In week 21 of the MLS, FC Cincinnati showcased their skills with a commanding 3-1 win against Inter Miami. The star of the match, Evander, netted two exquisite goals in critical moments of the second half (4’ and 25’), leading Cincinnati to a memorable victory. Gerardo Valenzuela’s brilliant strike in the 16th minute of the first half added to the scoreline, as he deftly placed the ball into the bottom left corner after receiving a precise assist from Luca Orellano.
Evander’s performance distinguished him as the standout player, contributing two goals, completing 49 successful passes, regaining possession of the ball twice, and attempting six shots on goal.
The defensive prowess of Lukas Ahlefeld Engel was also significant for Cincinnati, as he recovered the ball thrice and cleared seven dangerous attempts from Miami.
Cincinnati’s head coach, Pat Noonan, employed a tactical 3-5-2 formation featuring Roman Celentano in goal, with Matt Miazga, Lukas Ahlefeld Engel, and Miles Robinson forming the defense. The midfield was composed of DeAndre Yedlin, Pavel Bucha, Brian Anunga, Evander, and Luca Orellano, while the attacking duo consisted of Kei Kamara and Gerardo Valenzuela.
On the other side, Inter Miami, led by Javier Mascherano, opted for a 4-4-2 formation, starting with Óscar Ustari as the goalkeeper. The defense included Marcelo Weigandt, Maximiliano Falcón, Tomás Avilés, and Jordi Alba, while Tadeo Allende, Benjamin Cremaschi, Sergio Busquets, and Telasco Segovia occupied the midfield. The forward duo was formed by Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez.
The match was officiated by referee Lukasz Szpala at the TQL Stadium.
Next up, FC Cincinnati will visit Real Salt Lake, while Inter Miami is set to host Atlanta United.
Substitutions for FC Cincinnati
61’ 2T – Kei Kamara came off for Teenage Hadebe
76’ 2T – Gerardo Valenzuela replaced by Sergio Santos and Luca Orellano by Corey Baird
84’ 2T – Lukas Ahlefeld Engel substituted for Bradley Smith and DeAndre Yedlin for Alvas Powell
Yellow Card for FC Cincinnati:
35’ 2T – Teenage Hadebe (Unsporting Behavior)
Substitutions for Inter Miami
25’ 1T – Óscar Ustari replaced by Rocco Ríos Novo
71’ 2T – Tadeo Allende substituted for Fabrice Picault and Maximiliano Falcón for Gonzalo Luján
85’ 2T – Marcelo Weigandt off for Yannick Bright