FC Cincinnati dropped a 4-2 result at Atlanta United FC in Sunday Night Soccer at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Orange and Blue finish Matchday 15 in second place in the Eastern Conference at 9-4-2 (29 points). Atlanta United improved to 3-7-5 (14 points) with their first win over FCC since 2021.
Atlanta United struck twice in five minutes in the 15th and 20th minutes, going into halftime up 2-0. FC Cincinnati wasted no time pulling one back, with former Atlanta defender Miles Robinson scoring his first goal for FC Cincinnati since March 2024.
Robinson’s goal was the first of a four-goal second half, with Atlanta extending their lead in the 66th minute before Gerardo Valenzuela scored his third goal of the season in the 70th. The hosts would score their fourth and final goal in second-half stoppage time as the Orange and Blue pushed for a winner, giving the match its final 4-2 scoreline.
AS IT HAPPENED
ATL: Derrick Williams, GOAL – 15’ (1-0) – Off a free kick, Alexey Miranchuk sent in a curling left-footed free kick into a dangerous area which Derrick Williams headed in.
ATL: Jay Fortune, GOAL – 20’ (2-0) – Down the right side, Saba Lobjanidze found space and worked into the Cincinnati box, firing a low cross which found Jay Fortune through traffic for a stab in.
CIN: Miles Robinson, GOAL – 48’ (2-1) – Cincinnati’s opening goal came off a corner kick, as Evander sent the cross into the box which Miles Robinson found space and headed home his first goal in over a year – past the diving Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan.
ATL: Bartosz Slisz, GOAL – 66’ (3-1) – Atlanta extended their lead from a corner kick of their own, with Derrick Williams finding the end of the cross and heading the ball back across the face of goal, pinballing around in the box before Bartosz Slisz tapped in.
CIN: Gerardo Valenzuela, GOAL – 70’ (3-2) – Evander at the top of the box distributed the ball wide to Lukas Engel, who played an inch-perfect pass in towards a sliding Gerardo Valenzuela to finish off his third goal of the season.
ATL: Jamal Thiaré, GOAL – 90’+4 (4-2) – Atlanta scored late as Jamal Thiaré got in behind the Cincinnati defense and tucked home a sealing goal.
FC Cincinnati are back in action for two matches at home this week, starting Wednesday, May 28 against FC Dallas. The Orange and Blue stay at home Saturday to host D.C. United. Both matches kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET from TQL Stadium and tickets remain available at FCCincinnati.com/Tickets or by calling 513-977-KICK.
GAME NOTES
- FC Cincinnati set an MLS club record with 27 shots. The club’s nine shots on goal marked a season high.
- Evander matched the club's MLS record with eight shots (Luciano Acosta – June 15, 2024 at San Jose Earthquakes).
- Evander recorded his first two-assist game for FC Cincinnati.
- Miles Robinson scored his fifth career goal, his second with FC Cincinnati (March 2, 2024 at Chicago Fire FC).
- Robinson’s headed goal off a set piece marked Cincinnati’s first MLS headed goal off a corner since Yamil Asad’s goal on June 22, 2024 vs New England Revolution.
- Robinson made his 50th appearance and start for FC Cincinnati on Sunday.
- Gerardo Valenzuela scored his third goal of the season on the two-year anniversary of his signing to a Homegrown Player contract.
- Valenzuela’s six shots and four shots on target surpassed his previous career highs of four shots and two shots on goal (both April 12, 2025 at D.C. United).
FC CINCINNATI GAME REPORT
FC Cincinnati at Atlanta United FC
Date: May 25, 2025
Competition: MLS Regular Season
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance: 40,919
Kickoff: 7:10 p.m. ET
Weather: Closed Roof
SCORING SUMMARY: 1-2-FT
ATL: 2-2-4
CIN: 0-2-2
ATL – Derrick Williams (Miranchuk) 15’, Jay Fortune (Lobjanidze) 20’, Bartosz Slisz 66’, Jamal Thiaré (Klich) 90’+4
CIN – Miles Robinson (Evander) 48’, Gerardo Valenzuela (Engel, Evander) 70’
CIN: Roman Celentano, Lukas Engel (Sergio Santos 83’), Miles Robinson, Matt Miazga (C) (DeAndre Yedlin 83’), Nick Hagglund (Teenage Hadebe 14’), Luca Orellano, Obinna Nwobodo (Kei Kamara 70’), Pavel Bucha, Evander, Gerardo Valenzuela, Kévin Denkey
Substitutes not used: Evan Louro, Alvas Powell, Corey Baird, Tah Brian Anunga, Gilberto Flores
Head Coach: Pat Noonan
ATL: Brad Guzan (C), Pedro Amador (Ronald Hernández 60’), Derrick Williams, Luis Abram, Matthew Edwards, Bartosz Slisz, Jay Fortune (Noah Cobb 90’+1), Saba Lobjanidze (Will Reilly 90’+1), Alexey Miranchuk, Miguel Almirón (Mateusz Klich 80’), Emmanuel Latte Lath (Jamal Thiaré 80’)
Substitutes not used: Josh Cohen, Edwin Mosquera, Efraín Morales, Luke Brennan
Head Coach: Ronny Deila
STATS SUMMARY: ATL/CIN
Shots: 12 / 27
Shots on Goal: 6 / 9
Saves: 7 / 2
Corner Kicks: 2 / 11
Fouls: 8 / 11
Offside: 2 / 1
Possession: 40.8 / 59.2
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
CIN – Miles Robinson (Yellow Card) 15’
CIN – Obinna Nwobodo (Yellow Card) 38’
CIN – DeAndre Yedlin (Yellow Card) 90’
OFFICIALS
Referee: Guido Gonzales, Jr.
Ast. Referees: Jason White, Tyler Wyrostek
Fourth Official: Pierre-Luc Lauziere
VAR: Greg Dopka
AVAR: Fabio Tovar
