FC Cincinnati returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion with a 4-1 victory over CF Montreal at home, thanks to two stunning goals from Luca Orellano. This victory not only snapped Cincinnati's four-match losing streak but also marked their first MLS regular-season win since July 6th.
The game's turning point came in the 57th minute when Orellano caught Montreal off guard. After a free kick was awarded ten yards inside Cincinnati’s defensive half, Orellano noticed Montreal’s goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois was far off his line. With a quick and audacious strike, Orellano lofted the ball over the leaping Sirois, scoring a sensational long-range goal.
Earlier in the match, Orellano had already made his mark. In the 46th minute, after Montreal's Joel Waterman committed a foul just outside the penalty area, Orellano stepped up to take the resulting free kick. His curling shot deflected off the Montreal wall and nestled into the net, giving Cincinnati a crucial lead.
Kevin Kelsy and Sergio Santos further extended Cincinnati's lead, with each scoring to cap off a dominant performance by the home side. Montreal managed to score a consolation goal in the 81st minute when Kwadwo Opoku broke through Cincinnati's defense and calmly finished past Roman Celentano, who had been largely untested throughout the match.
Despite early heroics from Sirois, who made key saves to keep Montreal in the game, the Canadian side couldn't withstand Cincinnati's relentless attack. Montreal's defeat marks their third consecutive loss in MLS play, with a concerning 10-1 goal differential during this losing streak.
Looking ahead, Montreal will return home to face Charlotte FC on Saturday, hoping to reverse their fortunes. Meanwhile, FC Cincinnati will prepare for the much-anticipated "Hell is Real" derby against the Columbus Crew, riding high on their recent success.
