FC Cincinnati 1 – 2 Columbus Crew

MLS · July 25, 2026 · Final

🎧 Post-Game Report (audio)

Post-Game Recap

Columbus Crew came into TQL Stadium tonight and walked out with a two-to-one victory over FC Cincinnati, and it was a result that felt earned by the time the final whistle blew. Cincinnati had their moments early, Dániel Gazdag was active and dangerous, finishing as the game's leading shot-taker with four attempts, and the hosts were pressing for an opener. But Columbus had answers. Evander matched Gazdag shot for shot, also logging four on the night, and the Crew found a way to flip the script and take the lead. When Cincinnati pushed for the equalizer, they got it, briefly swinging momentum back to the home side, but Columbus responded and that second goal proved to be the dagger. Sean Zawadzki was everywhere defensively for the Crew, racking up thirteen interventions to keep Cincinnati from finding a late winner. Patrick Schulte was solid in goal for Columbus, turning away four shots, and Rudy Camacho was the engine in possession with sixty-seven accurate passes keeping the Crew composed and connected all night. Cincinnati finished with a red card against them, and that late numerical disadvantage made the final stretch even steeper. Columbus controlled this one when it mattered most, and tonight that was the difference. That's your post-game report. Sports Desk, signing off.

AI-generated post-game report composed from the official play-by-play and box score.

Complete Play-by-Play

Show all 100 plays

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.

First Half begins.

Samuel Gidi (FC Cincinnati) wins a free kick on the right wing. 3'

Foul by Dylan Chambost (Columbus Crew). 3'

Delay in match because of an injury Sékou Bangoura (Columbus Crew). 4'

Delay over. They are ready to continue. 6'

Gerardo Valenzuela (FC Cincinnati) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 6'

Foul by Jamal Thiaré (Columbus Crew). 6'

Goal! Columbus Crew 0, FC Cincinnati 1. Kévin Denkey (FC Cincinnati) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Evander. 9'

Foul by Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew). 11'

Obinna Nwobodo (FC Cincinnati) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 11'

Attempt saved. Gerardo Valenzuela (FC Cincinnati) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew). Assisted by Obinna Nwobodo. 12'

Attempt saved. Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner by Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati). Assisted by Dylan Chambost. 14'

Attempt missed. Dylan Chambost (Columbus Crew) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Steven Moreira. 18'

Attempt missed. Jamal Thiaré (Columbus Crew) right footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Dániel Gazdag. 19'

Corner, FC Cincinnati. Conceded by Max Arfsten. 20'

Attempt missed. Kenji Mboma Dem (FC Cincinnati) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Pavel Bucha with a cross. 22'

Gerardo Valenzuela (FC Cincinnati) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 24'

Foul by Sékou Bangoura (Columbus Crew). 24'

Attempt missed. Dániel Gazdag (Columbus Crew) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Jamal Thiaré. 27'

Corner, FC Cincinnati. Conceded by Sean Zawadzki. 28'

Gerardo Valenzuela (FC Cincinnati) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 31'

Foul by Dániel Gazdag (Columbus Crew). 31'

Attempt saved. Kévin Denkey (FC Cincinnati) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is saved in the centre of the goal by Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew). 33'

Ender Echenique (FC Cincinnati) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 35'

Foul by Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew). 35'

Evander (FC Cincinnati) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 37'

Foul by Dániel Gazdag (Columbus Crew). 37'

Attempt missed. Kévin Denkey (FC Cincinnati) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Evander. 39'

Attempt missed. Jamal Thiaré (Columbus Crew) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Max Arfsten with a cross. 41'

Corner, Columbus Crew. Conceded by Roman Celentano. 41'

Goal! Columbus Crew 1, FC Cincinnati 1. Jamal Thiaré (Columbus Crew) header from very close range to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Dylan Chambost with a cross following a corner. 41'

Corner, Columbus Crew. Conceded by Miles Robinson. 43'

Attempt saved. Evander (FC Cincinnati) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal by Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew). Assisted by Kévin Denkey. 45'

Corner, FC Cincinnati. Conceded by Patrick Schulte. 45'

Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time. 45'+1'

Foul by Kenji Mboma Dem (FC Cincinnati). 45'+2'

Sékou Bangoura (Columbus Crew) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 45'+2'

Penalty conceded by Matt Miazga (FC Cincinnati) after a foul in the penalty area. 45'+3'

Penalty Columbus Crew. Max Arfsten draws a foul in the penalty area. 45'+3'

Goal! Columbus Crew 2, FC Cincinnati 1. Dániel Gazdag (Columbus Crew) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner. 45'+6'

First Half ends, Columbus Crew 2, FC Cincinnati 1. 45'+7'

Second Half begins Columbus Crew 2, FC Cincinnati 1. 45'

Substitution, Columbus Crew. André Gomes replaces Sékou Bangoura. 45'

Attempt missed. Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by André Gomes. 47'

Delay in match because of an injury Samuel Gidi (FC Cincinnati). 47'

Delay over. They are ready to continue. 48'

Foul by Pavel Bucha (FC Cincinnati). 52'

Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew) wins a free kick on the left wing. 52'

Evander (FC Cincinnati) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 53'

Foul by Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew). 53'

Attempt saved. Dániel Gazdag (Columbus Crew) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati). Assisted by Taha Habroune. 55'

Corner, Columbus Crew. Conceded by Roman Celentano. 55'

Foul by Obinna Nwobodo (FC Cincinnati). 61'

Jamal Thiaré (Columbus Crew) wins a free kick on the right wing. 61'

Attempt blocked. Dylan Chambost (Columbus Crew) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Taha Habroune. 63'

Foul by Evander (FC Cincinnati). 63'

Dylan Chambost (Columbus Crew) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 63'

Substitution, FC Cincinnati. Tom Barlow replaces Kenji Mboma Dem. 64'

Substitution, FC Cincinnati. Bryan Ramírez replaces Ender Echenique. 64'

Attempt blocked. Dániel Gazdag (Columbus Crew) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Max Arfsten. 64'

Corner, Columbus Crew. Conceded by Matt Miazga. 64'

Foul by Matt Miazga (FC Cincinnati). 66'

Jamal Thiaré (Columbus Crew) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 66'

Matt Miazga (FC Cincinnati) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul. 66'

Corner, FC Cincinnati. Conceded by Mohamed Farsi. 67'

Samuel Gidi (FC Cincinnati) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 68'

Foul by Jamal Thiaré (Columbus Crew). 68'

Attempt saved. Tom Barlow (FC Cincinnati) header from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom right corner by Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew). Assisted by Evander with a cross. 68'

Substitution, Columbus Crew. Tarun Karumanchi replaces Dylan Chambost. 70'

Substitution, FC Cincinnati. Kyle Smith replaces Matt Miazga. 70'

Substitution, FC Cincinnati. Ayoub Jabbari replaces Kévin Denkey. 70'

Offside, Columbus Crew. Max Arfsten is caught offside. 73'

Attempt blocked. Gerardo Valenzuela (FC Cincinnati) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Pavel Bucha. 75'

Attempt saved. Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati). Assisted by Jamal Thiaré. 76'

Attempt missed. Evander (FC Cincinnati) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Gerardo Valenzuela. 76'

Substitution, Columbus Crew. Hugo Picard replaces Jamal Thiaré. 79'

Attempt missed. Evander (FC Cincinnati) right footed shot from more than 35 yards misses to the left. Assisted by Obinna Nwobodo following a fast break. 79'

Attempt missed. Evander (FC Cincinnati) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Gerardo Valenzuela following a fast break. 80'

Attempt saved. Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner by Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati). Assisted by Sean Zawadzki. 81'

Offside, FC Cincinnati. Ayoub Jabbari is caught offside. 81'

Bryan Ramírez (FC Cincinnati) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 82'

Foul by Tarun Karumanchi (Columbus Crew). 82'

Ayoub Jabbari (FC Cincinnati) wins a free kick in the attacking half. 82'

Foul by Tarun Karumanchi (Columbus Crew). 82'

Substitution, FC Cincinnati. Tah Brian Anunga replaces Obinna Nwobodo. 85'

Substitution, Columbus Crew. Chase Adams replaces Dániel Gazdag. 85'

Substitution, Columbus Crew. Malte Amundsen replaces Steven Moreira. 85'

Foul by Ayoub Jabbari (FC Cincinnati). 90'

Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew) wins a free kick in the defensive half. 90'

Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time. 90'+1'

Corner, FC Cincinnati. Conceded by Rudy Camacho. 90'+1'

Attempt blocked. Ayoub Jabbari (FC Cincinnati) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Evander with a cross. 90'+1'

Offside, FC Cincinnati. Kyle Smith is caught offside. 90'+2'

Offside, Columbus Crew. Chase Adams is caught offside. 90'+2'

Foul by Gerardo Valenzuela (FC Cincinnati). 90'+3'

Taha Habroune (Columbus Crew) wins a free kick on the left wing. 90'+3'

Gerardo Valenzuela (FC Cincinnati) is shown the red card for violent conduct. 90'+4'

Second Half ends, Columbus Crew 2, FC Cincinnati 1. 90'+5'

Match ends, Columbus Crew 2, FC Cincinnati 1.