In an impressive display of skill and teamwork, FC Cincinnati triumphed over Orlando City with a decisive 6-2 victory on Saturday night. The star of the match was Evander Da Silva Ferreira, known simply as ‘Evander,’ who contributed significantly with two goals and three assists. This performance marks a historic achievement for Evander, as he becomes the first player in FC Cincinnati’s history to record at least two goals and two assists in a single game.
Key Performances
Evander’s remarkable form continues, having scored seven goals and provided five assists in his last five games. His contributions were complemented by Kenji Mboma Dem, who scored two goals, marking his first multi-goal game in Major League Soccer (MLS). The victory also saw Kevin Denkey scoring his ninth goal of the season, and Tom Barlow adding to the tally in stoppage time.
FC Cincinnati’s coach, Pat Noonan, celebrated his 75th regular-season win in just 151 games, tying with Seattle’s Brian Schmetzer for the fastest to reach this milestone in the MLS post-shootout era.
Match Highlights
The match began with Orlando City’s Martín Ojeda opening the scoring from the penalty spot in the 16th minute. However, FC Cincinnati quickly responded, with Mboma Dem equalizing in the 42nd minute from a corner kick delivered by Evander. Evander then gave Cincinnati a 2-1 lead in first-half stoppage time with a well-placed shot.
Orlando’s Ojeda briefly leveled the score again with a free kick in the 48th minute, but Cincinnati surged ahead with Evander assisting Mboma Dem for a goal in the 52nd minute and scoring himself in the 58th minute. The team maintained their momentum, with Denkey and Barlow sealing the victory.
Goalkeeper Roman Celentano played a crucial role with seven saves, helping to secure the win for Cincinnati, who have now scored multiple goals in a club-record eight consecutive games.
Challenges for Orlando City
Orlando City, struggling defensively, has now conceded an MLS-worst 44 goals this season. Despite Ojeda’s efforts, the team was unable to contain Cincinnati’s attacking prowess.
Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.
