There are two weeks left in the summer transfer window for MLS clubs before the window closes Sept. 2.
Some MLS teams made major additions over the World Cup break, adding big-name pieces to their attack. FC Cincinnati hasn’t had to make a big splash signing, as the club already has three Designated Players and they don’t need help on offense with Evander and Kevin Denkey leading the way.
However, fans have been curious whether Cincinnati plans to add a player to help with the defense that has struggled all season long. Head coach Pat Noonan addressed whether the team will add someone.
“You want it to be the right piece if you’re going to make an addition,” he said. “And if you don’t feel you have that, you don’t want to make the wrong one. We’ve been looking at different options to strengthen our team along the back line, in the attack as well. Depth pieces. Moves haven’t been made because we haven’t found the right additions in our minds. I like the fact that we’re not trying to rush something despite areas of our team that we know can get better.”
Cincinnati has two home games this week at TQL Stadium, playing New York City FC Aug. 19 and Seattle Sounders Aug. 22. Both games kick off at 7:30 p.m.
Cincinnati has shown progress in August, posting one clean sheet in the Leagues Cup and holding Orlando to one goal Aug. 15 in a 1-1 draw. However, they allowed two goals in the final 15 minutes against Atlas Aug. 11 to be eliminated from the Leagues Cup.
Veterans Matt Miazga and Miles Robinson have been starting with Samuel Gidi, who is a natural midfielder. Veterans Teenage Hadebe and Nick Hagglund have played limited minutes. Gilberto Flores was sent off on loan over the summer. Andrei Chirila, a promising 18-year old who made a quick impression with six starts during the spring, started with the second team Aug. 16 as Noonan wants to get him a lot of minutes.
“I think defensively it’s getting a little bit better, even with the guys that have struggled previously,” Noonan said. “I think consistency and health is helping there. Overall, the confidence of the group and how we’re playing is important, and in a good place. Just stringing together some games. You know when you defend in a good way, and we’re not there. We know that, but I do think it’s trending in a good direction. If we can find help, we’ll do that.”
“I think we feel like we’ve turned the tide now,” Miazga said after the Orlando game in an interview posted on the club’s web site. “Gelling more and more often, and obviously in the beginning of the year, there were a lot of injuries, suspension, so it wasn’t ideal. But I feel now guys are really starting to come together as a team. I think slowly but surely, if we keep putting the work in on the pitch and focus on ourselves, the results will come.”
A look at FC Cincinnati’s opponent, New York City FC
Cincinnati and NYC played to a wild 4-4 draw April 22 at Yankee Stadium. Cincinnati scored twice in second-half stoppage time to salvage a point after trailing for most of the match.
“As far as where we’re at in the table, results, a lot of that is similar,” Noonan said. “They’ve been one of the most consistent teams since my time here in how they play, recruitment, how they’re able to develop transfer players, bring in new players. They’re very talented. It’s just personnel that maybe has changed over the years, and they’re pretty much in every game. They’re always a difficult opponent to prepare for.”
For the second game in a row, Cincinnati faces a team that picked up some major star power during the World Cup break.
NYCFC acquired forward Bénie Traoré as a Designated Player from Swiss side FC Basel 1893 on a contract through the 2029-2030 season. The 23-year-old Ivory Coast international, in two seasons with FC Basel, made 80 appearances across all competitions, registering 25 goals and 15 assists. In 2024-25, he helped the club to its 21st Swiss Super League Championship, scoring 13 goals in that season.
NYCFC also obtained Luighi Hanri, 20, on loan from Brazilian power Palmeiras. Both Traoré and Hanri started and scored their first goals for the team Aug. 16 in a 3-2 loss to Philadelphia.
Nicolas Fernandez, a 26-year old from Argentina and one of the league’s top scorers with 13 goals and four assists, missed the Philadelphia game due to yellow card accumulation. He scored twice against Cincy in their first meeting. Augstin Ojeda, who has five goals and five assists, scored in that game, as did Talles Magno.
For the third game in a row, Cincy faces a keeper who was his country’s main starter in the World Cup, as Matt Freese was the United States starter in goal and teammate of Miles Robinson. He follows Atlas FC’s Camilo Vargas (Colombia) and Orlando City’s Maxime Crepeau (Canada).
NYCFC is fifth in the Eastern Conference in goals scored with 33 and fourth in conceded with 27. They have two wins and a draw in their last three MLS road games. They are 3-3-2 on the road, and had eight players declared out for the Philadelphia game with injuries.
“The one thing they have dealt with is a lot of injuries,” Noonan said. “You can see the depth where they’re in games, they have guys who can step in. The uncertainly comes with who’s available and who’s not.”
Kevin Denkey deals with a scoreless slump
Kevin Denkey has not scored in the team’s five games including the Leagues Cup.
Tom Bogert of the Athletic reported that Cincinnati had turned down a bid for Denkey from English Premier League side Hull City. The bid was in the region of $15 million plus $5 million in add-ons, Bogert reported.
Noonan did not confirm that information but during the Apple TV broadcast of the Orlando game, analyst Andrew Wiebe said he had spoken with Noonan about transfer rumors circulating around Denkey in general.
While Denkey didn’t score against Orlando, Noonan praised the way he put himself into position to score, noting that Cincy was attacking Orlando’s high line defense which had Cincinnati called for offside more than normal and cost him a couple of open shots.
Denkey missed a goal by a couple of inches in a sequence that led to Evander’s nullified penalty kick. Denkey had an open shot behind Orlando keeper Maxime Crepeau. It was from an acute angle while Denkey was on the run. The ball hit the front of the right post and richocheted almost perpendicularly back to the front of the box, where Evander ended up with it and tried to draw a penalty foul.
Noonan regularly talks about players having hot streaks and cold streaks, and thinks Denkey is handling the outside noise well.
“We don’t talk about it,” Noonan said. “It’s my job to manage the players in a way where it doesn’t become a distraction with any rumors out there, whether there’s truth behind them or not. It’s important that guys understand where the focus needs to be, and Kevin’s been excellent. (Against Orlando), he could have had a couple of goals. The one that hit the post, his timing of his movement was excellent. He had two excellent moments in the second half. Even in the first half, there’s some moments where I think he positions himself well to potentially get on the end of a cross and his running in front of goal has been as good as we’ve seen. Of course people will see the scoresheet, did he score or did he not, but I was very pleased with the decisions that he made.”
What happened in FC Cincinnati’s draw at Orlando?
Orlando’s lone goal Aug. 15 came after Tyrese Spicer got the ball in transition for a one-on-one opportunity with Roman Celentano. He beat Pavel Bucha to get the chance, with Bucha falling down to free him in space.
Then, for the second game in a row, Cincinnati had a penalty kick opportunity negated by VAR, reversing the initial call. Evander fell in the penalty box and was initially awarded a PK, but the VAR determined that not only did Evander initiate the contact but simulated a foul. He was given a yellow card.
The Professional Referee Organization responded with a written answer to pool reporters about both calls.
Reporters questioned if Spicer should have been called for a foul. PRO’s response was “The contact before the goal in the 48th minute was determined to be fair, normal football contact and play was allowed to continue. VAR reviewed the incident and confirmed the decision on the field.”
About Evander’s call, “After review, it was clear that contact was initiated by (Evander), who dragged his football unnaturally to create contact and simulate a foul. The penalty was nullified and an indirect free kick was awarded for simulation.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Pat Noonan addresses transfer rumors as FC Cincinnati hosts NYCFC
Reporting by James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
