CINCINNATI — In a thrilling season opener, FC Cincinnati triumphed over the reigning Eastern Conference champions, the New York Red Bulls, with a 1-0 score on Saturday night. The decisive moment came in the 70th minute when newcomer Kévin Denkey found the net, guiding Cincinnati to this hard-fought victory. Goalkeeper Roman Celentano exhibited a strong performance by making three crucial saves, all during the second half, helping secure the match.
Denkey’s goal resulted from a well-placed assist from DeAndre Yedlin, as he directed a powerful header past the Red Bulls’ goalkeeper, Carlos Coronel. Denkey, who joined FC Cincinnati from Cercle Brugge in the Belgian Pro League, made headlines this offseason with a record-breaking transfer fee of $16.2 million, marking him as a valuable addition to the team.
The match began slowly, with neither team able to land a shot on goal until the 66th minute when Celentano skillfully saved a header from Red Bulls’ new signing, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. Just moments later, he denied another header from Alexander Hack. Celentano’s remarkable performance continued as he managed to thwart a powerful right-footed shot from Choupo-Moting in the 82nd minute, keeping Cincinnati’s goal intact. Choupo-Moting, who previously played four seasons with Bayern Munich, posed a significant challenge for the Cincinnati defense.
On the other end of the pitch, Coronel made one save for the Red Bulls. Historically, the Red Bulls had entered this match with a solid 4-0-1 record in previous encounters against Cincinnati during the regular seasons. With this win, FC Cincinnati’s record improves to 2-3-2 in season openers. The team is optimistic that Denkey, alongside Evander Da Silva Ferreira—who netted 24 goals for the Portland Timbers over the last two seasons—can help fill the gap left by former league MVP Luciano Acosta, who has transferred to FC Dallas.
Reflecting on their past season, the Red Bulls reached the MLS Cup Final but fell short against the Los Angeles Galaxy. The team finished the regular season with 47 points, a league low for a title-contending club. Looking ahead, the Red Bulls are set to square off against Nashville SC for their home opener on Saturday, while Cincinnati prepares to challenge the Philadelphia Union in their next match.
