FC Cincinnati needed a victory in the worst way and found one last Sunday in their come-from-behind victory over CF Montréal.
It was a full-team performance to get the win over the line, and a resilient late push that showed the team’s collective spirit. There were four goal scorers for the four goals, with a different assist man on each (even if the assists weren’t registered formally) to make the opportunities possible. The result and process showed how FCC’s depth, and the mentality of the depth, can be one of its stronger assets.
For example, not only did star striker Kévin Denkey get his name on the scoresheet – scoring the game winner in stoppage time at that – but all three of FC Cincinnati’s forwards in the match scored. Ayoub Jabbari and Tom Barlow each scored their first MLS goals for the club in equalizing efforts, creating a trifecta of forward goal contributions to win the match.
Barlow’s contributions stood out in particular as he came on as a sub after Montréal had retaken a lead, and a red card was shown to FCC, putting them a man down. Barlow came in in the 77th minute, and by the 80th minute, he had equalized the game.
“Tom is a team player. He wants to help our team win. It's simple,” FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan said of the American forward. “You can see it in different ways with players as you go through a season, but this is a challenging moment, and Tom hasn't wavered at all.”
“It’s like, ‘OK, you're not starting, but you've been producing for us and playing well. We want some fresh legs,’ so we select Ayoub (Jabbari) and Tom is just ready. He goes, ‘I'll be ready,’ and there he is. He comes in and he's just active in anticipating plays. Sometimes it's about understanding the game. Sometimes it's just sheer effort and determination. He has that, and that's what gives him an advantage in certain moments.”
“It's amazing. I think the guys have put in a ton of work. We've been working on a lot together in training and trying to find the back of the net and trying new ideas,” Barlow said Sunday of the three forwards all scoring. “We're a tight knit group, and we have a lot of belief in the way we play.”
“We talked before the game about keeping our heads down and just working and grinding this one out, and I thought we executed it perfectly. There's going to be ups and downs, but I think as long as we stick together, we have a great shot at doing something special.”
Jimenez key cameo
Another key contributor to the victory that came off the bench was Stiven Jimenez, who made his first appearance of this MLS season as the final sub of the match in the 88th minute, but was on for those final two minutes plus 12 minutes of stoppage time.
Jimenez, 18, was trusted to help see out a game that was, at the time, a 3-3 draw but quickly became a 4-3 lead with three points up for grabs. The teenage midfielder came on and completed 100 percent of his passes, while also blocking a shot in a key moment in the 90+6 minute to stop an Olger Escobar attempt headed for goal.
“We got thin with Brian's (Anunga) injury and with Obi (Nwobodo) having to come off there. You're looking at, ‘how do you change the game in a positive way?’...Stiven came in and was on the field at a very important time, and that shows the kid being ready,” Noonan said of the brief but impactful performance to see out a win. “There's been a lot of conversations over the last couple of weeks where he's had challenging moments that (no one) will know about, but he was ready. A mature, young kid, and I'm happy for him for being able to come in and just give us some stability in the middle of the field.”
Denkey's ongoing development
The catalyst of the victory, though, was Kévin Denkey, whose stoppage-time goal gave FC Cincinnati the lead late. The finish on the throw-in from Nick Hagglund stood as Denkey’s 13th game-winning goal for FC Cincinnati, a club record.
The goal-scoring effort came on a tap-in just in front of the line as the striker put himself in a good position to both A.) stay onside and B.) be in a dangerous area for the ball into the box. While he was covered by a defender and the goalkeeper made a diving save, Denkey’s quick reaction was more than enough to give him a high-quality scoring look and made the defense pay for allowing him into that spot.
What stood out to Head Coach Pat Noonan, though, is how Denkey, even with his goal-scoring form, has continued to improve all over the field.
“He's maturing quickly, and we're throwing a lot at him to improve all elements of his game,” Noonan explained after the Sunday match.
“We know he can score goals and we need to get him in those positions, and his teammates need to get him in those positions. But he's done so many things outside of scoring goals that have been really impressive, as far as on and off the field, to become a better pro.”
A place the club and Denkey have highlighted in the Togolesse striker's continued development on the field is his ability to read the game and drop deeper to play off his teammates when the moment is right. Another is the way he trains his body to play a more dynamic game.
While known for his impressive physique and muscular build, Denkey has spent this offseason working to improve his cardio and get leaner, so he can play faster while still retaining his signature strength. That combination of on- and off-field development has made him a more complete player.
“His intent is always good, it's just sometimes figuring out how to maximize his abilities and throwing more at him because he can handle it,” Noonan said. “He’s been excellent.”
“His attitude has been excellent, and I think he's honed in on improving his fitness,” Noonan added during preseason this season. “He does such a good job of taking care of himself, but in some ways, how can we limit some of those things to improve the cardio and the fitness? That's been a really good conversation, because his intentions are really good.”
FC Cincinnati are in the midst of an International Break, during which Denkey and eight other members of The Orange and Blue are away with their respective international sides. When they return next week, preparations for MLS action will ramp up again with a trip to the New York Red Bulls next on the calendar. Kickoff from Sports Illustrated Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 4.
