FC Cincinnati earned a dominant 6-2 win over Orlando City SC Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 25,513 at TQL Stadium.
The Orange and Blue (5-5-5, 20 points) head into the pause for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Orlando fell to 4-9-2 (14 points).
After conceding the opening goal from the penalty spot, Cincinnati tied Orlando with a Kenji Mboma Dem header in the 42nd minute off a corner kick and gained the lead six minutes later when Evander scored in first-half stoppage time.
Orlando equalized in the 48th minute but the Orange and Blue immediately answered, retaking the lead 3-2 with Mboma Dem’s second goal just four minutes later in the 52nd minute. Cincinnati never looked back, as Evander added a second goal in the 58th minute, putting Cincinnati ahead 4-2.
The historic goal scoring evening was capped off with a 77th minute goal from Kévin Denkey and then a second-half stoppage time goal from Tom Barlow. FC Cincinnati’s six goals matched a club record for goals scored in an MLS regular season match.
Evander’s five goal contributions (two goals, three assists) set a new individual single-game record.
FC Cincinnati and Major League Soccer pause competition for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with FCC’s next MLS match scheduled for July 22 against Vancouver Whitecaps FC at TQL Stadium. For more information on FC Cincinnati’s full lineup of events for the club’s Soccer Celebration, visit FCCincinnati.com/Summer-Of-Soccer.
AS IT HAPPENED
ORL: Martín Ojeda, PENALTY KICK GOAL – 15’ (0-1) – Orlando striker Martín Ojeda converted from the penalty spot after Kyle Smith was called for a foul on Tiago in the box.
CIN: Kenji Mboma Dem, GOAL – 42’ (1-1) – Evander’s corner kick found Kenji Mboma Dem in the middle of the box and he was able to head the ball into the top left corner of the net to tie the match. The goal was FCC’s league-leading 13th set piece goal of the season.
CIN: Evander, GOAL – 45’+3 (2-1) – After assisting on Kenji Mboma Dem’s goal minutes earlier, Evander notched a goal of his own after a perfect cross-field pass from Pavel Bucha. The Brazilian’s left boot drove the ball past a diving keeper.
ORL: Martín Ojeda, GOAL – 48’ (2-2) – Orlando tied the match early in the second half as Martín Ojeda secured a brace with his second goal on a free kick, from just outside the box.
CIN: Kenji Mboma Dem, GOAL – 52’ (3-2) – The Orange and Blue quickly responded to retake the lead when Evander skillfully dribbled into the box, and for the second time in the game, connected a pass to Kenji Mboma Dem, who found just enough space to strike one into the net.
CIN: Evander, GOAL – 58’ (4-2) – Evander swiftly moved through Orlando’s defense, dribbling from midfield to just outside of the 18-yard box. He quickly struck a strong and low shot into the bottom right corner of the net.
CIN: Kévin Denkey, GOAL – 77’ (5-2) – Kévin Denkey notched his ninth goal of the season after fighting off contact from two Orlando players and sneaking a shot just past goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau. On this goal, Evander set the club record for five goal contributions in a single match with his assist into Denkey.
CIN: Tom Barlow, GOAL – 90’+1 (6-2) – Ender Echenique kept a ball in play down the right side and found Tom Barlow who cleanly finished his career-high fifth goal of the season.
GAME NOTES
- FC Cincinnati’s six goals matched a club record high for an MLS match (9/10/22 vs SJ; 7/6/24 vs MIA).
- With his 75th career MLS win in his 151st MLS match, Head Coach Pat Noonan matched the MLS-post shootout era record in becoming the fastest coach to reach 75 regular season wins (Brian Schmetzer).
- Evander set a new club record for single-game goal contributions (5) with his two goals and three assists.
- Saturday marked Evander’s third game of multiple goal contributions. His 17 career multi-goal contribution games in his two seasons with FCC place him second in club history.
- Evander now has a goal contribution in five straight games, matching his longest streak from last season (6/25 – 7/16, 2025: at MTL, at ORL, vs CHI, vs CLB, vs MIA).
- Kenji Mboma Dem netted his first career MLS brace, scoring his third goal in the past two games.
- Cincinnati have scored multiple goals in eight consecutive games, which extends the longest streak in FCC’s MLS history.
- Tom Barlow scored his fifth goal of the season and in his second consecutive match. Barlow’s five goals set a career high for goals in a season.
- At the end of Saturday evening, Cincinnati leads the league in goals scored in MLS play with 36 goals.
- Cincinnati native Kyle Smith surpassed 10,000 career MLS minutes with tonight’s start against his former club.
- FC Cincinnati’s 13 points earned from trailing positions lead MLS.
FC CINCINNATI GAME REPORT
FC Cincinnati vs Orlando City SC
Date: May 23, 2026
Competition: MLS Regular Season
Venue: TQL Stadium | Cincinnati, Ohio
Attendance: 25,513 (sellout)
Kickoff: 7:40 p.m. ET
Weather: 73 degrees, cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY: 1-2-FT
CIN: 2-4-6
ORL: 1-1-2
CIN – Kenji Mboma Dem (Evander) 42’, Evander (Bucha) 45’+3, Kenji Mboma Dem (Evander, Denkey) 52’, Evander (Miazga, Nwobodo) 58’, Kévin Denkey (Evander, Ramirez) 77’, Tom Barlow (Echenique, Bucha) 90’+1
ORL – Martín Ojeda – PK 16’, Martín Ojeda 48’
LINEUPS
CIN: Roman Celentano, Bryan Ramirez, Kyle Smith, Matt Miazga, Samuel Gidi (Nick Hagglund 90’+2), Pavel Bucha, Obinna Nwobodo (Tah Brian Anunga 74’), Gerardo Valenzuela (Ender Echenique 83’), Evander, Kenji Mboma Dem (Tom Barlow 83’), Kévin Denkey (Ayoub Jabbari 90’+5)
Substitutes not used: Evan Louro, Gilberto Flores, Andrei Chirila, Ayoub Jabbari
Head Coach: Pat Noonan
ORL: Maxime Crépeau, Adrián Marín (Duncan McGuire 72’), David Brekalo, Robin Jansson (C), Griffin Dorsey (Wilder Cartagena 72’), Braian Ojeda (Luís Otávio 85’), Eduard Atuesta, Tiago (Tyrese Spicer 46’), Iván Angulo, Justin Ellis (Marco Pašalić 57’), Martín Ojeda
Substitutes not used: Javier Otero, Zakaria Taifi, Tahir Reid-Brown, Iago
Interim Head Coach: Martín Perelman
STATS SUMMARY: CIN/ORL
Shots: 23 / 20
Shots on Goal: 11 / 9
Saves: 7 / 5
Corner Kicks: 6 / 9
Fouls: 17 / 13
Offside: 0 / 1
Possession: 56.8 / 43.2
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
ORL – Adrián Marín (Yellow Card) 10’
CIN – Gerardo Valenzuela (Yellow Card) 32’
ORL – Tiago (Yellow Card) 41’
CIN – Matt Miazga (Yellow Card) 47’
ORL – David Brekalo (Yellow Card) 70’
OFFICIALS
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
Ast. Referees: Cory Richardson, Oscar Michell-Carvalho
Fourth Official: Allen Chapman
VAR: Ismir Pekmic
AVAR: TJ Zablocki
