FC Cincy's all-stars, Findlay Market praise, here are today's top stories | Daily Briefing

Hi, Enquirer readers. Welcome to the Daily Briefing. I’m Pat Brennan, your FC Cincinnati beat reporter since 2016. I’m in Washington, D.C., covering my sixth MLS All-Star Game for you, and this is the most interesting one yet.

Argentine star and FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi’s arrival to the league’s Miami franchise is making waves globally, and that’s very much felt here in the nation’s capital. But what’s most noticeable as I digest this year’s All-Star Game festivities and marketing materials is the prominence of FC Cincinnati.

Not only does the club have more players (three) than any other MLS team rostered for Wednesday’s friendly match against Arsenal FC (of the English Premier League), but MVP candidate and Cincinnati captain Luciano Acosta is stealing the show.

Acosta (12 goals, eight assists this season) is captaining the MLS team against Arsenal, one of Europe’s heavy-hitting clubs, and his face is a prominent one at surrounding events. His peers are heaping praise on the season Acosta’s put together, too, along with that of the entire FC Cincinnati club.

Defenders Matt Miazga and Alvaro Barreal have joined Acosta at the All-Star Game, which kicked off in earnest Tuesday with a skills challenge. Today’s MLS-Arsenal game (at 8:30 p.m.) will see FCC’s All-Stars featured on an international stage. Look for our coverage of that as the events unfurl.

Acosta, Miazga, Barreal should be back in Cincinnati by Thursday morning to rejoin their teammates for practice ahead of the Leagues Cup, a new in-season tournament involving all of MLS and top-flight clubs from Mexico.

See you on the pitch.

What else you need to know Wednesday, July 19

⛈️ Weather: High of 86. More clouds than sun; humid with a thunderstorm.

🌿 Findlay Market: Ranked among best public markets in US.

🎾 Western & Southern Open: Wimbledon champs Alcaraz, Vondrousova headline preliminary field.

⚾ Wittenmyer & Williams: Is Rob Manfred a hypocrite about MLB's gambling deals, Pete Rose?

🍨 Graeter's: Fourth bonus flavor revealed and it's a-maize-ing.

Before you go: We drank water from the Tyler Davidson Fountain

As part of our Just Askin' series, in which we answer unGoogleable questions about Cincinnati, we looked into whether or not it's safe to drink the water from the Tyler Davidson Fountain at Fountain Square. (Spoiler alert: It is. But only in a few spots.)

So breaking news reporter Erin Couch decided to test it for herself. She took her Cincinnati's Favorite Beer™ glass to Fountain Square and got a nice healthy cup of Tyler Davidson water. Check out how it went in our TikTok and learn more about the water in our story here.

– New to our newsletter? Subscribe to the Daily Briefing today –

Today's Top Stories

• Reports have Arena Football League team coming to Cincinnati in 2024

• There have been 5 drive-by shootings in 3 weeks. Here's what the data shows

• ‘Cold and alone.’ Man accused of leaving teenager Paige Johnson in woods is on trial

• Issue 1 drawing a crowd of early voters in Greater Cincinnati

• Former La Salle football coach Nate Moore on leave at Massillon during hazing probe

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincy's all-stars, Findlay Market praise | Daily Briefing