RECAP | Nashville SC 4, FC Cincinnati 0

FC Cincinnati fell to Nashville SC, 4-0, Saturday night in the Music City at GEODIS Park. The Orange and Blue finish the night sixth in the Eastern Conference Standings (8-7-7, 31 points) while Nashville (16-2-4, 52 points) remain atop the Supporters’ Shield standings.

Forward Sam Surridge scored the opening goal of the night for the host’s in 42nd minute of play, a one goal lead that Nashville would take into the break.

Gerardo Valenzuela struck the outside of the right post five minutes into the second half, which would have seen the match level, but it was Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar who doubled the lead for the Boys in Gold in the 54th.

The Orange and Blue pressed to get back into the match with a number of good looks on goal, starting with Kévin Denkey’s attempt in the 58th minute. Goalkeeper Brian Schwake did enough to send Denkey’s close range effort off the post before the Nashville defense scrambled to clear the danger off the goal line.

Evander and Ayoub Jabbari connected in the 71st minute for another chance, but it was Schwake again who stopped the initial shot from Jabbari. Evander was first to the second chance ball, but Nashville’s Maxwell Woledzi rushed across the face of goal to block Evander’s look on an open net.

Nashville would go on to score two additional second half goals by way of Bryan Acosta in the 90th minute and Ahmed Qasem in the sixth minute of second half stoppage. 

FC Cincinnati return to TQL Stadium on Saturday, September 5 when the Orange and Blue host D.C. United at 7:30 p.m. ET. Tickets are available at FCCincinnati.com/Tickets or by calling 513-977-KICK.
 
FC CINCINNATI GAME REPORT
FC Cincinnati at Nashville SC
Date: August 29, 2026
Competition: MLS Regular Season
Venue: GEODIS Park | Nashville, Tennessee
Attendance: 26,730
Kickoff: 8:40 p.m. ET
Weather: 84 degrees, clear

SCORING SUMMARY: 1-2-FT 
NSH: 1-3-4
CIN: 0-0-0

NSH – Sam Surridge (Espinoza, Nájar) 43’, Hany Mukhtar (Saad, Surridge) 54’, Bryan Acosta (Mukhtar) 90’, Ahmed Qasem (Baker-Whiting, Mohammed) 90+6’
CIN – None

LINEUPS 
NSH: Brian Schwake, Reed Baker-Whiting, Maxwell Woledzi, Jeisson Palacios, Andy Nájar (Daniel Lovitz 87’) Patrick Yazbek (Matthew Corcoran 62’), Elias Saad (Alex Muyl 90+4’), Edvard Tagseth (Bryan Acosta 87’), Hany Mukhtar (C) (Ahmed Qasem 90+4), Sam Surridge, Cristian Espinoza (Shakur Mohammed 87’)

Substitutes not used: Joe Willis, Jack Maher, Josh Bauer
     
Head Coach: BJ Callaghan
 
CIN: Roman Celentano, Ender Echenique (Alvas Powell 87’), Miles Robinson, Matt Miazga, Samuel Gidi (Kyle Smith 66’), Pavel Bucha, Obinna Nwobodo (Bryan Ramirez 46’), Gerardo Valenzuela (Tom Barlow 73’), Evander (C) (Tah Brian Anunga 90+1’), Kévin Denkey, Kenji Mboma Dem (Ayoub Jabbari 46’)

Substitutes not used: Nick Hagglund, Evan Louro, Teenage Hadebe 

Head Coach: Pat Noonan

STATS SUMMARY: NSH/CIN
Shots: 19 / 14
Shots on Goal: 7 / 8
Saves: 6 / 3
Corner Kicks: 6 / 4
Fouls: 15 / 9
Offside: 4 / 0
Possession: 50.4 / 49.6
 
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
CIN: Obinna Nwobodo (Yellow Card) 44’
NSH: Andy Nájar (Yellow Card) 48’
NSH: Jeisson Palacios (Yellow Card) 70’
NSH: Edvard Tagseth (Yellow Card) 79’
CIN: Bryan Ramirez (Yellow Card) 89’

OFFICIALS 
Referee: Armando Villarreal
Ast. Referees: Kathryn Nesbitt, Diego Blas
Fourth Official: Rubiel Vazquez
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
AVAR: Jonathan Johnson