The scoreline? Familiar. The scoreline against this opponent? Almost never. The final tally in Game 1 of the best-of-3 first round playoff series Monday evening was FC Cincinnati 1, Columbus 0. The league’s top team at grinding out one-goal victories for years produced its second such result ever vs. the Crew and the first since its 1-0 U.S. Open Cup win in 2017 that kicked off the Hell Is Real rivalry.
Cincinnati was the superior side all evening, equal parts frustrating (for the latest episode in what’s been a season-long ineptitude in and around the penalty area) and damn impressive (an all-around mature and tactically astute showing). For the majority of the match, the hosts physically and metaphorically leaned on their rivals, out-possessing the league’s most possession-heavy side. FCC slayed the black-and-gold for the first time here since May 2023. Game 2 is Sunday night in Columbus, and if necessary Game 3 would be back at TQL Stadium on November 8.
Though Kevin Denkey (goal) and Evander (would-be hockey assist) played essential roles in the 78th-minute goal, Cincinnati’s two Designated Players were arguably its worst starters Monday night. Evander, newly minted as a league MVP finalist for the second successive season, was too sloppy in possession and notched zero expected goals or expected assisted goals for the first time in 2025. And Denkey was the chief reason the match was scoreless; he either couldn’t or wouldn’t pass to open teammates, and his hesitation on a goalmouth run wasted a prime tap-in opportunity. Instead, the Orange and Blue’s secondary players showed out.
We saw impressive performances from Roman Celentano (three saves, including a point-blank stop early in the second half); Pavel Bucha and Samuel Gidi (who ran themselves ragged in midfield); Yuya Kubo and Ender Echenique (who ran themselves ragged on the flanks); and Brenner, whose link-up play is a now-essential part of FCC’s offense.
And I forget can’t Alvas Powell, who seemingly never fails to deliver moments of delight and terror. On Monday, the veteran wingback/defender was outstanding once he was subbed on, dialing up recovery runs on defense, lengthy dribbles to slice open the Crew, and hustling to redirect Echenique’s cross back to Denkey for the goal.
I was curious about how Noonan would line up his squad given a handful of injury complications. Matt Miazga was ruled out last week, with Lukas Engel and Luca Orellano considered game-time decisions. In the end, Engel didn’t make the matchday squad, and Orellano was an unused substitute. In the regular season finale, Obinna Nwobodo played for the first time since June and lasted 45 minutes.
Given the absences, Noonan could slot Teenage Hadebe and Nick Hagglund next to Miles Robinson along the back line and play Dominik Marczuk and Powell at wingback for the second straight match. He could also move Powell to center back and mix in Kubo and/or Echenique at wingback. And Noonan could opt for Nwobodo once more, though the midfielder would have been unable to play the entire match.
The skipper selected a blend. Hadebe and Hagglund did start at center back, but it was Echenique and Kubo starting at wingback, with the latter logging his most minutes since March. And Gidi not only started for Nwobodo but played the entire match in midfield. When Nwobodo was subbed on in the 82nd minute, it was Bucha, not Gidi, who shifted over to wingback.
FC Cincinnati remaking its rotation in August has become a yearly exercise, but the club has never been this deep. Noonan will be presented with even more options if Engel and Orellano are available off the bench for Game 2.
Given the Monday evening/school night gametime, I was also curious about the atmosphere and whether the Garys would play with a bit of a “little brother” burden given the rivalry’s results (8 Columbus wins, 4 FCC wins, 6 draws) up to that point. Nothing to worry about on either front—the hosts rose to the occasion, and TQL Stadium was bumping.
The series now turns to the capital city. After dropping four of its first five tilts at Historic Crew Stadium or Lower.com Field, Cincinnati is unblemished in its past two matches in Columbus. I’ll be fascinated to see what adjustments Crew manager Wilfried Nancy makes and if Noonan will run back the same lineup in Game 2.
Grant Freking writes FC Cincinnati coverage for Cincinnati Magazine. You can follow him on X at @GrantFreking.
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