By Andy González
"Cincy" followed the script laid out in our preview. As has been the case in recent months, the Orange and Blue conceded an early goal and once again failed to keep a clean sheet. But Cincinnati responded with character, rallied from behind, and delivered an impressive performance in front of its home fans.
The hosts got off to an energetic start but were caught off guard inside the opening 10 minutes. Pachuca attacked down the left flank, where Oussama Idrissi beat his defender with a clever double feint before delivering a cross into the box. Adrián Alcaraz met it with a well-placed header that bounced off the post and into the net to give the visitors an early lead.
Cincinnati answered almost immediately. Just 11 minutes after Pachuca's opener, the Orange and Blue quickly restarted play from a throw-in. Gerardo Valenzuela laid the ball off for Evander, who unleashed a stunning long-range strike from outside the penalty area to level the score.
Although Pachuca continued to create chances, Cincinnati gradually seized control of the match. Pavel Bucha initiated the decisive move by switching play to the left, where Bryan Ramírez drove at two defenders before delivering a dangerous cross into the area. Bucha continued his run unchecked and calmly finished from close range to complete the comeback and give Cincinnati a 2-1 lead.
Pachuca came out aggressively after halftime and enjoyed the majority of possession, but the visitors lacked the composure and precision needed to break down Cincinnati's defense in the final third.
The hosts put the match away in the 70th minute with a clinical counterattack. The move began at the feet of the goalkeeper before a long ball released Echenique down the left wing. He outran Sánchez and squared a perfectly weighted pass across the box for Mboma Dem, who calmly slotted home Cincinnati's third goal to seal the victory and extinguish Pachuca's hopes of leaving Ohio with a result.
REACTIONS:
- Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan
- "When you're playing against a very strong team, the result is the most important thing"
PLAYERS OF THE MATCH:
- Cincinnati:
- Evander sparked Cincinnati’s comeback with a marvelous long-range strike. The 28-year-old Brazilian played the full 90 minutes and emerged as one of the team’s biggest leaders on the night, both on the ball and in terms of his presence on the field.
- Pachuca
- Adrian Alcaraz scored his first goal as a member of los Tuzos.
GAME NOTES:
- Four goals were scored by four different players: Adrián Alcaraz, Evander, Pavel Bucha and Mboma Dem
- Cincinnati has now won four consecutive home matches across all competitions.
- Pachuca suffered another loss after taking an early lead. They also went ahead against Querétaro in Liga MX before eventually falling 2-1.
- Adrian Alcaraz was making just his 3rd appearance with Pachuca since joining them for the Apertura 2026.
CARDS/INJURY REPORT:
- Yellow Cards:
- Cincinnati: Anunga, Valenzuela, Evander
- Pachuca: Sánchez, Barreto
LOOKING AHEAD
- Cincinnati next game: Aug. 7 vs. Pumas
- Pachuca next game: Aug. 7 vs. Columbus
