What we learned as FC Cincinnati earns hard-fought 1-1 draw at Orlando

In a game between two of Major League’s most ineffective defenses, FC Cincinnati and Orlando City SC showed improved form on that side of the field as they drew 1-1 Aug. 15 at Orlando’s Inter.co Stadium.

Cincinnati now has 27 points, 7-6-6 overall, currently in sixth place in the Eastern Conference pending later results this weekend. Orlando, 6-10-3 for 21 points, was in 10th place.

Orlando entered the game conceding a league-worst 47 goals for the season, and Cincinnati was third with 44. However, both teams have vastly improved on defense since the season restarted in July after the World Cup, and showed that quality Saturday. Orlando had two clean sheets after the restart and Cincinnati one.

Both teams made things happen on offense. Cincinnati keeper Roman Celentano and Orlando’s Maxime Crepeau, Canada’s starter in the World Cup who led them to the Round of 16, made great saves during the night.

Orlando had 16 shots, five on target to 10 and two for Cincinnati. Orlando had 2.1 expected goals to 1.3 for the Orange and Blue.

The teams played in warm and humid conditions with the temperature over 90 degrees. Both teams slowed down in transition at times.

“These guys put everything into that game and you could see at the end, the physical toll it took on both sides,” said FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan. “Orlando is a strong team in good form, and the result seems fair. I’m pleased with the way we went about it and a point against a good team on the road. You have to be OK with that.”

Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson and Samuel Gidi started for Cincinnati. Noonan praised them for winning several one-on-one moments with Orlando attackers.

Pavel Bucha continues his hot streak in the first half

Pavel Bucha scored his fifth goal of the MLS season in the 23rd minute after a fortunate deflection.

Ender Echenique beat the Orlando defense and dribbled to the end line, where he passed back to Evander at the top of the goal box. Evander shot the ball and it deflected hard off the head of Joran Gerbet, who was playing his first game of 2026 following an ACL injury.

As Gerbet held his head on the ground, Bucha collected the rebound outside the box and shot the ball inside the far post. It was his seventh overall goal of the season and fifth in MLS play. The Apple TV announcers noted if the play had lasted any longer, the game might have been stopped to address a potential head injury to Gerbet. He stayed in the game and was subbed out at halftime.

Cincinnati entered the game with the highest-scoring trio in MLS according to a post by the league on social media. Bucha, Evander and Kévin Denkey have now combined for 49 goal contributions in league play entering the game. Bucha has five goals and seven assists, plus two goals in the Leagues Cup. Evander had 11 goals and 11 assists, and Denkey 11 goals and four assists.

Evander’s streak of 11 games with a goal contribution ended against Orlando.

Miami was second entering the game as the second-best trio with 47 goal contributions, counting Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Germán Berterame. Messi made it 48 with an assist in the first half during Miami’s game at Nashville later Aug. 15.

Roman Celentano had a great first half for FC Cincinnati

Cincinnati keeper Roman Celentano, who did not play in the Leagues Cup, had a great first half in his first action since Aug. 1 in a win over San Jose.

Celentano made three great saves in the first half, all on Orlando’s Justin Ellis, including one on a rocket from near the penalty spot as Ellis collected a pass from Griffin Dorsey.

Orlando had seven shots in the first half, those three on target. Cincinnati had five shots, only one on target for Bucha’s goal. Orlando led in expected goals, 1.1 to 0.5.

Cincinnati has a PK negated by VAR

For the second game in a row, Cincinnati had a penalty kick opportunity taken away by video-assisted review.

In the 54th minute, Denkey missed an open shot off the post in transition. Evander got the rebound and fell after a collision with David Brekalo. It was initially called a penalty on Brekalo but it was waved off by VAR as it was ruled that Evander initiated the contact. Replays showed that Evander stepped on Brekalo’s foot first and after the review he was given a yellow card for simulation.

Cincinnati had a PK taken away in stoppage time Aug. 11 against Atlas while trailing 2-1 in an eventual loss in the Leagues Cup.

Ender Echenique was a tough matchup for the Orlando defense

Ender Echenique started at right wingback and was a hard matchup for Orlando all night. He consistently beat Orlando in the final third to set up opportunities.

In the 65th minute, he fired a rocket off the far post. Late in the game, Kenji Mboma Dem came in and replaced him on the right side, and Echenique moved to the left wing and continued to play well.

“Ender was outstanding,” Noonan said. “An open game and space to attack and that’s where he can be a huge asset. The question is can you recover defensively, and he got a lot of those moments right. He still had the legs.”

Kyle Smith returns to Orlando

La Salle graduate Kyle Smith came into the game in the 66th minute, replacing Samuel Gidi in the back after Gidi was shaken up. Smith had played 216 games for Orlando in the previous seven seasons before signing with Cincinnati over the winter.

Smith was greeted with cheers by the Orlando crowd after he was announced. He made a couple of skillful plays to stop Orlando attacks down the stretch.

Tah Brian Anunga replaced Obinna Nwobodo at halftime. Noonan said Nwobodo was feeling sick during the first half and asked to be taken out at halftime. Gidi was dealing with cramping.

What’s next for FC Cincinnati?

Cincinnati has two home games next week in MLS play. The Orange and Blue hosts New York City Aug. 19 and Seattle Sounders Aug. 22. Both games are 7:30 p.m. kickoffs.

NYCFC started the night tied with Cincinnati at 26 points and was set to host Philadelphia Aug. 16.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What we learned as FC Cincinnati earns hard-fought 1-1 draw at Orlando