Football Season Guide

A strong start to the 2024 campaign was followed by a drop in form down the stretch that was carried into the playoffs. Cincinnati finished third in the East, boasting the fifth-best record in the MLS. Yet, they failed to make the most of their home-field advantage, with No. 6-seed New York City FC eliminating them in the first round of postseason. Cincinnati completed the signing of talented forward Kevin Denkey for an MLS record transfer fee, but they parted ways with their leader, Luciano Acosta. Meanwhile, the club decided to freshen up their defence, with Gilberto Flores and Lukas Engel taking the spots of Ian Murphy and Chidozie Awaziem. In Denkey, Cincinnati expect to find the much-needed firepower they’ve lacked in their bid to clinch the MLS trophy. Acosta’s departure might be a blow for the team, but Cincinnati penned an equally talented Evander as a replacement. Having kept their backbone intact, Cincinnati will look for an Acosta replacement to make their roster elite once again. There are not many teams in the MLS who can take pride in boasting a spine consisted of Roman Calentano, Miles Robinson, Obinna Nwobodo and Denkey. That’s exactly where their main strength lies in. With Nick Hagglund and Matt Miazga set to return from long-term injuries, should Flores and Engel struggle to adapt, Cincinnati’s defensive cohesion might be a source of concern short term.