FC Cincinnati Win the Hell is Real Derby Best-of-Three Opener.

By Kenta Hagiwara

FC Cincinnati won their first of a potential three matches against in-state rivals Columbus Crew at home, a 78th minute goal the difference in a 1-0 win for the Orange and Blue. 

Both Pat Noonan and Wilfried Nancy played a similar 3-back system, both sides having attacking minded wingbacks that pressed high up the pitch in possession, and defended in a defensive minded 5-back shape when out of possession.

A few differences in their system - Nancy’s Crew often saw USMNT’s Max Arfsten invert to help support the midfield in possession, with Lassi Lappalainen playing almost as a LW, while Andres Herrera has the more traditional wingback responsibilities of pushing forward aggressively down the right channel as the RWB in possession. FC Cincinnati often defended this by having Nick Hagglund play a bit wider as the RCB to mark Lappalainen, while LWB Yuya Kubo was tasked with getting back defensively to support against Herrera on the other side of the pitch.

FC Cincinnati’s centerback and captain Miles Robinson spoke highly about the team’s defensive performance:

“I thought overall we had a great game. I liked how our line was pretty high, we drew them offsides quite a bit, which is great for us. Columbus likes to have the ball, so when we can draw them off and regain possession, it’s great for us.”

“It’s something we’ve definitely been working on,” added Robinson about the high line. “It’s about staying together, recognizing what we need to do, who we need to cover, what spaces, what areas… continuing to play as a unit.”

In short, the key for the backline - communication.

That high line paid off in dividends, as it led to FC Cincinnati’s first clean sheet against Columbus since September 2024 - back when Cucho Hernandez and Christian Ramirez spearheaded the Crew frontline alongside Diego Rossi. 

“Columbus has a lot of moving parts and pretty free flowing play, so it’s asking a lot of our guys to defend up the field and follow guys at certain times or get a switch going,” said GK Roman Celentano following the match. “For me, I want to stay as connected as I can with the backline. Since we’re playing so high, if balls go through, I have to be there.”

Robinson’s pace is something to add, as his ability to cover ground and make key recoveries defensively certainly helped solidify Cincinnati’s backline today. “It really just makes it easier when you have guys like Miles or Teenage that can make up and cover ground,” Celentano added about his centerbacks.

Of course, the match was ultimately decided by the lone goal, scored by Togo international Kevin Denkey scoring inside the six yard box, a goal set up by the two wingbacks combining: Ender Echenique to Alvas Powell to Kevin Denkey.

Powell in particular is worth highlighting, a sub in the 70th minute for Yuya Kubo at left wingback. Both Kubo and Powell are not left wingbacks: Kubo came to Cincinnati as a forward/winger and transitioned to the swiss army knife of the team that could play as a holding midfielder on top of playing as a 10, a 9, and pretty much every outfield position. Powell, on the other hand, is a rightback by trade, splitting his time between playing as an outside CB in the back three of Cincinnati, as well as the right wingback… but the left side isn’t a common occurrence for the Jamaican international.

“I tried to score but I didn’t,” Powell said about what would end up becoming the winning goal. “Kevin [Denkey] got the job done so that was good.”

Lineups:

FC Cincinnati (3-4-1-2): 18 Celentano; 4 Hagglund (3 Flores 90’+1), 12 Robinson (C), 16 Hadebe; 66 Echenique (5 Nwobodo 82’), 20 Bucha, 11 Gidi, 7 Kubo (2 Powell 70’); 10 Evander; 8 Brenner (85 Kamara 90’+1), 9 Denkey (27 Anunga 90’+1)

Columbus Crew SC (5-3-2): 28 Schulte; 2 Herrera (11 Aliyu 89’), 31 Moreira, 25 Zawadzki, 18 Amundsen (21 Cheberko 89’), 27 Arfsten; 7 Chambost (16 Habroune 75’), 6 Nagbe (C), 26 Lappalainen (8 Gazdag 61’); 10 Rossi (19 Russell-Rowe 75’), 30 Picard 

Game Stats (CIN/CLB):

Possession (%): 50/50

xG: 1.26/0.63

Shots: 13/6

Shots on Target: 6/3

Corner Kicks: 4/2

Offsides: 3/5

Scoring Summary:

78’ Goal, Cincinnati. Kevin Denkey.

Disciplinary Summary:

19’ Yellow Card: Max Arfsten (Columbus)29’ Yellow Card: Evander (Cincinnati)

55’ Yellow Card: Yuya Kubo (Cincinnati)

90’+3’ Yellow Card: Pavel Bucha (Cincinnati)

Alec Kann Retirement:

“I’d like to say that I’ve been a good teammate,” Alec Kann said to the media before FC Cincinnati’s first playoff match of the 2025 postseason. “I’ve tried to uphold that standard whenever I’ve played. I might have fallen short a couple of times here and there, but, we’re all human. But, I would like to think that that’s what I’ll be remembered for, and I think if we’re gonna beat [the] Columbus Crew and go a long way in the playoffs, we’re gonna have to be a solid team, and people are gonna have to be the best versions of themselves as a teammate.”Kann also noted that his favorite moment with the Orange and Blue was the Leagues Cup match against Sporting Kansas City in 2023. “I don’t know what I was thinking, and I don't know what happened to my body in that moment to get me up to speed to do a knee slide, but somehow it happened. I’ve got some amazing pictures from that night that will be framed on my wall at some point when I own a house.”