FC Cincinnati eliminates Columbus from the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Area Sports Network HQ
17 minutes ago
2 min read

By Kenta Hagiwara

NOVEMBER 8, 2025 (CINCINNATI, OH) - Brenner returns.

FC Cincinnati’s former “Young Designated Player” Brenner made his return to the club earlier this summer, on a loan through the end of the season from Serie A side Udinese. The Brazilian forward finally scored his first (and second) goal against both the Columbus Crew and in the MLS Cup Playoffs on Saturday, leading FC Cincinnati on a come-from-behind victory against their in-state rivals.

“I think he [Brenner] gained an appreciation for what this club offers when he went away,” Nick Hagglund said after Saturday’s win. “I think you see that in the way that he plays, the way he trains, the way he shows up every day. I think there’s an appreciation to being a part of this club.”

Brenner’s sour breakup with FC Cincinnati was one that made the Brazilian's return to the club all the more unlikely. Now back, Brenner and Noonan had a conversation between the first and second goals. The relationship, restored: and it leads to victory.

“I told him [Noonan] that I just scored the first goal and that I was going to score the second goal,” Brenner commented about the interaction mid-match.

“He held up his end of the bargain,” Noonan commented.

And after the one sided loss to Columbus just last weekend, a dreadful 4-0 loss in the state’s capital, the turnaround the club showed to win the win-or-go-home game three on Saturday was commendable.

“Most FC Cincinnati teams under Pat Noonan, you see that after a loss, we don’t usually lose again. There’s a good response,” mentioned Hagglund when asked about the response following the 4-0 loss. “I think we all knew that there was going to be a good response tonight.”

Lineups:

FC Cincinnati (3-4-1-2): 18 Celentano; 4 Hagglund, 12 Robinson (C), 16 Hadebe; 66 Echenique (2 powell 88’), 20 Bucha, 11 Gidi, 29 Engel (23 Orellano 63’); 10 Evander; 8 Brenner (5 Nwobodo 88’), 9 Denkey (26 Jabbari 76’).

Columbus Crew SC (3-4-3): 28 Schulte; 31 Moreira, 25 Zawadzki, 18 Amundsen (21 Cheberko 90’); 2 Herrera (26 Lappalainen 84’), 7 Chambost (8 Gazdag 90’), 6 Nagbe (C), 27 Arfsten (11 Aliyu 90’); 30 Picard, 10 Rossi, 16 Habroune (19 Russell-Rowe 39’).

Game Stats (CIN/CLB):

Possession (%): 37/63

xG: 1.213/1.33

Shots: 16/16

Shots on Target: 5/5

Corner Kicks: 7/6

Offsides: 0/2

Scoring Summary:

63’ Goal, Columbus. Jacen Russell-Rowe.

67’ Goal, Cincinnati. Brenner.

86’ Goal, Cincinnati. Brenner.

Disciplinary Summary: