Match Report
Before the match
FC Cincinnati's previous five results comprised one win, one draw and three defeats. Their goal totals were 8 scored and 11 conceded. Columbus Crew were their latest opponents, at home on 18 October: a 2-0 defeat.
Playing at home against Columbus Crew (Major League Soccer), FC Cincinnati finished 0-2 on 18 October. Their score comprised zero goals, against two from the opposition. 14 October: FC Cincinnati lost 2-3 against New England Revolution at home in Major League Soccer, scoring two goals and allowing three. Against Atlanta United FC in Major League Soccer, FC Cincinnati scored three and conceded one on 10 October; the away from home result was 3-1. FC Cincinnati's away from home game on 26 September (Major League Soccer) ended 1-3 against CF Montreal, with one goal for and three against. On 20 September, Houston Dynamo faced FC Cincinnati in Major League Soccer: FC Cincinnati drew 2-2 away from home, having scored two and conceded two.
DC United came into the game with one win, one draw and three defeats from their last five outings, scoring seven goals and conceding 14. On 17 October, DC United recorded a 4-1 defeat visiting Orlando City SC.
Major League Soccer, 17 October brought an away meeting with Orlando City SC; DC United lost 1-4, a return of one goal scored and four conceded. DC United hosted New York Red Bulls on 14 October (Major League Soccer) and won 2-1; their goals totalled two, compared with one conceded. Inter Miami hosted DC United (Major League Soccer) on 10 October. For DC United, the score was 0-4: zero goals scored, four allowed. 3-3 was DC United's result against Vancouver Whitecaps on 27 September (Major League Soccer), playing away from home; DC United drew, with three scored to three conceded. The 19 September fixture (Major League Soccer) paired DC United with Charlotte. DC United lost 1-2 at home, netting one goal while conceding two.
The teams' recorded encounters ended in a 2-1 away win for DC United on 31 May 2025 and a 1-0 away win for FC Cincinnati on 12 April 2025.
After the match
FC Cincinnati edged past DC United 2-1 at TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio on 21 October 2026. David Douděra opened the scoring inside the first 14 minutes for FC Cincinnati to make it 1-0. Kimito Nono levelled it in the 38th minute for DC United, set up by João Gabriel Martins Peglow, to make it 1-1. FC Cincinnati regained the lead through Teenage Hadebe 55 minutes into the game, set up by Evander, to make it 2-1. Kimito Nono (54') and Nick Hagglund (87') were booked. The rating gap is a clear one: our current Elo ratings have FC Cincinnati 108 points stronger than DC United. FC Cincinnati won; current ratings also favour them in this pairing, with a model probability of 62.1%. The card tally for FC Cincinnati was one yellow card. four changes were recorded for FC Cincinnati. DC United picked up one yellow card. DC United: three substitutions.