Major League Soccer Gameweek 1
FC Cincinnati 2 - 0 FT Atlanta United FC
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Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
13' ↓ Evander ↑G. Valenzuela
26' Bryan Ramirez
HT
Tomás Jacob 51'
Steven Alzate 61'
71' ↓ A. Jabbari ↑T. Barlow
71' ↓ T. Hadebe ↑G. Flores
↓ S. Lobjanidze ↑A. Miranchuk 73'
↓ C. Sanchez ↑T. Muyumba 73'
80' K. Denkey
↓ S. Alzate ↑L. Brennan 84'
89' ↓ FC Cincinnati ↑O. Nwobodo
89' ↓ E. Echenique ↑A. Powell
90' N. Hagglund (B. J. Ramirez Leon)
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
FC Cincinnati
Goalkeepers
Roman Celentano 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
98
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Nick Hagglund 
CLUTCH HERO
90
Goal Time
90
Goal Time
Goal
Impact
8.7
Rating
Miles Robinson 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Teenage Hadebe
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
71
Total Mins
71
Entry
Midfielders
Ender Echenique 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
1
Key Passes
7.6
Rating
Pavel Bucha
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
98
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Evander
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
13
Entry
Samuel Gidi 
PROVOCATEUR
4
Fouls Won
4
Fouls Won
7
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Bryan Ramírez 
DRIBBLER
5
Dribbles
5
Dribbles
5
Attempts
100%
Success %
Forwards
Ayoub Jabbari
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
6
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Kévin Denkey 
CLOSER
1
Late Goals
1
Late Goals
0
Late Assists
75
Minute
BENCH
Evan Louro 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Alvas Powell
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
9
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kyle Smith
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Gilberto Flores
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
27
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Obinna Nwobodo
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
9
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Brian Anunga
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Gerardo Valenzuela 
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
18%
Pass Acc
Tom Barlow
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
27
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kenji Mboma Dem
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Atlanta United FC
Goalkeepers
Lucas Hoyos
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
98
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Ronald Hernández
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
28%
Pass Acc
Enea Mihaj 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
46%
Duel Win %
Juan Berrocal
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
98
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Elías Báez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
98
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Cooper Sanchez
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
73
Total Mins
73
Entry
Tomás Jacob 
ENFORCER
4
Tackles
4
Tackles
10
Duels Won
83%
Win %
Steven Alzate
DRIBBLER
4
Dribbles
4
Dribbles
4
Attempts
100%
Success %
Saba Lobzhanidze
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Forwards
Miguel Almirón 
MAGNET
55
Activity
55
Activity
44
Passes
11
Duels
Emmanuel Latte Lath
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
98
Total Mins
Started
Entry
BENCH
Jayden Hibbert
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Stian Gregersen
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Matthew Edwards
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
T. B. Majub
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Luke Brennan
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
14
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tristan Muyumba
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
25
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Aleksey Miranchuk
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
25
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Adrian Gill
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Cayman Togashi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/25/2025 | Atlanta United FC | 4 - 2 | FC Cincinnati | Major League Soccer | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
| 03/22/2025 | FC Cincinnati | 2 - 2 | Atlanta United FC | Major League Soccer | TQL Stadium |
| 02/12/2025 | Atlanta United FC | 2 - 2 | FC Cincinnati | Friendlies Clubs | IMG Academy |
| 05/15/2024 | FC Cincinnati | 1 - 0 | Atlanta United FC | Major League Soccer | TQL Stadium |
| 04/20/2024 | Atlanta United FC | 1 - 2 | FC Cincinnati | Major League Soccer | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
| 10/22/2023 | FC Cincinnati | 2 - 2 | Atlanta United FC | Major League Soccer | TQL Stadium |
| 08/30/2023 | Atlanta United FC | 1 - 2 | FC Cincinnati | Major League Soccer | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
| 08/13/2022 | FC Cincinnati | 2 - 2 | Atlanta United FC | Major League Soccer | TQL Stadium |
| 04/16/2022 | Atlanta United FC | 0 - 0 | FC Cincinnati | Major League Soccer | Mercedes-Benz Stadium |
05/25/2025
03/22/2025
02/12/2025
05/15/2024
04/20/2024
10/22/2023
08/30/2023
08/13/2022
04/16/2022
FC Cincinnati Win
Atlanta United FC Win
Draw
League Standings
| Pos | Team | P | Pts | GF | GA | GD | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nashville SC | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | +3 | WNashville SC 4 - 1 New England Revolution (22-02-2026) |
| 2 | FC Cincinnati | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | +2 | WFC Cincinnati 2 - 0 Atlanta United FC (21-02-2026) |
| 3 | New York Red Bulls | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | +1 | WOrlando City SC 1 - 2 New York Red Bulls (22-02-2026) |
| 4 | DC United | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | +1 | WDC United 1 - 0 Philadelphia Union (22-02-2026) |
| 5 | Orlando City SC | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -1 | LOrlando City SC 1 - 2 New York Red Bulls (22-02-2026) |
| 6 | Philadelphia Union | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | LDC United 1 - 0 Philadelphia Union (22-02-2026) |
| 7 | Atlanta United FC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | LFC Cincinnati 2 - 0 Atlanta United FC (21-02-2026) |
| 8 | New England Revolution | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | -3 | LNashville SC 4 - 1 New England Revolution (22-02-2026) |
League Standings
P: 25 GD: +29
P: 25 GD: +15
P: 25 GD: +10
P: 25 GD: +9
P: 24 GD: +10
P: 25 GD: -12
P: 25 GD: +7
P: 25 GD: +6
P: 24 GD: -7
P: 25 GD: -15
P: 24 GD: -7
P: 25 GD: -8
P: 25 GD: -7
P: 25 GD: -14
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
FC Cincinnati
Atlanta United FC
FC Cincinnati
Atlanta United FC
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Late Fireworks Put Cincinnati in the Driver's Seat
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 31/100. A patient, bruising first leg at TQL Stadium finally cracked open in the dying minutes, giving the hosts a massive advantage to protect down South.
A Chess Match in the Queen City
The Intensity of the first half set the tone for a gritty, uncompromising playoff battle. Both teams felt each other out with heavy challenges early on. FC Cincinnati edged possession, methodically prodding an organized Atlanta United FC defense. The midfield turned into an absolute battlefield. The visitors clogged the middle of the field, perfectly happy to disrupt the rhythm with cynical, tactical fouls. At the back, Teenage Hadebe anchored the defensive line flawlessly for the hosts, ensuring Atlanta's rare counter-attacks amounted to nothing more than harmless, hopeful long balls. The Balance of play leaned toward the home side, but clear chances remained completely elusive. It was a tense, scoreless deadlock that asked who would blink first under the massive Stakes of knockout soccer.
Denkey Breaks the Dam
The second half desperately demanded a hero. Atlanta dug their cleats into the turf, parking the bus and hoping to escape Ohio with a hard-fought clean sheet. Their suffocating low block frustrated the home crowd, generating a nervous energy around the stadium. Then, the 80th minute flipped the entire script. K. Denkey found a fleeting sliver of daylight inside the penalty area and buried the crucial go-ahead goal. That single, clinical strike shattered the visitors' stubborn defensive resolve. The pressure had been mounting for an hour, and the dam finally broke. Atlanta was instantly forced to abandon their conservative shell and open up the game. That sudden shift in mentality proved entirely fatal, as the Upset Factor vanished into the night sky.
Hagglund's Stoppage-Time Dagger
Just when a narrow one-goal deficit looked somewhat manageable for the visitors, the roof completely caved in. Cincinnati smelled blood in the water and ruthlessly exploited the newly vacated spaces on the field. In the 90th minute, Bryan Ramirez delivered a pinpoint ball that picked out Nick Hagglund. The veteran defender powered it home with absolute authority, doubling the lead and completely altering the complexion of this two-leg tie. This commanding 2-0 victory at TQL Stadium puts Cincinnati firmly in the driver's seat. Atlanta now faces a monumental mountain to climb in the return leg on October 10th. They leave town completely empty-handed and with battered morale, needing nothing short of a miracle in the second leg.
Key Questions
What made Nick Hagglund the Man of the Match?
He anchored the defense for a crucial clean sheet and delivered the crushing 90th-minute dagger, giving Cincinnati massive breathing room for the second leg.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Archive note: this preview was written after the match was played.
Early Season Blues at TQL Stadium
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 27/100. A sluggish start to the campaign leaves both sides searching for rhythm, making this a tough watch for the neutral.
The Setup
Gameweek 5 brings Atlanta United FC to TQL Stadium to face FC Cincinnati. The hosts sit ninth with six points, barely edging out tenth-placed Atlanta in the Eastern Conference standings. The Stakes are understandably low this early in the year, as neither team has truly found their stride. A tight Balance rating suggests there is little to separate the sides on paper, but Cincinnati's erratic Form is slightly better than Atlanta's current winless slump. Notably, this encounter acts as the first leg of a two-leg tie, with the crucial return fixture slated for October 10 in Atlanta. A modest Stars rating reflects the lack of early-season fireworks, even with established talents like Evander and M. Almirón on the pitch.
Key Battle
With both teams leaking goals and struggling for consistency, the real fight is in the midfield engine room. The home side's playmakers, including P. Bucha, must find a way to break through a fragile visiting defensive block. Expect a disjointed scrap for control rather than a tactical masterclass.
Our Prediction
FC Cincinnati should edge this one 2-1. They hold the home advantage and possess superior firepower with K. Denkey leading the line. Atlanta's shaky backline will likely crack under sustained pressure.