FC Cincinnati 2 and Atlanta United 2 square off in an afternoon fixture at Scudamore Field at NKU Soccer Stadium on Sunday, April 27 at 2 p.m. ET. The Orange and Blue will play their second consecutive home match before heading on a three-match road trip spanning the course of May.
Tickets for the match are available through the FC Cincinnati App and on seatgeek.com. The match will also stream live on MLSNEXTPro.com.
FC CINCINNATI 2 vs ATLANTA UNITED 2 – SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2025 – 2 P.M. ET – SCUDAMORE FIELD AT NKU SOCCER STADIUM
Keep up with all things FC Cincinnati 2 @FCCincinnati 2 on X, Instagram and Facebook.
FC CINCINNATI 2 NOTES
FIRST OF 2025 – FC Cincinnati 2 earned their first win of the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season Sunday night against New York Red Bulls II in a 3-1 result at Scudamore Field. The Orange and Blue picked up their first three points in their fifth match of the season. In 2024, when FCC 2 won 16 games – tied for the second most wins in MLSNP and the most in the Eastern Conference – it took the Orange and Blue four matches to register their first win.
HEATING UP OFFENSIVELY – The Orange and Blue’s three-goal performance against New York marked an early season, single-match high, as three players tallied multiple goal contributions. Stefan Chirila, Kenji Mboma Dem and Brian Schaefer led Cincinnati in the win with each scoring and assisting on the night. Schaefer’s third career goal for FCC 2 in the 17th minute goal proved the match winner, while Mboma Dem has now scored in back-to-back matches against New York competition and is on a three-match run of at least one goal contribution.
A WEEKLY HONOR – And for Stefan Chirila, his first goal and assist of the season earned the forward a spot in the weekly league honors. Chirila was named Player of the Matchweek for Matchweek 6 after opening the scoring for the Orange and Blue in the 14th minute and delivering a pinpoint longball to spring Mboma Dem in the 57th. Chirila registered three shots (two on target), three key passes and drew five fouls – all team highs – against Red Bulls II.
A STRONG START TO MATCHES – The Orange and Blue have started matches out on the right foot this season. Of the team’s six goals this season, five have been scored in in the opening 20 minutes. Andrei Chirila has claim to the fastest goal this season for the Orange and Blue, heading home his first career goal for FCC 2 in the fourth minute against Chicago Fire FC II on March 30. FCC 2 have only conceded once in the first 20, with Chicago scoring in the 10th minute.
SEE YOU IN JUNE – Sunday’s match at Scudamore Field will be the last home game for the Orange and Blue until June 3, when Philadelphia Union II make the trip. FCC 2 play Chicago Fire FC II, Columbus Crew 2 and Crown Legacy FC, all on the road, in their three-match May slate of games. That marks the longest consecutive road stretch of the season for FCC 2.
SCOUTING ATLANTA UNITED 2 (1-2-3, 7 PTS., 11TH IN EASTERN CONFERENCE)
Atlanta enters the weekend slate of MLS NEXT Pro action after playing to a 2-2 draw, and shootout win, against Carolina Core FC midweek. Atlanta currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference and have won just one match through six games. Atlanta visit Cincinnati for their third road match of the year and have earned just one point away from Fifth Third Bank Stadium this campaign.
Former FCC 2 defender Moises Tablante will make his return to Scudamore Field for the first time after spending the 2024 season with FC Cincinnati 2. Tablante leads Atlanta with three goals in six matches including a brace against Inter Miami CF II at the beginning of April. Tablante has scored all three goals over his last three matches.
Ryan Carmichael supports the attack with two assists on the year. Carmichael ranks third on the team in shots (11) and shots on target (6) and is one of two Atlanta players to have started all six games this year. First team forward Cayman Togashi is an option for Head Coach Steve Cooke and has appeared in three of the last four for the second team.
Defending was a weakness for a 2024 Atlanta team that conceded 64 goals over 28 matches, the second most in MLSNP, and looks to be a potential issue once again in 2025. Through their opening six matches, Atlanta have allowed 14 goals, a goal against average of 2.3 per match, and conceded five in a single match against Philadelphia on April 10.
Jayden Hibbert is the preferred goalkeeper for Atlanta as the former MLS SuperDraft pick has played in five of six matches so far this season. Hibbert’s 23 saves ranks second in MLSNP.
