FC Cincinnati entered the World Cup break by giving their fans at TQL Stadium a show May 23.
An MVP-caliber night by Evander, and the first career brace by 24-year old Kenji Mboma Dem, led Cincinnati to a 6-2 win over Orlando City SC.
Cincinnati enters the two-month Major League Soccer hiatus with a symmetrical five wins, five losses and five draws for 20 points. Orlando drops to 4-9-2 for 14 points.
Cincinnati doesn’t play again until July 22 against Vancouver at TQL Stadium.
“This year hasn’t been what we wanted it to be,” said goalkeeper Roman Celentano. “We’re scoring a lot of goals, haven’t been great defensively, but I feel like this kind of puts us in a good spot going into the break. Obviously, get the fans on our side, score a lot of goals, get them something to cheer about. We haven’t made TQL as much of a fortress as we wanted to this year, so far, but I think (tonight) is a good message to send to the fans.”
Playing against the worst defense in goals allowed in MLS, Cincinnati found lots of magic on offense after a slow start.
Evander played a part in five of the six goals with two scores and three helpers. He set a club record with the five goal contributions, and is the first player in a Cincy uniform to have multiple goals and assists in the same game. There were six prior occasions of a Cincy player having four goal contributions in a match.
Evander now has 51 career MLS goals. This was his 17th game of multiple goal contributions for FC Cincinnati (second in club history).
“I just try to do the right plays and do what’s best for the team,'” Evander said. “It was a great performance from everyone. That’s how we should be playing. We’re a team that wants to win and have big dreams for this season. I think it was a good message for the fans and I thank them for the support.”
Orlando has allowed 44 goals in 15 matches, and allowed five or more for the fourth time this season on the road. Cincy remains the second-worst defense with 37 allowed, but temporarily took the MLS lead in goals scored with 36, depending on other results from later games this weekend. Cincy had 5.0 expected goals to 1.8 for the visitors.
First half highlights between FC Cincinnati and Orlando City SC
Cincy caught an early break in the fifth minute. A sloppy turnover led to an easy goal by Martin Ojeda but he was ruled offside to start the play.
Ojeda did score in the 16th minute on a penalty kick to give Orlando a 1-0 lead.
Cincy’s Kyle Smith, playing against his former team for the past seven seasons, was called for a foul in the box as he battled Tiago Souza for the ball in a bang-bang play. Ojeda scored his 10th goal of the season.
Cincy turned up the pressure after.
Kévin Denkey missed a volley near the penalty spot. Evander had a 25-yard shot in the 27th minute saved by Maxime Crepeau
In the 29th, Denkey had a close-in chance against Crepeau after a great cross from Pavel Bucha, but Crepeau was able to control the ball
In the 36th, Denkey had a shot from a corner kick saved by Crepeau.
Cincy scored twice after that.
In the the 42nd minute, Mboma Dem headed in a corner from Evander for his 3rd goal of the season. He managed to pop the ball up inside the far post and away from the keeper. It was Cincinnati’s 13th set-piece goal this season. They were leading the league entering the weekend.
In stoppage time, Cincinnati took the lead on Evander’s eighth goal of the season. Pavel Bucha intercepted a pass at midfield. He raced up field and delivered a great diagonal pass to Evander in transition down the left side. Evander beat Crepeau with a rocket to the far post.
Cincinnati outshot Orlando 13-4 in the half, with six on target to two for the Florida side. Cincy led in expected goals, 2.3 to 0.9.
“I didn’t love the start of the game, but I liked how the remainder of the half went,” said FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan. “It’s hard to win. To score six goals and so there are a lot of positives to take out of it. And just a feeling of going into the break with a good performance in the majority of our play in front of these fans.”
Second half highlights between FC Cincinnati and Orlando City SC
Orlando tied it 2-2 in the 48th minute.
Martin Ojeda fired a rocket free kick from 25 yards inside the post. It looked like the ball grazed the head of a Cincinnati player in the wall. It was Ojeda’s 11th.
“I feel like the first 10 minutes of every half, we just have to find our way into it a bit better than we have this year so far,” Celentano said. “And we got punished again for that. But if we’re going to give up goals, let it be the penalty and one of the best free kicks I’ve probably seen in the league. Ojeda’s a really good player. So if those are the goals that beat us, so be it.”
Cincy took a 3-2 lead in the 52nd minute.
Mboma Dem scored his second of the night and fourth in MLS play. Evander crossed a pass to him in space as he ran into the goal box, Evander’s second assist of the night. Denkey was also given an assist.
“I’ve been growing in confidence,” Mboma Dem said. “(Evander) makes life easier for everybody else on the pitch. I’m trying to open up options for him. It’s just natural. I think we’re two creative players. It’s just coming together pretty well.”
Cincy made it 4-2 in the 58th.
Evander took a pass from Matt Miazga near the midfield stripe. He dribbled to the top of the box with little resistance and fired a rocket inside the right post on an impressive individual play. Miazga was given an assist on the play, as was Obinna Nwobodo.
Cincinnati made it 5-2 in the 77th minute.
Denkey scored from close range after a great pass from Evander, his third assist of the night. Bryan Ramirez was also credited with an assist on the play. Denkey and Evander ended the night tied with nine goals apiece to lead the club.
“It was a great performance from the team, and it’s unlucky that now midseason break starts, and we cannot continue in this momentum,” said Bucha. “I’m glad that we go with positive energy for the break.
“Kevin’s hold-up play was so crucial for us. He holds so many balls and we were taking advantages from that. We were very good and confident on the ball. We made it very difficult for Orlando to get the ball.”
Tom Barlow scored in stoppage time for his fifth of the season. He took a cross from Ender Echenique. Bucha was given a hockey assist for his second of the night.
Said Celentano: “In the second half, we controlled the ball really well, and you don’t have to defend as much when you have the ball. You’re creating chances, and you’re scoring goals. So I feel like that’s a credit to how we play the game tonight. And, you know, hopefully we can keep that momentum going forward.”
Cincinnati notes
Noonan picked up his 75th MLS win in his fifth season. This was his 151st match with Cincy, tying Seattle’s Brian Schmetzer for fastest to 75 wins in league history.
*Miles Robinson was inactive for the game as the World Cup approaches. A final 26-man roster for the United States World Cup team was leaked by national reporters earlier in the day, with him on it.
Robinson had been considered on the bubble this week due to his injury troubles this year and speculation over how many true center backs head coach Mauricio Pochettino would want on the roster.
The official roster will be revealed May 26 on live TV. The final rosters aren’t due to FIFA until June 1, leaving another week for potential changes.
*Pavel Bucha’s two assists gives him momentum as he vies for a spot on Czechia’s World Cup roster. He is part of a 29-man roster released this week, and three will be cut by June 1. Bucha and Czechia play a friendly May 31 in Prague.
“That’s my chance to prove to the coaches on our national team that I’m the right guy to be on the squad for the World Cup,” Bucha said. “Hopefully this performance (here) will help me go in there with some confidence and show them that I can be an important part of the team.”
“Pavel made some really good defensive plays,’ Noonan said. “He grew into the game and does what is necessary to help the team, and he is the ultimate competitor and winner. And so that’s why you see enough success for where he’s positioned.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Evander’s two-goal, three-assist night leads FC Cincinnati to win
Reporting by James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
