FC Cincinnati 2 defeated Crown Legacy FC, 4-3, Monday night at Scudamore Field at NKU Soccer Stadium. The win moves the Orange and Blue (5-8-7, 29 points) above the playoff line and into eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Kenji Mboma Dem scored his fifth goal of the MLS NEXT Pro season Monday night, giving the Orange and Blue a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute. Mboma Dem stepped around Adrian Mendoza after putting the ball through the midfielders’ legs and hit a long-distance curler past Isaac Walker.
Crown Legacy responded in the 36th minute with Emmanuel Uchegbu heading home a Jahlane Forbes cross from close range.
Andrés Dávila, who made his FC Cincinnati debut Thursday night against Chivas Guadalajara in Leagues Cup play, and registered a goal in said debut, restored the lead for FCC 2 in the 51st minute with a towering header from inside the box. Yamir Uculmana assisted on Dávila’s header from a corner kick, picking up his first goal contribution of the year.
FCC 2 and Crown Legacy exchanged goals as Stefan Chirila doubled the Orange and Blue’s lead from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute before Crown substitute Thiago Rodrigues pulled one back six minutes later in the 68th.
Carson Locker scored in the 76th to make it 4-2, a goal that would prove to be the match winner after Rodrigues scored a brace for the visitors. The FC Cincinnati Academy product now has three goals on the year and trails only Chirila and Mboma Dem for a team lead.
The Orange and Blue are back in action for their second match of the week on Friday, August 15 against Toronto FC II at York Lions Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and can be streamed live on MLSNEXTPro.com.
FC CINCINNATI 2 GAME REPORT
FC Cincinnati 2 vs Crown Legacy FC
Date: August 11, 2025
Competition: MLS NEXT Pro Regular Season
Venue: Scudamore Field at NKU Soccer Stadium | Highland Heights, Ky.
Kickoff: 7:33 p.m. ET
Weather: 87 degrees, clear
SCORING SUMMARY: 1-2-FT
CIN: 1-3-4
CLFC: 1-2-3
CIN – Kenji Mboma Dem 29’, Andrés Dávila (Uculmana) 51’, Stefan Chirila (PK) 62’, Carson Locker 76’
CLFC – Emmanuel Uchegbu (Forbes) 36’, Thiago Rodrigues (Romero) 68’, Thiago Rodrigues (Romero) 86’
LINEUPS
CIN: Nathan Crockford, Andrei Chirila, Brian Schaefer, Noah Adnan, Dilan Hurtado (Will Kuisel 84’), Peter Mangione (Ben Augee 84’), Yamir Uculmana (Carson Locker 63’), Amir Daley (C), Kenji Mboma Dem, Andrés Dávila (Tega Ikoba 75’), Stefan Chirila (Monsuru Opeyemi 84’)
Substitutes not used: Slade Hall, Ali Sakr, Chance Malilo, Yorkaeff Caicedo
Head Coach: Tyrone Marshall
CLFC: Isaac Walker, Jahlane Forbes (Mikah Thomas 69’), Wyatt Holt, Jack Neeley (C), Yves Tcheuyap (Nickolas Teixeria 69’), Adrian Mendoza (Magic Smalls 63’), Simon Tonidandel (Ethan Curtis 69’), Brian Romero, Emmanuel Uchegbu, Andrej Subotić (Thiago Rodrigues 63’), Dylan Sing
Substitutes not used: Nicholas Holliday, Jamie Smith, Daniel Moore
Head Coach: Gary Dicker
STATS SUMMARY: CIN/CLFC
Shots: 22 / 9
Shots on Goal: 8 / 4
Saves: 1 / 4
Corner Kicks: 6 / 1
Fouls: 15 / 9
Offside: 1 / 2
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
CLFC: Yves Tcheuyap (Yellow Card) 44’
CIN: Andrei Chirila (Yellow Card) 64’
CIN: Ben Augee (Yellow Card) 88’
OFFICIALS
Referee: Marie Durr
Ast. Referees: Chris Schurfranz, Christopher Slane
Fourth Official: Rogelio Alvarez
