In what's already been a tremendous season for FC Cincinnati and head coach Pat Noonan, more could be in store for the Orange and Blue should they win their last three games of the regular season.
It seems like Cincinnati have done nothing but set new club records all season and they'll have the chance to set another if they can collect nine points from their contests against New York Red Bulls, Inter Miami and Atlanta United.
If Noonan can guide his side to nine more points to add to their already-impressive total of 65 in 31 games, Cincinnati will set a new MLS record for most points in a single season with 74, which would surpass New England Revolution's 73 set in the 2021 campaign. Prior to the Revs setting that mark, LAFC collected a staggering 72 points in the 2019 season, just their second campaign as an MLS side.
But does Noonan want to risk injuries ahead of the highly-anticipated MLS Cup playoffs?
"That wasn't a goal of ours when the season began, but we have three games left and if that's motivation for guys to be at the top in terms of the history of our league and most points, use that as motivation if you'd like," the 43-year-old said.
However, Noonan made it clear that supporters can expect to see some squad rotation in their final three games. He added: "We'll rotate some players and make sure we get through this stretch in a healthy way. On top of the rotation, there are just guys that deserve a start and some minutes."
So, will Cincinnati set a new record after already lifting the 2023 Supporters' Shield and reaching new heights with wins and goals scored?
Taking on Red Bulls at home should be pretty straightforward for Cincinnati, even if Noonan does choose to rotate his team heavily, which could see Lucho Acosta fall slightly behind in the Golden Boot race depending on other results around the league.
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The Orange and Blue will then hit the road to take on Inter Miami and possibly Lionel Messi on October 7. As Messi has been out of action for several games now for the Herons, it remains to be seen whether the legendary figure will play again this season. It'll be a tough test regardless for Cincinnati, but they've proven before that they can hang with Miami as shown in the US Open Cup final where they fell in penalty kicks.
Cincinnati closes out the regular season at home against Atlanta United, a team who'll also be looking to push toward a top-four finish having lost just once in their last seven games. However, Cincinnati have proven to be nearly unbeatable at TQL Stadium, drawing once and also losing just once all season.
Cincinnati will more than likely take care of business at home against Atlanta and New York, but the Miami clash could get tricky, especially if Messi does feature in some capacity. Two wins and a draw would see them collect 72 points from 32 games played in 2023, which would put them in a two-way tie with LAFC for the second-most points ever in a MLS season.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Will FC Cincinnati break the MLS single-season points record?.