FC Cincinnati return home to complete an Empire/Garden State double-header this week, internet hosting Red Bull New York for a rematch at TQL Stadium.
Just three weeks after seeing the Red Bulls final, and three days after returning home from a dramatic draw in opposition to NYCFC at Yankee Stadium, the Orange and Blue are looking to get again within the win column and avenge a defeat suffered at the palms of their weekend opponents earlier this month.
While on a brief week, and with only a few days to arrange for their subsequent opponent, the contemporary within the thoughts reminiscence of taking part in the Red Bulls might come as a bonus. With a familiarity for their opponent and taking part in this time at home, FC Cincinnati really feel they are often higher ready for their opponent now than they’d be had they not performed them so lately.
“It just helps inform you on what kind of game you can expect,” FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan mentioned Friday forward of the match at his press convention at Mercy Health Training Center. “Sometimes you play a crew twice in a brief period of time, and also you may see totally different personnel, otherwise you may see totally different or some changes in construction, however we do not anticipate that.
“With Red Bull, they have been constant in how they play, they usually’ve been doing it efficiently. Even since we performed them with (their) Miami, Montreal and D.C. video games, they assault in a really related manner, defend in an identical manner, however have had success on each side. So regardless that the outcomes have been two two attracts and a loss, in the event you look at the play, they’ll rating quite a lot of targets.
“We anticipate another strong 11 from them and a very confident approach in how they play. I don’t think that’ll change.”
The Orange and Blue have been late sport fighters of late, salvaging a draw from dropping place late in every of their final three video games. They are looking to alter these attracts to victories, and FCC are looking to begin the video games with extra confidence as an answer to placing themselves able to win.
“I think there’s still more moments where we can find the right way to play and understand the opponent’s press, understand our free man, the space to play,” Noonan mentioned. “I think sometimes we wait until it’s an extreme situation, or at least we’ve seen that in recent weeks, so being more confident and comfortable doing that throughout the game (is important).”
Also on Saturday evening at TQL Stadium, FC Cincinnati will have a good time Autism Acceptance Month! Observed yearly in April, Autism Acceptance Month is devoted to acknowledging that Autism transcends a easy analysis and represents identification, group, and a journey of all lived experiences.
Assistant Coach Kenny Arena and his household work carefully with Stepping Stones, a nonprofit group empowering people with disabilities and their households all through Greater Cincinnati to assist create a pathway to independence by a variety of instructional, leisure, and skill-building applications. Arena and Head Coach Pat Noonan will mark the event on Saturday by carrying armbands recognizing the trigger. Arena has personally invited anybody taken with getting concerned with Stepping Stones to succeed in out to him immediately by sending a direct message on X to @ksarena14.
For extra info on Autism Acceptance Month or different methods to get entangled, go to Stepping Stones, Empath for Autism and Autism Connections, or, cease by the Carl and Martha Lindner Plaza at TQL Stadium earlier than Saturday’s match to go to cubicles from all three organizations.
For merchandise from Stepping Stones to help the group, click here.
FC Cincinnati vs Red Bull New York – Saturday, April 25, 2026 – 7:30 p.m. ET – TQL Stadium
Watch/Stream (English/Spanish): Apple TV
English Local Radio: ESPN 1530
Spanish Local Radio: La Mega 101.5 FM
FC Cincinnati Social Media: X/Twitter, Instagram and Facebook FC Cincinnati Official Mobile App: iOS and Android
The Orange and Blue will face Red Bull New York for the second time this month in a
fast observe as much as shut out the common season collection simply three weeks following the first meeting
at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Red Bull New York earned the win in that first meeting with a 4-2 consequence on April 4.
All-time FC Cincinnati are 7-8-5 in opposition to the Red Bulls, and 2-4-1 at home.
(Courtesy of *FC Cincinnati Communications*)
Have a Night Kévin – Forward Kévin Denkey scored his second brace of the season Wednesday evening in opposition to New York City FC within the crew’s 4-4 draw at Yankee Stadium. Denkey has three profession multi-goal video games with the Orange and Blue and has now scored eight targets throughout all competitors in 2026, main all FC Cincinnati gamers.
Denkey has scored 26 profession targets for FC Cincinnati and is seven targets away from tying Brenner for the third most targets, all-time, for the Orange and Blue. With his two targets in opposition to New York, Denkey handed Yuya Kubo for the sixth most objective contributions (26G, 5A), all-time.
Andrei Party – 17-year-old Andrei Chirila scored his first profession objective for FC Cincinnati on
Wednesday within the second minute of second half stoppage time. Chirila introduced the Orange and Blue inside a objective of New York (4-3), permitting Evander’s objective moments later to tie the match. Chirila grew to become the youngest objective scorer for FC Cincinnati in MLS play and the second youngest to attain throughout all competitions (Ademar Chavez – 17 years, 3 months, 11 days – vs. O&M FC, 2/25/26).
History! – Evander made historical past Wednesday evening in opposition to NYCFC, turning into the highest Brazilian-born goalscorer in MLS play, passing Wélton. Evander scored his forty fourth profession MLS objective from the spot within the fifth minute of second half stoppage time to earn a degree for the Orange and Blue.
Evander has scored 20 of his 44 league targets with FC Cincinnati and has now scored in back-to-back matches.Evander now has two targets and two assists throughout all competitions this season.
99 – Pavel Bucha enters Saturday with 98 profession appearances for FC Cincinnati. With his 99th look this weekend in opposition to the Red Bulls, he’s eleventh in all-time appearances for the membership within the MLS period and will he attain 100 appearances could be the thirteenth participant to take action throughout all eras of FC Cincinnati competitors.
*
Scouting Red Bull New York (3-3-3, 12 Points, eighth Eastern Conference, L-W-D-L-D)*
It’s a rematch with Red Bull New York at TQL Stadium this Saturday evening. Just 21 days after visiting the Harrison, New Jersey primarily based membership at Sports Illustrated Stadium the Orange and Blue tackle RBNY at home and see them for the ultimate time this common season – lower than a 3rd of the best way by the season.
As seen within the first match three weeks in the past, MLS legend and USMNT icon Michael Bradley has taken over as Head Coach, returning to the membership the place he made his skilled taking part in debut 22 years in the past to steer the following technology. Bradley, who was the Head Coach of the Red Bulls MLS NEXT Pro membership in 2025, made almost 300 appearances in MLS for New York and Toronto FC mixed, and 151 appearances for the US Men’s National Team. This is Bradley’s first top-division teaching appointment, however he served as an assistant in Norway in 2024 to get his teaching profession began. FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan served as an assistant coach with the USMNT whereas Bradley performed for the nationwide squad.
With Bradley as the brand new supervisor, the American has been fearless in including younger gamers to the lineup and has ushered in a youth motion for the Red Bulls in solely 5 video games.
Three of Red Bulls’ minutes performed leaders this season have been 18-year-olds or youthful, with ahead Julian Hall, who solely turned 18 final month, main the best way. He leads the crew in scoring with six targets in 9 video games and leads all outfield gamers in minutes performed with 802. Fellow teenagers Adri Mehmeti (16) and Matthew Dos Santos (17) have additionally logged over 600 minutes every this season.
“I think if you were to watch them and not know, and not have context, and just say, ‘All right, I’m watching this team.’ It doesn’t look like a bunch of kids out there,” FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan mentioned of Red Bulls’ younger gamers earlier than the April 4 match at Sports Illustrated Stadium. “They play with confidence. They play with a good commitment and purpose…it looks like they’re experienced players out there. Again, it’s a small sample size, but it’s been impressive.”
Hall joined the first crew in 2023 as a 15-year-old and, over the next three years, appeared 38 instances and made 4 begins. This yr, Hall has turn out to be the cornerstone piece of the offense and began each match for Bradley’s facet. In the match in opposition to FC Cincinnati three weeks in the past, he scored to open the sport.
In addition to the teenage youth, there’s a steady of younger gamers to help them. As properly as a couple of marquee stars.
Captain Emil Forsburg stays a drive within the center, he’s tied for the crew lead in assists with three. Americans Cade Cowell, 22, and Jorge Ruvalcaba, 24, have additionally been core members of the squad by 9 matches. Both of the American attackers are current additions from Liga MX sides in Mexico, with Cowell (who additionally has three assists this season) coming over from Chivas, and Ruvalcaba (who’s second in scoring on the crew with three) becoming a member of from Pumas as a Designated Player.
On the defensive facet of the ball, the younger Dos Santos has been a key contributor on the left facet of a again 4. In the center, the considerably extra veteran Robert Voloder and Gustav Berggren have been on patrol.
No matter who performs for the Red Bulls, although, the membership’s identification stands out most. The RBNY identification has turn out to be identified for its pressure-packed, intense, gritty and relentless model of play that many others have tried to duplicate. When going into Sports Illustrated Stadium, coping with that’s paramount to success.
“They’re gonna be really hard to play against,” goalkeeper Evan Louro mentioned of the Red Bulls earlier than the April 4 match in New Jersey. The present FC Cincinnati keeper grew up within the Red Bull Academy earlier than attending the University of Michigan. “They’re gonna be really hard against the ball. They’re going to work hard, they’re going to get chances – they’re just a good team. They’re a young team. I think Michael’s done a lot of good stuff, and obviously, he’s a legend of the game, especially here in the States. So we’re excited ”
Under Bradley, the Red Bulls have deployed a 4-3-3 formation with American goalkeeper Ethan Horvath in internet.
