfielder Gianluca Busio calmly slid into the open net. 

Koch said the miscommunication happens; how the squad responds to it is the important thing.

“One thing I always speak about is managing moments, obviously that is in possession, out of possession,” Koch said. “It doesn’t matter which players it is. We are all in this together. Players are going to have individual moments of brilliance and sometimes you are going to have individual or partnership challenges. Playing like a good team like KC they will punish you.”

FCC did have a couple of solid moments in the second half, with substitute Manneh pushing a shot wide from 12 yards out and Nick Hagglund’s 84th-minute header nullified for offside. 

Koch said his team will have to be better but said the lack of playmaking options hurt his decision-making in the second half. 

Late in the second half, Koch subbed Mattocks and Saief for defensive-minded midfielders Eric Alexander and Caleb Stanko.

“We wanted to try to win the game,” Koch answered when asked if he played for a point. “You would love to see two or three attacking substitutions but we were a little handcuffed today in terms of how we managed the game.” 

In its inaugural campaign FCC stands 2-2-2, and Koch said he will take it.

“We struggled a little bit at times but there were also very very positive moments,” Koch said. “We have to shrink the tough moments and expand on the good moments. If you had offered me eight points after playing all these game, I would be content.”