Cincinnati welcomes US national team with "Protect the Republic" tifo

"Protect the Republic" - Cincinnati tifo for USAvVEN - US national team

Cincinnati has become a soccer hotbed in recent years, with a passionate following that powered FC Cincinnati into MLS and has eagerly embraced the US national teams. 


And the Queen City is clearly hungry for more, welcoming the US men's national team to town for a friendly vs. Venezuela on Sunday with a tifo display at Nippert Stadium that underlined Cincy's desire to become an imposing home venue for both club and country:

Using a "Star Wars" theme to drive home the point, the display in "The Bailey," Nippert's supporters' end, paid tribute to USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter, and maybe, just maybe, made a subtle poke at in-state rivals Columbus, where MAPFRE Stadium has been the unofficial home for big World Cup qualifiers for the past two decades.