FC Cincinnati defeated LA Galaxy, 3-2, Saturday night at Dignity Health Sports Park in suburban Los Angeles to win for the 10th time in league play on the road this season.
The Orange and Blue improved to 18-9-4 (58 points) with three matches to go in the MLS Regular Season. FC Cincinnati will finish Matchday 35 two points behind Philadelphia Union in both the Supporters’ Shield and Eastern Conference standings. LA dropped to 4-17-9 (21 points).
With the club’s 10th road win this season, FC Cincinnati became the seventh team in the MLS post-shootout era (since 2000) to reach double-digit road wins in a season and the first club to do so in consecutive seasons.
FC Cincinnati became just the second club in MLS History (D.C. United – 1997-99) to win 18 or more games in three consecutive seasons, and the 56 wins in the last three seasons extends the record for most wins in a three-year span by any MLS team in the post-shootout era.
Brazilian striker Brenner scored a brace, netting his second and third goals since returning to FC Cincinnati on loan on August 22. His two goals, alongside Ender Echenique’s, who scored his first goal for the Orange and Blue to open the scoring in the 10th minute, proved enough for Cincinnati to earn three points at defending MLS Cup Champions LA Galaxy, the club’s first-ever match in LA against the Galaxy.
FCC midfielder Evander assisted all three goals for FC Cincinnati as he matched the club record for assists in a game. It marked the fourth time in the club’s MLS history a player distributed three assists in a match.
FC Cincinnati return home to host Orlando City SC on Sunday, September 28 in the first Sunday Night Soccer at TQL Stadium. Kickoff for Noche Latina is set for 7 p.m. ET and tickets are available at FCCincinnati.com/Tickets or by calling 513-977-KICK.
AS IT HAPPENED
CIN: Ender Echenique, GOAL – 10’ (0-1) – High pressure from Samuel Gidi off a Galaxy goal kick forced a turnover. Brenner regained possession for the Orange and Blue as he quickly connected with Evander, who played in a perfect through ball for Ender Echenique to finish home his first goal for the club on a tight angle inside the LA box.
CIN: Brenner, GOAL – 22’ (0-2) – Kévin Denkey held up play for Cincinnati in the attacking half from a pass from Ender Echenique. Denkey found space and played a sublime pass through to Evander running in space, who then found Brenner on a darting run into the box who finished home his second goal in as many matches.
LA: Joseph Paintsil, GOAL – 39’ (1-2) – Joseph Paintsil netted a close-range header on a cross from the right side from Diego Fagúndez.
LA: Isaiah Parente, RED CARD – 51’ (1-2)
CIN: Brenner, GOAL – 88’ (1-3) – Evander combined with Brenner again for a goal, with Evander slipping a pass into his countryman behind the LA defense. Brenner took one touch and fired home a left-footed shot to score his second of the night.
LA: Mauricio Cuevas, GOAL – 90’+1 (2-3) – LA pulled one back late as Mauricio Cuevas scored a curling shot from just inside the box.
GAME NOTES
- With a 10th road win this season, FC Cincinnati became the seventh team in the MLS post-shootout era (since 2000) to reach double-digit road wins in a season and the first club to do so in consecutive seasons.
- FC Cincinnati became just the second club in MLS History (D.C. United – 1997-99) to win 18 or more games in three consecutive seasons, and the 56 wins in the last three seasons extends the record for most wins in a three-year span by any MLS team in the post-shootout era.
- FC Cincinnati are 17-4-5 against Western Conference opponents in MLS play under Head Coach Pat Noonan. FCC finished this season 5-0-1 against the West.
- FCC have won six straight road matches against Western Conference opponents, the longest interconference road win streak in MLS’ post-shootout era. The all-time MLS record is seven (Columbus Crew: April 28, 1999-May 27, 2000).
- FC Cincinnati defeated the Galaxy in the first meeting between the clubs since June 2019 which came in FCC’s inaugural MLS season. The road team won both meetings in the head-to-head series.
- Evander matched the club record with three assists on the evening. It was the fourth time in the club’s MLS history a player distributed three assists (Acosta – 8/6/22 vs PHI; Vazquez – 10/9/22 at DC; Acosta – 6/15/24 at SJ).
- Ender Echenique scored his first goal for FC Cincinnati, becoming the 49th different player in club history to score an MLS Regular Season goal for the club.
- Brenner scored for the second consecutive game and recorded his first goal streak for FC Cincinnati since scoring in three straight from September 10-27, 2022 (vs SJ, at RSL, at SEA).
- Brenner netted his seventh multi-goal game with FC Cincinnati, his first since scoring three on October 9, 2022 at D.C. United.
- Samuel Gidi made his first start for FC Cincinnati Saturday night.
FC CINCINNATI GAME REPORT
FC Cincinnati at LA Galaxy
Date: September 20, 2025
Competition: MLS Regular Season
Venue: Dignity Health Sports Park | Carson, California
Attendance: 18,518
Kickoff: 10:40 p.m. ET/7:40 p.m. PT
Weather: 72 degrees, clear
SCORING SUMMARY: 1-2-FT
LA: 1-1-2
CIN: 2-1-3
LA – Joseph Paintsil (Fagúndez, Miller) 39’, Mauricio Cuevas (Paintsil) 90’+1
CIN – Ender Echenique (Evander) 10’, Brenner (Evander, Denkey) 22’, Brenner (Evander) 88’
LINEUPS
CIN: Evan Louro, Luca Orellano, Lukas Engel, Nick Hagglund (Alvas Powell 60’), Miles Robinson, Ender Echenique (Dominik Marczuk 73’), Samuel Gidi (Yuya Kubo 72’), Pavel Bucha, Evander (Tah Brian Anunga 89’), Brenner, Kévin Denkey (Ayoub Jabbari 72’)
Substitutes not used: Alec Kann, Teenage Hadebe, Kei Kamara, Gerardo Valenzuela
Head Coach: Pat Noonan
LA: Novak Micovic, John Nelson (Julian Aude 62’), Christopher Rindov, Maya Yoshida (C), Miki Yamane (Miguel Berry 77’), Isaiah Parente, Diego Fagúndez (Tucker Lepley 87’), Edwin Cerrillo (Ruben Ramos Jr. 87’), Joseph Paintsil, Harbor Miller (Mauricio Cuevas 62’), Gabriel Pec
Substitutes not used: JT Marcinkowski, Eriq Zavaleta, Nicklaus Sullivan, Zanka
Head Coach: Greg Vanney
STATS SUMMARY: LA/CIN
Shots: 23 / 22
Shots on Goal: 8 / 5
Saves: 7 / 6
Corner Kicks: 9 / 4
Fouls: 7 / 8
Offside: 1 / 1
Possession: 46.9 / 53.1
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
LA – Diego Fagúndez (Yellow Card) 43’
LA – Isaiah Parente (Yellow Card) 45’+4
LA – Isaiah Parente (Second Yellow, Red Card) 51’
CIN – Nick Hagglund (Yellow Card) 59’
OFFICIALS
Referee: Malik Badawi
Ast. Referees: Kyle Atkins, Eduardo Jeff
Fourth Official: Calin Radosav
VAR: David Barrie
AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert
