It’s been a rollercoaster week for FC Cincinnati—going from a historic 3-0 advantage over Tigres UANL to a complete collapse in Mexico, then responding with a chaotic 4-3 comeback win over CF Montreal despite going down a man after Miles Robinson’s red card. The fight and resilience were there, but the same defensive issues and costly mistakes remain, leaving the bigger question: is one emotional win enough to move past the Tigres disaster and win the fanbase back?

It was a week that showed both the ceiling and floor of FC Cincinnati. Just days after a historic 3–0 win over Tigres UANL in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, led by a two-goal, one-assist performance from Kévin Denkey at TQL Stadium, Cincinnati followed it with a disastrous 6–1 loss to the New England Revolution in MLS play. On this episode of the Flyin Lion Podcast we break down both matches, including the dominant high press vs Tigres, the rotated lineup and defensive collapse vs New England, the MLS debut of Andrei Chirila, the return of Matt Miazga, Evander’s impact on and off the field, and what Pat Noonan had to say after the loss as FCC now turns toward a massive second leg in Monterrey and an upcoming MLS matchup with CF Montréal.

FC Cincinnati’s attack stalled in a frustrating 1–0 loss to Toronto FC at TQL Stadium on MLS Matchday 3, and on this episode of the Flyin Lion Podcast we break down what went wrong—from the starting XI choices to the lack of movement and chance creation in the final third. We react to Pat Noonan’s blunt postmatch comments, dig into the match stats, and discuss what changes could spark the attack. We also cover Evan Louro’s contract extension, the loan addition of Fabian Mrozek from Liverpool F.C., and what FC Cincinnati’s current GAM situation means for roster flexibility. Plus, we check in on FC Cincinnati 2 and Matt Miazga’s return to minutes, and preview a huge week ahead with a CONCACAF Champions Cup clash against Tigres UANL followed by a league matchup with the New England Revolution.

FC Cincinnati fans hear him every matchday breaking down the tactics on ESPN 1530 — now broadcast analyst Kevin McCloskey joins the Flyin Lion Podcast. Kevin talks about his journey through the game as a player, coach, and executive before stepping into the booth with Tommy Gelehrter, shares stories from the early USL days of FC Cincinnati, and explains what preparation looks like before every broadcast. We also dive into the current state of FCC, the most important offseason move, what it will take to win a trophy this season, and Kevin’s perspective on the future of MLS, plus some rapid-fire questions to close it out. If you love FC Cincinnati and behind-the-scenes insight from the broadcast booth, this episode is for you.

FC Cincinnati’s week showcased both extremes of a long season, opening with a historic 9–0 demolition of O&M FC to secure a 13–0 aggregate victory — setting a club scoring record and the largest goal differential ever by an MLS team — before falling in their first road test of 2026 at Minnesota United, where cold conditions and missed final-third execution proved decisive. After dominant attacking displays midweek, FCC controlled stretches of play on the road but lacked the sharpness and aggression needed to capitalize, a point emphasized by Pat Noonan postmatch. The result feels less like alarm and more like a checkpoint, sharpening focus on creativity, rotation decisions, and response as Cincinnati now prepares for a Champions Cup Round of 16 showdown with Tigres UANL.

FC Cincinnati open the 2026 season with two convincing wins, starting with a dominant 4–0 road victory over O&M FC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, their third straight year in the competition, behind goals from Tom Barlow, Kévin Denkey, and a brace from Ayoub Jabbari. FCC then returned home to a sold-out TQL Stadium to defeat Atlanta United on MLS Matchday 1, extending their unbeaten run in home openers under Pat Noonan with late goals from Denkey and Nick Hagglund, though the night was shaped by Evander’s early exit with hamstring tightness. We break down the performances, tactical takeaways, and key stats, discuss the outlook on Evander’s status, and preview what’s next with the Champions Cup return leg at TQL and an upcoming MLS trip to face Minnesota United FC.

The road to silverware officially begins for FC Cincinnati as we kick off the 2026 season with a full preseason recap, kit review, and season predictions. We break down matches against Brooklyn FC and Orlando City SC, highlighting encouraging attacking moments, lingering defensive questions, and key lineup experiments. We also give our in-person thoughts on the new Seven Hills Kit, discuss mixed fan and media reactions, touch on roster rumors and depth concerns, and preview a massive opening week featuring the Concacaf Champions Cup opener vs O&M FC and MLS Matchday 1 against Atlanta United, along with full competition and award predictions for the year ahead.

Favian Renkel joins us to lead the big-picture MLS season preview while we also break down FC Cincinnati’s first preseason win, a 1–0 result over Detroit City that raised as many questions as answers. Denkey stayed reliable from the spot, Bryan Ramirez made an encouraging first impression after joining the squad, and FCC showed some intriguing tactical looks that could point to a dual-playmaker setup or Evander pushing into a false 9 role — though final-third creativity is still a concern. Heavy rotation gave us a peek at depth battles across the roster, and off the field, the leaked 2026 kit has fans split, sparking another debate about club identity and whether orange should finally take center stage.