Awaziem, who joined FC Cincinnati from Portugal’s Boavista, made an immediate impact despite having minimal training with the team due to visa and work permit issues.
Playing as one of the three centre-backs, Awaziem played the full 90 minutes and played a crucial role in securing the clean sheet for Cincinnati.
Noonan was particularly impressed with Awaziem’s ability to manage his energy and movements on the pitch. Originally, Noonan planned for Awaziem to build his fitness gradually throughout the tournament, but the defender exceeded expectations by playing the entire match.
“The plan was not for him to go 90,” Noonan said on the Cincinnati official website. “We were going to see where we were at halftime, and I thought because of the way the first 45 was played, that he could carry on.”
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Noonan continued, “He was going to be honest with us about how he was feeling as the second half progressed. And I thought that the way he controlled his running, the way we were able to control the tempo with the ball at times, didn’t consistently put our back line in spots where they had to defend the space, he managed it for himself in the game in a good way.”
Having spent the last eight years in Europe with clubs in Portugal, Turkey, France, Spain, and Croatia, Awaziem seamlessly integrated into his new team. The 27-year-old expressed his satisfaction with his performance and the team’s victory, which ended a three-game losing streak.
“It feels amazing. It feels great to be part of this wonderful club. I feel so excited to be here and to get a win in my debut,” Chidozie Awaziem said. “Honestly, I didn’t feel there was any need for me to go out because I wanted to help the team more. I was feeling good, so I felt that there was no point going out to the bench.”
The win guarantees FC Cincinnati a spot in the knockout stage of the Leagues Cup, matching their performance from last year’s tournament and setting the stage for future success.
