FC Cincinnati (9-3-2, 30 pts.) showcased their strength once again with a 3-1 triumph over St. Louis CITY SC in front of a sold-out crowd at TQL Stadium. The Orange & Blue continue to build on their successful campaign, fueled by standout performances and strategic plays.
Luciano Acosta, a leading figure in the MVP discussion, delivered a stellar performance with a goal and two assists. Yuya Kubo and Sergio Santos added to the scoreboard in the second half, sealing the victory for Cincinnati.
St. Louis CITY SC (3-7-3, 16 pts.) could only manage a consolation own goal in the second half, unable to replicate their impressive form from last season. Their memorable 5-1 win over Cincinnati at CITYPARK in 2023 now seems a distant memory.
Cincinnati's strategic rotation saw Kevin Kelsy and Miles Robinson starting on the bench due to injury concerns from the previous match against Atlanta. Nick Hagglund and Bret Halsey took their places. Other key players, including DeAndre Yedlin, Corey Baird, Alvas Powell, and Aaron Boupendza, missed the match due to injuries.
St. Louis also opted for significant lineup changes, resting seven players from their midweek defeat to LAFC. Designated player Edward Löwen returned but started on the bench. In a touching tribute, FC Cincinnati players wore white armbands marked with “IL” to honor Löwen’s wife, Ilona, who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer.
From the opening whistle, Cincinnati was on the offensive. It wasn't until the 26th minute that they broke the deadlock. Acosta was fouled in the box by Celio Pompeu, earning a penalty that he coolly converted, sending Roman Bürki the wrong way for a 1-0 lead. This marked Acosta’s seventh goal of the season and his 150th MLS career contribution, a milestone celebrated with humility.
“I don’t focus too much on the statistics,” Acosta remarked. “For me, my focus is here, raising the team up and doing what I can to help.”
The first half saw Cincinnati’s defense stifling St. Louis, blocking multiple attempts and winning crucial duels. The second half brought even more action. In the 50th minute, Acosta's clever pass set up Kubo for his fourth goal of the season, which he celebrated by indicating an impending addition to his family.
“Last time I scored a goal against Montreal, I forgot (to celebrate),” Kubo said. “This time I remembered to do so.”
A brief lapse in concentration led to an own goal by Matt Miazga in the 54th minute, momentarily narrowing the lead to 2-1. However, Cincinnati regained control, with Acosta providing a perfect cross for Sergio Santos to tap in the final goal in the 80th minute, securing the victory.
Head Coach Pat Noonan praised his team’s performance. “I really don’t want to nitpick because these guys were really, really good tonight,” he said. “The way we played tonight, with the ball, how quick we were moving it, how we were able to play out of pressure and attack, I was really pleased with that against a team that certainly knows how to defend against the ball.”
Cincinnati's win keeps them in close contention for a second consecutive Supporters’ Shield, just a point behind Inter Miami CF with a game in hand. The Orange & Blue next travel to Toronto FC, while St. Louis returns home to face the Seattle Sounders.
Match #14 – FC Cincinnati vs. St. Louis CITY SC
TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Attendance: 25,513
Result: FC Cincinnati 3, St. Louis CITY SC 1
BOX SCORE:
FC Cincinnati Starting XI (3-5-2):Roman Celentano (GK); Nick Hagglund, Matt Miazga, Ian Murphy (Kipp Keller 86’); Bret Halsey (Yamil Asad 67’), Obinna Nwobodo, Luciano Acosta (c) (Malik Pinto 86’), Pavel Bucha, Luca Orellano; Gerardo Valenzuela (Kevin Kelsy 59’), Yuya Kubo (Sergio Santos 67’).
Bench: Alec Kann, Miles Robinson, Isaiah Foster, Stiven Jimenez.
St. Louis CITY SC Starting XI (4-4-2):Roman Bürki (GK – c); Akil Watts, Kyle Hiebert, Joakim Nilsson, Nikolas Dyhr (Tim Parker 46’); Aziel Jackson, Njabulo Blom (Chris Durkin 60’), Hosei Kijima (Tomas Ostrak 46’), Celio Pompeu (Indiana Vassilev 60’); Sam Adeniran (Eduard Löwen 75’), Joao Klauss.
Bench: Ben Lundt, Jake Nerwinski, Rasmus Alm, Nokkvi Thorisson.
Scoring Summary:
Discipline:
Next Up:
