Some last-minute Evander magic put FC Cincinnati into the Major League Soccer playoffs and snapped a losing streak for the team.
Evander’s goal in the last minute of stoppage time gave Cincinnati a 2-1 win over Nashville SC Sept. 13 at TQL Stadium.
Cincinnati (17-9-4, 55 points) clinched a playoff berth for the fourth straight year, and now has the record to themselves for MLS wins in a three-season span, with their 55th.
“I’m pleased about that,” said FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan. “It’s not easy to do. Having a team make the playoffs year after year is challenging for many reasons. I’m happy about the consistency, but this is the expectation. Now it’s a matter of how high a seed we get.”
Cincy stays in second place in the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference. First-place Philadelphia (57 points) was set to play Vancouver later in the night. Nashville (15-10-5) remains with 50 points, now five points behind Cincinnati and in fourth place.
Charlotte is in third place with 53 after beating Miami 3-0. Columbus is fifth with 49 after a 5-4 win at Atlanta. Orlando is sixth with 48 after a 1-1 draw with D.C. United.
Cincy is in better position after a much-needed home win. Cincy snapped a three-game home losing streak, and snapped a streak of more than 360 minutes in their stadium without a goal, picking up their first MLS win at home since beating Miami July 16.
“We’re happy for the players,” Noonan said. “I’m happy for the fans that we got to experience a much-needed win tonight on this field. And the guys are in a good way because they put in a lot of work.”
Evander’s goal, his 17th, came on a centering pass from Ender Echenique. Echenique passed from the side to Pavel Bucha inside the goal box. Bucha back-heeled it back to Echenique on a give-and-go, and he delivered it to Evander on the run. Evander fired a laser from about 12 yards past Nashville keeper Joe Willis.
Brenner, in his second game back with FC Cincinnati, scored a big goal for the team.
Brenner’s goal in the 73rd minute, the team’s first in four MLS games at TQL Stadium, gave the Orange and Blue a 1-0 lead.
He collected a pass in the goal box from Evander, who bounced a pass forward to him on the run. Brenner made a great play to control the ball and flick it into the net past Nashville keeper Joe Willis.
Nashville’s Sam Surridge, the Major League Soccer Golden Boot leader, tied the game in the 84th minute with his 21st marker of the season. He collected a cross from Tyler Boyd and volleyed the ball in from close range.
Noonan said the team has been too impatient on offense and rushing plays in recent games, and that the two goals were a welcome change from that, especially the winning goal.
“I think it was nice in that moment to see us have some patience despite how much time was left, to find the moment,” Noonan said. “In a couple games previously it’s put the ball up into the air and having too much urgency. We moved the ball in an efficient way.”
Brenner’s goal was part of a strong performance in his second game back with the team after leaving in the summer of 2023.
“The play he makes is a very difficult play,” Noonan said. “The pass from Evander is the right idea, and for him to control that in stride and finish it is very difficult. So that’s the level that you see from his final product. But I think it was his work until the end. What I’ve said is this can’t just be the honeymoon stage where it’s a couple weeks here and it’s nice to be back, and this has to be the norm. And if it is, he’s going to help us.”
Player notes
Ayoub Jabbari had his first start for Cincinnati, taking Kévin Denkey’s place in the lineup. He started up front with Evander and Brenner. Denkey returned Sept. 11 from his international games with the Togo national team, then took Jabbari’s place on the pitch at halftime.
Goalkeeper Roman Celentano was injured while he was with the U.S. national team. Evan Louro started in goal against Nashville. Celentano is expected to miss next weekend’s game as well.
Matt Miazga left the game with some leg pain in the 80th minute, and Brian Anunga left with cramps in the 83rd. Noonan said Miazga would be examined over the weekend.
Samuel Gidi, a midfielder from Ghana, made his Cincinnati debut, replacing Anunga.
Louro made some big saves in the game, one in the 51st minute on a laser by Edvard Tagsath.
What’s next for FC Cincinnati?
The Orange and Blue play in Los Angeles Sept. 20, making their first visit to the LA Galaxy for a 10:30 p.m. Eastern time kickoff.