Columbus Crew 2-1 Cincinnati: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
MLS · Saturday 25 July 2026 · Lower.com Field · referee A. Chapman · full time
Full time: Columbus Crew 2-1 Cincinnati
Columbus Crew 2-1 Cincinnati: Columbus Crew took the points in MLS on Saturday 25 July 2026 at Lower.com Field. The goals: Kévin Denkey 9', Jamal Thiaré 41', Dániel Gazdag 45+6'.
How Columbus Crew won it
Kévin Denkey put Cincinnati ahead in the 9th minute, set up by Evander. Columbus Crew levelled at 1-1 in the 41st minute through Jamal Thiaré, set up by Dylan Chambost. Columbus Crew turned it round: Dániel Gazdag from the penalty spot made it 2-1 in the 45th minute (+6).
It was 2-1 at half-time, and nothing changed after the break.
The lead changed hands once.
Gerardo Valenzuela of Cincinnati was sent off in the 90th minute (+4). The referee, A. Chapman, showed 2 yellow cards: 1 to Columbus Crew and 1 to Cincinnati.
Columbus Crew: L. Courtois, 3-4-2-1 · Cincinnati: P. Noonan, 3-4-3.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 0.87 for Columbus Crew and 2.17 for Cincinnati.
Columbus Crew scored about 1.1 more than their chances were worth: clinical finishing, or a goalkeeper having a bad day.
Cincinnati left about 1.2 goals' worth of chances on the pitch.
Cincinnati created the better chances, 2.17 xG to 0.87, and still lost. On chances alone, the result could easily have gone the other way.
Columbus Crew had 6 shots on target, Cincinnati 5.
Columbus Crew had 53% of the ball and turned it into the win.
A red card changed the shape of the match, and no pre-match model can see one coming.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Columbus Crew came into it with 31 MLS matches played, scoring 1.6 and conceding 1.6 a match, with 1.49 expected goals for and 1.40 against, and had won 35% of their matches.
Cincinnati came into it with 31 MLS matches played, scoring 2.1 and conceding 2.3 a match, with 1.81 expected goals for and 1.61 against, and had won 35% of their matches.
Columbus Crew vs Cincinnati: the match in numbers
| Columbus Crew | Match statistics | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| 53% | Ball possession | 47% |
| 0.87 | Expected goals (xG) | 2.17 |
| 13 | Total shots | 12 |
| 6 | Shots on target | 5 |
| 3 | Big chances | 1 |
| 531 | Total passes | 462 |
| 91% | Pass accuracy | 88% |
| 4 | Corners | 5 |
| 11 | Fouls | 8 |
| 2 | Offsides | 2 |
| 19 | Tackles | 18 |
| 4 | Saves | 4 |
| 1 | Yellow cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red cards | 1 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Evander (Cincinnati), rated 8.0 by Sportmonks, with 1 assist.
Columbus Crew
- Dániel Gazdag 7.5 1 goal
- Max Arfsten 7.4
- Dylan Chambost 7.4 1 assist
- Jamal Thiaré 7.2 1 goal
- Patrick Schulte 7.2
Cincinnati
- Evander 8.0 1 assist
- Kévin Denkey 7.7 1 goal
- Pavel Bucha 7.1
- Obinna Nwobodo 7.1
- Bryan Ramírez 7.0
The lowest-rated starter was Ender Echenique at 6.0. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Columbus Crew: Dallas vs Columbus Crew Thursday 29 October 2026 · MLS
- Cincinnati: Inter Miami vs Cincinnati Wednesday 28 October 2026 · MLS
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Columbus Crew vs Cincinnati
What was the score in Columbus Crew vs Cincinnati?
Columbus Crew 2-1 Cincinnati (half-time 2-1), MLS, Saturday 25 July 2026.
Who scored in Columbus Crew vs Cincinnati?
Kévin Denkey 9', Jamal Thiaré 41', Dániel Gazdag 45+6'.
Did Moneyball predict Columbus Crew vs Cincinnati correctly?
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Who was man of the match in Columbus Crew vs Cincinnati?
Evander, rated 8.0 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Columbus Crew vs Cincinnati?
A. Chapman.
Every match, before and after
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