On Monday in Cincinnati, the weather within city limits alternated between the sprawling sunshine summer country music songs are made of and gusty snow showers that make Cincinnati residents wish they owned timeshares in Jamaica. Seven matches into 2026, FC Cincinnati has been prone to similarly wild swings of form.
Here are the splits between three Concacaf Champions Cup (CCC) and four MLS matches:
CCC: 9 out of 9 possible points, plus-16 goal differential, 0 goals conceded.
MLS: 3 out of 12 possible points, minus-5 goal differential, 8 goals conceded.
Four days after FC Cincinnati stifled Mexican power Tigres 3-0 for its first-ever CCC round of 16 triumph—in my mind, the franchise’s most impressive non-MLS win in TQL Stadium history—the squad no-showed for the third successive weekend in league play. The 6-1 loss in New England was filled with sloppiness and listlessness … again.
With an eye on Thursday’s second leg at Tigres, Head Coach Pat Noonan opted to go with a rotated starting XI vs. the Revolution, including handing a first MLS start to 17-year-old homegrown defender Andrei Chirila. But sitting five or so starters is no excuse to yield 10 shots on target and defend like department store mannequins in the penalty area.
With Evander still not at full fitness, Noonan started the midfield trio of Pavel Bucha, Samuel Gidi, and Obinna Nwobodo for the first time this season against Tigres. Dado Valenzuela had started the past three games in Evander’s stead, but Noonan elected to reinforce his defense—which up until Sunday, had been the club’s chief asset. Noonan was rewarded with a vintage FC Cincinnati defensive showing—the visitors tallied a single shot on target, and Cincinnati had its fourth clean sheet in six matches. The locals notched 16 interceptions, a reflection of a renewed defensive hunger after totaling 16 combined disruptions in losses to Minnesota and Toronto.
And then against New England the Orange and Blue allowed four headed goals (the most in MLS in 10 years), Valenzuela picked up a second-half red card that silenced any comeback chances, and they were embarrassed by a franchise that has as many sackings of MLS Cup-winning managers (two, Caleb Porter and Bruce Arena) as playoff appearances over the past five seasons. With three points from four games, FC Cincinnati is off to its worst league start since 2021, back when Jaap Stam was patrolling the sidelines.
The prioritization of cup play makes sense. This year is a trophy-or-bust campaign, and even if the CCC is the least likely of the four competitions the Orange and Blue can win in 2026, the club must favor the silverware at stake in front of it. And after jumping out to a massive first-leg advantage, Cincinnati enters Thursday with one foot in the next round. (Yes, famous last words for an area professional sporting franchise, I know.)
The quarterfinal round would bring the winner of Seattle vs. Vancouver, a pair of perennial Western Conference playoff teams, but a far less intimidating foe than Inter Miami or another Mexican league power.
The regression in league play is concerning. Sunday’s result was the club’s worst in the Noonan era since the skipper’s very first game in charge: a 5-0 pasting in Austin on February 26, 2022. The lone positive? The 2026 debut of Matt Miazga.
The center back, who had not featured since September 13, 2025, came on as a substitute in the 61st minute. It’s evident that Cincinnati needs Miazga’s quality and leadership back in the starting XI.
Grant Freking is in his eighth year of FC Cincinnati coverage for Cincinnati Magazine.
Facebook Comments