There were plenty of one-goal FC Cincinnati wins in 2025. If Saturday’s performance is an indication for future matches, fans should rest easier.

Cincinnati (1-0-0, 3 pts.) rode late goals by Kevin Denkey and Nick Hagglund to begin their 2026 season with a mammoth home victory over Atlanta United (0-0-1, 0 pts.) While things looked bleak with an early exit from one of Cincinnati’s star performers, the underlying roster talent carried the match down the stretch.

“Fitness levels were strong. The defensive press was really effective,” head coach Pat Noonan emphasized in his press conference. “I guess the only thing that could have been more consistent was just some decisions on the ball to move us forward, but the guys put together a good performance tonight.”

The Starting XI for the Orange & Blue was much as predicted, with Noonan pushing the squad out in their familiar 5-2-1-2 lineup. Samuel Gidi, Pavel Bucha, Ender Echenique, Teenage Hadebe, and Nick Hagglund played their first minutes for the squad this season after being held out for the CCC match at O&M FC. Ayoub Jabbari, fresh off his brace against O&M, started atop with Keven Denkey.

The only reported...