FC Cincinnati midfielders Evander and Pavel Bucha have been named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 29, the league announced Monday. The duo combined for four goal contributions, a goal and an assist each, in FC Cincinnati’s 3-2 win at Portland Timbers Saturday night.
Evander earned his ninth TOTMD honors of the season after he tallied the game-winning goal against his former team. His goal marked his 20th of the season in all competitions, one shy of FC Cincinnati’s all-time record for goals scored in a season (Luciano Acosta, 21 – 2023).
His 36th minute goal was yet another from distance for the All-Star midfielder. It was ninth from outside the box this season, the second-most in a season in MLS over the last 10 seasons (Sebastian Giovinco, 10 – 2015).
Evander’s goal was his second goal contribution of the night after assisting on Pavel Bucha’s 25th minute goal. Bucha, who had already assisted Kévin Denkey’s 10th minute goal, doubled Cincinnati’s lead with a superb strike to net his second multi-goal contribution game of the season (February 19 at Motagua, Champions Cup).
The naming to the Team of the Matchday marks Bucha’s first weekly honor of the season and his second career (2024 Team of the Matchday 24). Bucha’s goal was a milestone mark for the club as FC Cincinnati’s 300th MLS Regular Season goal scored, all time.
Evander’s and Bucha’s selections are the 27th and 28th recognition of an FC Cincinnati player or coach on the MLS Team of the Matchday this season. A full list can be found below.
2025 FC Cincinnati MLS Team of the Matchday Player Recognitions
- Miles Robinson (1, 8-Bench)
- Kévin Denkey (1-Bench, 10, 13-Bench, 19-Bench)
- Yuya Kubo (3)
- Evander (5, 6, 9, 12, 20, 21, 22, 25, 29)
- Roman Celentano (6, 14-Bench, 19-Bench, 26)
- Lukas Engel (7, 20)
- Gerardo ‘Dado’ Valenzuela (8)
- Matt Miazga (21-Bench)
- Luca Orellano (26-Bench)
- Pavel Bucha (29)
2025 FC Cincinnati MLS Coach of the Matchday Recognitions
- Pat Noonan (21, 25)
2025 MLS Team of the Matchday presented by Audi (Matchday 29)
F: Marcus Ingvartsen (SD), Rafael Navarro (COL), Son Heung-Min (LAFC)
M: Lionel Messi (MIA), Pavel Bucha (CIN), Evander (CIN), Philip Zinckernagel (CHI)
D: Jordi Alba (MIA), Tim Ream (CLT), Dylan Nealis (RBNY)
GK: Kristijan Kahlina (CLT)
Coach: Mikey Varas (SD)
Bench: Carlos Coronel (RBNY), Luca Petrasso (MTL), Artur (HOU), Mark Delgado (LAFC), Owen Wolff (ATX), Brian Gutiérrez (CHI), MartÃn Ojeda (ORL), Luis Suárez (MIA), Kevin Kelsy (POR)
FC Cincinnati return home to host New York City FC on Saturday, August 23 for Kick Cancer Night. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET and tickets are available at FCCincinnati.com/Tickets or by calling 513-977-KICK. The match airs on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and radio will be carried on iHeart Media Fox Sports 1360 in English and in Spanish locally on La Mega 101.5 FM.