FC Cincinnati Riding High with Three Game Win Streak
Damon Gumbert
“You said it, we had one bad week,” Pat Noonan said of the skid the team was on when entering the international break late in May. That week saw The FC get one point in three games, being outscored nine to six in that stretch and losing Nick Hagglund to a brutal injury.
Since then, the club has bounced back, achieving a perfect June and securing all 9 points this month, including yesterday's 2-1 win over Orlando City SC. This perfect stretch has been fueled by the usual names, with Kevin Denkey providing the lone goal against New England on June 14 and Evander adding four goals in one week, scoring a brace against both Montreal and Orlando City. Evander and Denkey are now tied for goals on the season with 11, putting both men tied for third in the Golden Boot race.
M-V-P
Evander specifically has been on a hell of a run lately. The MVP Candidate and 2025 MLS All-Star has looked rejuvenated since the break, accumulating five goal contributions in the last two games. The Brazilian looked completely worn out entering the international break after playing 270 minutes in one week. The time off seemingly woke the beast, as he has been playing some of his best soccer this season.
“I have nothing to do with the level of quality and talent that Evander has,” Noonan said. “What he did on the free kick is nothing I can teach.”
“He’s a special player.”
Evander spoke to the press after the game and mentioned that Paul Rogers, FC Cincinnati’s goalkeeper coach, told him about how Orlando lines up their free kicks. Before he took the free kick Evander saw an opening, even checking with Lukas Engel to see if he saw it as well. Then the midfielder just hit the ball hard.
Next Man Up
One concern going forward is the health of the team. Going into Wednesday’s game with CF Montreal, the team looked as healthy as they had in a long time. Yuya Kubo made his return to the lineup after missing the last week of May with an injury. The only notable absences from the lineup were Miles Robinson, who is watching the USMNT play from the bench, and Hagglund.
Saturday was a different story, with a significant number of players being sidelined with knocks. Luca Orellano, who scored his first goal of the season on Wednesday, was ruled out with an ankle injury. Kubo was also missing, as was Obinna Nwobodo, who subbed out of Wednesday’s game with an injury to his leg, and Sergio Santos (leg).
The bench for Saturday’s match was limited, with only seven players making the list, when the team is eligible for nine. Injuries forced Gilberto Flores, Teenage Hadebe, and Brian Anunga into the starting lineup. Dado Valenzuela also made his return into the starting XI next to Kevin Denkey up top.
Anunga, Flores, and Hadebe helped keep a clean sheet while all three were on the pitch, with Orlando’s goal coming after Hadebe was subbed off due to injury in the 83’.
Anunga left something to be desired with his passing, giving up possession multiple times throughout the match, and had one of the funniest moments of the game when he was forced to dribble into the opposing box and seemingly did not know what to do when he got there.
Noonan said of Anunga, “Brian, defensively, was outstanding. Between him and Pavel (Bucha) I think could have been better with the ball. I think they know that too… but Brian gives you everything and defensively when you need him, typically, he’s in the right spot to make plays for you.”
Before he left the game Hadebe was playing lights out. The Zimbabwean defender was all over the pitch, forcing Orlando’s offense to play the ball back, even going as far as chasing a player deep into the midfield before tracking back to his position. One of the critiques of Hadebe’s game has been his ability to head balls, but the defender was 1/1 in aerial duels won and added one headed clearance in this match.
“I thought Teenage was strong tonight,” Noonan said. “He had a couple, I think, performances before this start where he wasn’t himself. And tonight, he looked like himself and performed in a really good way.”
On Flores seeing his second straight 90’, Noonan said, “Good for Gilberto’s growth. Turn it around, go perform again against a team that—this is new to him, and so he doesn’t understand going into it, we try to prep him as best we can, how difficult a place this is to come in and perform. Orlando is very talented.” The 22-year-old had seven clearances on the night, with four headed clearances, two blocks, and won six of seven duels.
While Dado Valenzuela didn’t get a goal contribution on the night, a foul committed against him set up Evander’s first goal of the night. Noonan subbed off the 20-year-old in the 60’ in favor of the more physical Kei Kamara. When asked if there was any benefit to keeping someone like Dado, who seems to draw a lot of fouls, on the pitch over Kamara Noonan said, “No. Dado does a good job of using his body to draw fouls. But then there’s the other side of it, where can he be better about avoiding tackles? …Dado did a good job. And then Kei comes in, and then there’s the other side of the hold-up play and a physical presence where it’s more challenging for the opponent because of what Kei provides.”
Where in the World is Miles Robinson?
Miles Robinson was recently selected for the MLS All-Star game against Liga MX All-Stars in July. The perennial Defender of the Year candidate has had a very good season with FC Cincinnati but has been off with the USMNT since the Orange and Blue entered the international break.
Since leaving Cincinnati, Robinson has averaged 10’ a game in the five matches that the USMNT has played. He started the match against Turkiye on June 7 but only played 46’ in that match. Since, he has only played twice, subbing on in the 87’ in a 5-0 win against Trinidad and Tobago and in the 88’ in a 1-0 win against Saudi Arabia.
Robinson did not play in the national team’s most recent game against Haiti and was not selected in their 4-0 loss to Switzerland. If the USMNT manages to reach the Gold Cup Final, that would mean FC Cincinnati will be without one of their best defenders for their return to TQL Stadium against Chicago on July 5. Robinson would be back for the return Hell is Real Derby on July 12th.
With Hadebe leaving the last match with a possible ankle injury, that leaves Cincinnati with only two natural center backs in Miazga and Flores. While Engel, DeAndre Yedlin, and Alvas Powell have all filled in at center back, getting Robinson back sooner rather than later would do wonders for the defense.
A look to the future
FC Cincinnati has a rough stretch of games coming up in July. Their first match is against a Chicago side that is currently sitting one point behind the New York Red Bulls and Inter Miami for a guaranteed playoff spot. The Gregg Berhalter-coached team has had a resurgence under the former USMNT coach. Chicago has scored more goals than any other team in the Eastern Conference this season, but still only has a goal differential of +4.
After that match, the club turns their attention to Columbus and Hell is Real in TQL Stadium. The teams drew in their last match, but Cincinnati was lucky to walk away with a point after being manhandled by the Crew in the second half at Lower.com Stadium. Columbus, as of writing, sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and five points behind FCC.
The club would then have to turn right around and play Inter Miami four days later. Miami has fallen off a little bit this season and is gripping onto a playoff spot with dear life, but statistically is still one of the best teams in the league. Miami could be heavily fatigued by the time they make it to TQL Stadium after making the round of 16 in the Club World Cup. Assuming they do not make it past Champions League winners Paris St. Germain, they will have three games with limited rest before making it to Cincinnati on July 16.
Three days after the Miami game, The Post Cincy takes over Salt Lake City when the Cincy Postcast follows FC Cincinnati for their match against Real Salt Lake on July 19. RSL is near the bottom of the pack in the Western Conference, but it should be noted that Kevin, Chief, and Grayson have never done an away day that has gone well.
FCC then finish the month with another match against Miami on July 26 before entering the Leagues Cup with a match against Liga MX giants Monterrey on July 31.
July could be a make-or-break month for the club, with playoff positioning on the line against very good teams.
