Last Updated on April 23, 2026 12:30 pm by ZUWP Automation
New York City FC 4-3 FC Cincinnati: Pascal Jansen’s side survive a late scare to claim three points at Yankee Stadium
Seven goals, two lead changes, and a Cincinnati side that threatened to turn this match on its head right up until the final whistle. New York City FC held on for a 4-3 victory over FC Cincinnati on Wednesday evening, a result that provided some much-needed relief for Pascal Jansen’s side after back-to-back home defeats. For Pat Noonan’s visitors, it was a fifth loss in their last five matches without a win, a winless run that is beginning to define their 2026 Eastern Conference campaign in the worst possible way.
How It Unfolded: Mercau Sets the Tone
NYCFC drew first blood on 20 minutes when Nicolás Fernández Mercau opened his account with a right-foot shot to make it 1-0. It was a composed finish and one that seemed to settle the home side into a rhythm they had been searching for across their recent winless spell.
Cincinnati refused to fold. On 32 minutes, Kévin Denkey levelled with a left-foot shot, assisted by Ender Echenique, and the visitors suddenly looked like a side that had rediscovered the belief that had deserted them over their previous three defeats. The equaliser lasted barely three minutes. Fernández Mercau struck again in the 35th minute, this time fed by Maxi Moralez, his right-foot shot restoring the lead and sending Yankee Stadium into full voice. Two goals in a 15-minute window for the No. 7 jersey, and NYCFC went into the break leading 2-1 with the tie firmly in their hands.
The Second Half: Ojeda Pulls the Strings
Whatever was said at the interval, NYCFC came out with a clear intent to put the match beyond reach. Agustín Ojeda delivered it on 53 minutes, converting a right-foot shot assisted by A. O’Neill to make it 3-1. At that point, a three-goal cushion felt decisive. Cincinnati, though, were not done.
Denkey grabbed his second of the evening on 65 minutes, finishing from Gerardo Valenzuela’s assist to pull it back to 3-2. Suddenly the final quarter of an hour had a very different complexion. Noonan’s side were pushing, pressing, and threatening to make this uncomfortable. NYCFC responded with the goal that ultimately settled it: Talles Magno, introduced as a substitute at 72 minutes, converted a right-foot shot assisted by Ojeda in the 79th minute to restore the two-goal advantage at 4-2. A substitute scoring within seven minutes of coming on, with an assist from the man who had already opened the scoring in the second half. The timing was perfect.
Even then, Cincinnati carved out a consolation. A. Chirilă turned in a left-foot shot in the 90th minute, assisted by Pavel Bucha, to make it 4-3 and ensure a nervy finish. It was the kind of goal that changes nothing in the table but says everything about Cincinnati’s refusal to stop competing. NYCFC saw out the added time, but not without a few sharp intakes of breath along the way.
The Numbers Behind the Story
NYCFC’s 55-45 possession advantage translated into genuine attacking output: 17 shots, nine on target, and five big chances created against Cincinnati’s two. Their 14 shots from inside the box compared to just four from outside it tells you this was a side that got into dangerous areas repeatedly. The 58 dangerous attacks registered by the home side, against Cincinnati’s 26, underlines how sustained that pressure was across the 90 minutes.
Cincinnati’s goalkeeper made five saves, four of them from inside the box, and was credited with an error leading to a goal. That detail alone captures the difficulty of the evening for the visitors’ backline.
Man of the Match: A Ruthless Night for Fernández Mercau
The headline performer was Fernández Mercau, who carried a match rating of 9.14 and scored twice from four shots. His combined xG for the match was 1.13, meaning his two goals were broadly in line with the quality of his chances, but the timing and composure of both finishes were what mattered. He also created two chances, completed 36 of 46 passes, and won nine of 16 duels before being replaced at 84 minutes. On a night when NYCFC needed someone to take responsibility, he was everywhere.
Ojeda was the other standout for the home side, registering a goal and an assist and directly involving himself in two of NYCFC’s four goals. For Cincinnati, Kévin Denkey carried the captain’s armband and the weight of his side’s attacking threat. He scored twice, won 10 of 21 duels, and generated an xG of 0.92 across five shots. His two goals from two shots on target, against an xG of 0.92, reflects a player who was making the most of limited service. The problem for Cincinnati was that the service was too limited, too late.
The player who deserves a mention in a different context is NYCFC’s goalkeeper, who was beaten four times despite the home side’s dominance. His rating of 5.99 was the lowest of any starter on either side, a reminder that this was not a clean sheet performance, even in victory.
Form and the Bigger Picture
NYCFC came into this match having taken just one point from their previous two home fixtures, a 1-2 loss to Charlotte and a 0-0 draw with St. Louis City before that. This win breaks that sequence, but Jansen’s side are still operating in inconsistent territory: one win, two draws, and two losses in their last five across all competitions. The three points matter, but the manner in which they nearly let a 4-2 lead become something more precarious will not have gone unnoticed.
For Cincinnati, the winless run stretches to five matches without a victory, with three losses in that sequence. Defeats to Chicago Fire (1-3) and now NYCFC (1-4 on aggregate across the scoreline of 3-1 going into the final stages) point to a side that is conceding too freely and not finding wins when they need them. Noonan’s side showed character in pulling it back to 4-3, but character without points does not move you up the Eastern Conference standings.
With standings points unavailable for precise positioning, what is clear is that both sides remain in need of consistency: NYCFC to build on this and string results together, Cincinnati to stop the rot before the early-season picture becomes a genuine concern. The Eastern Conference playoff race leaves no room for extended winless runs, and Cincinnati’s current trajectory demands a response, fast.