FC Cincinnati BACK-TO-BACK Ws vs DC! Hagglund's History, Evander Is Back! + Miami & Philly Preview

FC Cincinnati RESPONDS! After a brutal Hell Is Real loss to Columbus, the Orange and Blue answered with back-to-back wins over D.C. United, taking all six points. Breaking down both matches, the players-only meeting that followed the Columbus loss, and everything happening around the club as the regular season winds down.

FC Cincinnati opened the week with a 2-1 victory over D.C. United at TQL Stadium, snapping a frustrating run of home results. David Douděra scored his first goal for the club in the 14th minute, while Teenage Hadebe delivered the winner in the second half with his first goal in an FC Cincinnati shirt. Nick Hagglund made history with his club-record 180th appearance, putting in another massive defensive performance in front of the home crowd. Roman Celentano also came up with a crucial save as FCC held on for its first one-goal victory since August 19. It wasn't always pretty, but the Orange and Blue found a way to get three points when they needed them most.

Then came Saturday's trip to Washington, D.C., where FCC completed the sweep with a 2-0 win. Evander opened the scoring with a brilliant strike from outside the box before Tom Barlow doubled the lead after a fantastic team move that started with Hagglund clearing the ball and Kévin Denkey providing excellent hold-up play. Cincinnati defended with discipline, earned its first MLS clean sheet since April 25 against the New York Red Bulls, and matched the club's single-season MLS scoring record with 64 goals. Evander also made MLS history, becoming just the second player in league history to record at least 15 assists in three consecutive seasons, joining Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, Barlow reached 10 goals on the season, giving FCC three players with double-digit goals for the third time in club history.

But the results are only part of the story. Following the loss to Columbus, Nick Hagglund and Obinna Nwobodo called a players-only meeting to address the team's identity and mentality heading into the final stretch. The conversation reportedly centered on being tougher, grittier, and willing to grind out results instead of worrying about playing the perfect game. We're discussing what was said publicly, why the group felt the conversation was necessary, and whether these two performances show a genuine shift in mentality. Jeff Berding also emphasized the importance of the win in the club's push to qualify for the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season.

We're also looking at how FC Cincinnati has leaned on its experience defensively. The average age of the center-back group across the last two matches was 33, with Hagglund, Hadebe, and Kyle Smith making important contributions. Hagglund recorded 36 defensive contributions across those two games, accounting for nearly a quarter of his season total. Pat Noonan praised the group's experience, effort, and improved box defending, while Roman Celentano discussed the team's better understanding of its defensive roles. Is this more disciplined approach exactly what FCC needs heading into the playoffs?

We discuss the latest MLS playoff picture, Nashville SC winning the 2026 Supporters' Shield, the teams that have already qualified for the postseason, and what Cincinnati needs to do to secure its own playoff spot.

As always, we're bringing you the Trivia Question of the Week, Jersey Swap of the Week, Cards of the Week, and Around the MLS. This week's trivia question focuses on the defensive contributions per 90 minutes for FC Cincinnati's top performers. Sam's Jersey Swap goes to Nick Hagglund after his record-breaking appearance, while the Cards of the Week include D.C. United turning off replies and Diego Rossi's incident with a linesman.

Finally, we're looking ahead to a massive road matchup against Inter Miami on Wednesday, October 28, at 7:30 PM ET. FCC lost 5-3 to Miami at TQL Stadium back in May, and Miami will be looking to bounce back after a 2-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls. Lionel Messi came off the bench in that match, while Miami has been unbeaten at home in MLS play since August 22. Cincinnati, meanwhile, enters the matchup riding a two-game road winning streak. Can FCC keep the momentum going against one of the league's biggest threats? Sam predicts a 2-2 draw, and we'll get Kenta's prediction during the show.

We'll also preview Saturday's matchup against the Philadelphia Union at TQL Stadium. FCC suffered a 5-0 defeat in Philadelphia in September after an early red card to Obinna Nwobodo changed the game. With the regular season winding down and playoff positioning on the line, every point matters. We'll discuss potential lineup changes, injury updates, the possibility of José Martínez facing his former club, and what Cincinnati needs to do differently against one of the Eastern Conference's toughest sides.