For the second time in three games, FC Cincinnati rallied from behind late in the game after being down a man, this time getting a much-needed point on the road.
Kenji Mboma Dem’s first Major League Soccer goal for Cincinnati’s first team tied the score in stoppage time, allowing Cincinnati to salvage a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC April 11 at BMO Field. Cincinnati (2-4-1) avoided a second straight loss and got its first draw of the season, rising to 7 points. Toronto is 3-2-2 for 11 points.
Cincy scored in the second minute of stoppage time after Toronto missed a great chance to go up 2-0. Samuel Gidi cleared the ball and got a pass ahead to Evander, who sent the ball back to him. Gidi fired a long pass forward to Ayoub Jabbari in stride. Jabbari hesitated, slipped past a defender and tapped a well-timed cross to Mboma Dem in the goal box, and the 24-year old fired a left-footed rocket past Toronto keeper Luka Gavran.
Mboma Dem, a 2024 draft pick for Cincinnati who spent most of last season with the second team, is the ninth different FC Cincinnati player to score in seven MLS games this season.
“A player that had a strong start to the season,” said FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan. He had a little bit of a tough stretch there. But he put his head down, and he worked, he earned his way back into the group and took his opportunity the right way tonight. So I’m pleased to see that growth from him on an individual level.”
The goal came less than 10 minutes after Toronto had taken a 1-0 lead, and after Kevin Denkey had been sent off with a red card midway through the second half.
Cincinnati scored twice late in a 4-3 win over Montreal two weeks ago after going down a man.
“That’s still a strength of the group when you talk about the character of the guys in there,” Noonan said. “Those guys out on the field had every reason to say it’s not our moment. Let’s just move on to the next. So for the guys that came in and the guys that finished the game, they did it in a really strong way. They just put their head down and tried to do what was asked of them and keep playing.”
Before the late fireworks, the game was a defensive stalemate very similar to Toronto’s 1-0 win in Cincinnati March 8. Toronto outshot Cincinnati 9-7. Both teams had four shots on target and 0.9 expected goals.
Cincinnati improved on its recent failures on defense without center backs Alvas Powell, Miles Robinson and Teenage Hadebe being available. Cincinnati had conceded 18 goals in its last four games.
“There were a lot of positives, but it doesn’t necessarily feel that way because of a couple of the negatives,” Noonan said. “It probably feels better because of the circumstances. You’re on the road, you’re down a goal, and the fashion in which we let the game kind of get away from us. To find a point is still a positive and good character from the group. The belief, the fight, all of that is still there. There (are) a lot of details that we need to get right, but defensively, it’s much improved, and what we expect of the group.”
Second half highlights between Toronto and Cincinnati
In the 51st minute, Kevin Denkey fought his way out of the corner with the ball, past three defenders and found Evander in the middle of the field near the top of the 18. But Evander’s shot missed wide right.
Moments later, Luka Gavran made a tough save on a header from Nick Hagglund off an Evander corner kick. That resulted in another corner, but Gavran plucked the ball out of the air to stop the threat.
Toronto star striker Josh Sargent had an open shot in transition for Toronto in the 59th. Sami Gidi and Roman Celentano forced him to miss just wide left.
First half highlights between FC Cincinnati and Toronto FC
The first half was very similar to the first game between the teams March 8 at TQL Stadium.
Cincy had four shots to two for Toronto. Both teams had two shots on goal. Cincinnati has 0.5 expected goals to only 0.1 for the home team.
The sixth minute, Evander made a great run upfield and made a great pass to Tom Barlow on the run. Luka Gavran a point blank save on Barlow.
In the 13th, Toronto cleared a close shot by Kevin Denkey following an Evander corner kick.
In the 37th, Evander misfired on a pass to an open Barlow in front of the goal.
In the ninth, Toronto’s Benjamin Kuscevic just missed a header off a corner kick.
FC Cincinnati player notes
Denkey was sent off for a red card in the 70th minute after drawing two yellow cards in about a minute’s time. One of them was for dissent after he thought he was fouled in his offensive goal box. The second was Denkey appearing to strike Kuscevic with his hand away from the run of play. It is the fourth game in a row Cincy has had a red card – Gerardo Valenzuela, Miles Robinson, Alvas Powell and now Denkey, who will be suspended for next weekend’s match against Chicago.
“So that’s the biggest concern is this is four games in a row now where we don’t finish the game with 11 men,” Noonan said. “And so that’s a discipline issue. And whether it’s frustration on an individual level or collectively, that can’t carry over into affecting the team to finish the game.
“We have to put it all together. Playing a man down in the fashion that we did is inexcusable, and preventable. It’s not one person. It’s clearly been a variety of different reasons and players why we’ve gone down a man. But it’s also a sign that, if we’re a collective with how we play and how we think, how we act, how we hold each other accountable, there will be a lot of good days ahead of us.”
Teenage Hadebe did not make the trip to Canada because of a personal matter. Alvas Powell was on red card suspension from last week. Miles Robinson did not dress due to his recent groin injury.
Matt Miazga felt some discomfort in the 60th minute and was replaced by Kyle Smith. Noonan said it seemed to be a muscular issue and he will be examined next week.
What’s next for FC Cincinnati
Cincy will host Chicago 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at TQL Stadium. Chicago is 3-2-1 for 10 points heading into a home game against Atlanta 8:30 p.m. April 11. Chicago will also play at Detroit in the U.S. Open Cup April 14 before coming here.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati draws Toronto on goal by Mboma Dem in stoppage time
Reporting by James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
