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FC Cincinnati takes shutout loss to archrival Columbus

FC Cincinnati takes shutout loss to archrival Columbus

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FC Cincinnati took another deflating loss to its derby archrival Columbus Crew, falling 2-0 in the Hell is Real game Oct. 18 at TQL Stadium.

Cincinnati is 9-11-9 for 36 points. Columbus is now one point behind with 35 points, and a 10-15-5 overall record.

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It was a loud, boisterous crowd, and The Forge Cincy group made a gigantic tifo poster for the occasion.

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FC Cincinnati images from the 2026 season

Aug 4, 2026; Cincinnati, OH, USA; FC Cincinnati midfielder Pavel Bucha (20) hugs defender Bryan Ramirez (29) after scoring a goal against Pachuca in the first half during the Leagues Cup Phase One match at TQL Stadium.

(Katie Stratman, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

“They were loud the entire time,” said Nick Hagglund. “You know, regardless of the score, they’ve been here. I’ve been through good seasons and bad seasons and they are the heartbeat of this club. And so first off, I’m thankful and proud to represent them. As for the season, you know, it’s been a difficult season for us. This is not usually where we are at in the standings, but we have five games left and we have to keep them with us for the last five and anything can happen.”

Columbus Crew forward Gonzalo Tapia (33) reacts after scoring the first goal of the game in the first half against FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium Sunday, Oct. 18.

Columbus Crew forward Gonzalo Tapia (33) reacts after scoring the first goal of the game in the first half against FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium Sunday, Oct. 18.

FC Cincinnati couldn’t find the back of the net

Cincinnati dominated the offensive stats and played solid on defense but could not find the finishing plays. Columbus had only four shots for the game, two on target, and an expected-goal mark of 0.3. Cincinnati had 24 shots, nine on target, and an XG of 1.9.

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Cincinnati was shut out for the fifth time this season.

“I think the last pass, try to find the extra pass to create a better chance of scoring a goal,” Evander said. “They defended some of the moments pretty well. But we had the chances. We could have done a little better on the final third of the pitch and then scored the goals.”

Both of the Crew’s shots on target found the back of the net. Gonzalo Tapia was left wide open and scored on a header in the first half off a corner kick by Brais Mendez. Taha Habroune made it 2-0 early in the second half on a transition play. He one-timed a shot from the top of the 18 and slid it past two Cincinnati players and keeper Roman Celentano. Tapia and Santiago Rodriguez were given assists on his goal.

Tapia’s early goal came while Cincinnati defender Tyrell Malacia was off the field being checked for a possible concussion, which temporarily left them a man down. Cincinnati had also committed a turnover which led to the corner kick.

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“We lose a little bit of momentum with an injury early on and then when Tyrell is off the field,” Noonan said. “Poor turnover in an area when you’re down a man, you can’t have that happen and it leads to the corner, and then we get exposed on the set piece. Played a good first half where the scoreline’s kind of an outlier. But the score is what matters in these moments.”

Noonan said his team could have been more decisive and quicker with their decision-making on offense, but it was harder with Columbus playing further back with a lead.

“It’s urgency to create, to attack, to run,” he said. “You’re trying to break down numbers behind the ball. And they scored early and so down 2-0, they drop deeper. So it’s not going to be easy to break down those numbers. I think it’s just a recognition of how to attack and really put them under pressure in ways where I think we could have been even more dangerous.”

FC Cincinnati midfielder Evander (10) and Columbus Crew midfielder Sekou Bangoura (17) react after a play in the second half at TQL Stadium Sunday, Oct. 18.

FC Cincinnati midfielder Evander (10) and Columbus Crew midfielder Sekou Bangoura (17) react after a play in the second half at TQL Stadium Sunday, Oct. 18.

MLS standings update and what’s next for FC Cincinnati?

The top nine teams in each conference will qualify for the playoffs.

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Cincinnati remains tied for eighth in the Eastern Conference with 36 points with Red Bull New York and Toronto. The Red Bulls have the tiebreaker with 10 wins to nine for Cincinnati. Cincy has the tiebreaker with Toronto, which has eight wins.

Orlando is in seventh place with 41 points. Columbus has 35 now and is in 11th. New York City is 12th with 34. D.C. United has 33 and Atlanta 30.

Cincinnati has a game in hand over all of those teams except D.C., which they now play twice in the next week. The first one is 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21 at TQL Stadium. That is a makeup game for their original matchup Sept. 5, which was postponed by heavy rain. The teams will meet again three days later in Washington, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 at Audi Field. After the makeup game Wednesday, all the playoff contenders will have 30 matches played.

Fans march to TQL Stadium before the Hell is Real derby against Columbus Crew Oct. 18, 2026

Fans march to TQL Stadium before the Hell is Real derby against Columbus Crew Oct. 18, 2026

“I think tonight we showed some urgency, we showed some attitude, and I think we tried everything we could,” Evander said. “It was a good game for us to regain our confidence and get back our momentum, but it didn’t happen. We still got a chance to qualify for the playoffs and that’s got to be our aim now.”

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Noonan said he knows the fans are disappointed with the result

“We’re just not good enough to get results,” he said. “And that’s the difference right now. So I don’t expect the fans to be happy to accept this. Nobody in the other room does. So we just have to keep pushing and not feel sorry for ourselves and see if we can turn our fortunes around and finish out the season the best way possible. Which has always been the approach, but get results.”

FC Cincinnati defender Nick Hagglund (4) jawws with members of the Columbus Crew after a play in the first half at TQL Stadium Sunday, Oct. 18.

FC Cincinnati defender Nick Hagglund (4) jawws with members of the Columbus Crew after a play in the first half at TQL Stadium Sunday, Oct. 18.

Hagglund ties FC Cincinnati record

Cincinnati native Nick Hagglund tied Yuya Kubo’s club record with his 179th all-time appearance. It wasn’t the way he wanted it, when he had to come in for an injured Julian Malatini early in the first half.

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“I’m proud to play 179 games in front of this city,” Hagglund said. “I love Yuya. So that’s fun to be with him on the board and what he means to this club. But yeah, just incredibly proud to be able to represent the city 179 times.”

Malatini seemed to have leg or groin issue. He will be evaluated Monday.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati takes shutout loss to archrival Columbus



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