After over two months away from MLS action, FC Cincinnati lit up TQL Stadium in their return to the limelight and took down the top side in the Western Conference thanks to a brace from Pavel Bucha and some strong defense in the final stage of the game.
In their first game following an unprecedented summer break due to the FIFA World Cup, The Orange and Blue started the second half of their season in style, securing a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps and leaping up the Eastern Conference standings to finish the day in fifth place with 23 points; just three points out of third place.
Pavel Bucha earned the man of the match honors for his performance, but it was a collective effort that earned the victory, with Kévin Denkey and Evander each contributing a goal to the tally.
The offensive outburst was matched by some defensive struggles, as after FCC opened the scoring in the first 10 minutes, Vancouver went on to not only equalize but take the lead in the first half. The three goals conceded by FC Cincinnati – two in the first half, then a third in the second half – are part of a trend of struggles the team had dating back to the first half of the season. But on balance, the victory and three points made for an exciting night and a very valuable momentum builder as the second half of the MLS season began.
“Good result against a very good opponent,” FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan said in his opening remarks to the press following the victory. “It's a quick turnaround, so we don't have a lot of time to feel great about ourselves but winning's better than losing, and you always want to be in control, but that's not always going to be how it plays out. So the result is certainly important, and winning against good teams is important. But how we go about it, understanding we're a good attacking side, and when we do the things that we're supposed to do, I think we'll be a tough team to play against.”
FC Cincinnati scored three times in the first half and added a fourth in the second half to give them the advantage they needed. The four goals on the night brought them to 40 total on the season and continued to shine a light on the brightest part of FC Cincinnati’s game, the offense.
The break in the regular season came at a fairly inconvenient time, given that after a slow start to the season, FCC had seemed to find their footing and had begun to put together results. There was a fair question as to whether FC Cincinnati could come back from that pause and keep their foot on the gas in the same way, or if they would struggle to get themselves going again as they did at the start of the season.
That worry was erased quickly.
Key stars like Evander and Kévin Denkey each had goal contributions and showed a sharpness that resembled a “midseason form” you’d hope to see. Getting that kind of performance right out of the gate is impressive, important and most importantly, something the squad can build on moving forward.
“It’s always good to win, especially at home in front of our fans. I think, after a long time with the break, giving the fans this win was very important for us,” Evander said postmatch. “Of course, it could have been done in a better way with less (drama), but I think it was good at the end of the night.
“I tried to keep myself in the best way possible during the break…just trying to maintain the level,” the 2026 All-Star continued. “I wanted to keep doing the same as when I finished the first part of the season, and I'm happy that I'm still maintaining the same level.”
What Head Coach Pat Noonan was looking for in this first game was to see progress in the things they had just spent close to a month working on. In that regard, it was a mixed bag of outcomes but ultimately a positive one given the result and the quality of the opponent they were facing. Vancouver was third place in the league overall, third in goals scored and second in fewest goals conceded.
There was no better potential opponent than Vancouver to test yourself out of the gate.
But on the defensive side of the ball, where Noonan was hoping he’d see improvement, or rather, needs to see improvement in order to get to the level he believes they can, FCC continued to struggle. Two of the three goals conceded in this match came just minutes after FC Cincinnati had scored, and in all, were “too easy”, per some FCC players, for their opponent.
“It was a lot of similar play, I would say,” Noonan said, comparing Wednesday night's performance with the first 15 games of the year. “Some really good attacking moments and chance creation. But defensively, just too much urgency in our press that they played through too often. Then not being able to communicate switches and maintain our shape and be more compact, I think that caused us some issues tonight. But like I said, it's a good result starting the second half of the season against a very good team.”
“We still have to understand the importance of the collective and the discipline in how we (defend),” Noonan continued. “I think that can take our group to another level. So hopefully we can continue to work to get there.”
But with the bad there is all the good. Yes, FCC conceded three times and have now conceded 40 total this season (which is the same number of goals they conceded in the entirety of 2025). Still, they also kept Vancouver quiet for the final 32 minutes plus seven minutes of stoppage time to secure the victory, and showed great potential in those moments.
“You see some individual play that helped us to maintain the scoreline. Bryan Ramirez came in and was excellent with being isolated a lot. Box defending was pretty strong, some blocked shots in there. But for me, it’s the preventative nature of how we can eliminate so much pressure closer to our goal, and that's tough,” Noonan explained. “Guys are tired, and you have an opponent that's moving the ball well and if you're a step off or a duel off, now you're going to have to defend the box well and I think that was a positive there at the end.”
“But there were still some transition moments, there were some opportunities for us to, I think, put the game away, even with all that pressure that we withstood,” Noonan added. “So, getting those plays right and understanding how to stay in the game with less chaos is something to talk about.”
FC Cincinnati now have a quick turnaround before what can only be described as one of the biggest matches on the calendar every year. On Saturday, The Orange and Blue head north to Columbus to take on the Columbus Crew in the first playing of the 2026 Hell is Real derby, presented by TourismOhio. So all of a sudden, after having two months off, FCC are now playing twice in four days.
It’s an ironic tilt to the MLS schedule, but one they’ll just have to manage. The trip to Scotts Miracle-Gro Field is always a contentious one, and this time it will be the first time the two sides have met since FCC knocked The Crew out of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs last fall.
A win Wednesday put some wind in FC Cincinnati’s sails and helped them build some confidence. So while this is no time for hubris, as no matter where Columbus sits in the table, the Hell is Real derby Presented by TourismOhio rivalry always levels the playing field. The confidence built in a winning performance against Vancouver is more like reassurance than anything else.
“This just shows how good we are, and this shows that we could have been in a better position in the table if you didn't have that slow start of the season,” Evander said. “But I think it's time to get back into it. I think this is the time to prove ourselves that we are a good team in the league and we can be better.”
