Soccer
Standing over a free kick from 30 yards out? That’s no problem for FC Cincinnati star Evander.
Evander expectations
The Brazilian midfielder’s 43rd-minute golazo jumpstarted Cincy’s 2-1 comeback victory Saturday night at Nashville SC, flipping the script for head coach Pat Noonan’s side. He did the same last week, scoring a free kick from a similar distance in a 2-2 draw with Atlanta United.
“Now every time he steps up in that moment, you’re expecting the ball to go in the net, to go in the goal,” Noonan said post-game at GEODIS Park. “And that’s pretty wild, considering where he’s taking it from and going back to the Charlotte game where he hits that free kick and how close he is.
“He’s a threat. He’s a real threat in all of these moments with direct free kicks, with the wide free kicks, corners – all of it is.”
Cincy acquired Evander from the Portland Timbers last month for $12 million, identifying him as their Luciano Acosta replacement after the former Landon Donovan MLS MVP was traded to FC Dallas.
The 26-year-old has already produced 6g/2a in 10 matches across all competitions, showing why he was an MVP finalist last season and placed on the MLS Best XI presented by Continental Tire.
— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) March 30, 2025
Finding a way
Cincy’s three-point result wasn’t all about Evander, of course.
Club-record signing Kévin Denkey scored the 91st-minute game-winner from the penalty spot, marking his return from international duty with Togo. And goalkeeper Roman Celentano made seven saves, including denying Hany Mukhtar‘s 49th-minute penalty kick.
As the Orange & Blue look to climb the Eastern Conference table, and balance trophy expectations, road results like this go a long way.
“That shows, I think, what this group is potentially capable of coming off the field with a win,” Noonan said. “That was a challenging game. Credit to B.J. [Callaghan], to Nashville, they were strong tonight.
“If not for Roman and Evander, this is a different result. I think those two won us the game tonight. And while certainly everybody else put in a good shift, it was, I think, those two performances that allow us to feel the way we did.”
Read MoreMargarett Schildgen