CINCINNATI, OHIO, USA — Two teams desperate for points, both sitting in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference with identical records of one win and three losses, met at TQL Stadium knowing that defeat would deepen an already uncomfortable start to the MLS season. What followed was a seven-goal thriller that swung violently in both directions before Kévin Denkey settled it in the most dramatic fashion possible, rifling home from close range in the fourth minute of stoppage time to hand FC Cincinnati a 4-3 victory that will live long in the memory of everyone inside the stadium.
CF Montréal wasted no time announcing their intentions. Just six minutes in, Wiki Carmona latched onto a Prince Owusu delivery and drilled a left-footed effort from outside the box into the bottom left corner, giving the visitors an early lead that seemed to set the tone. Cincinnati, however, refused to buckle. Ender Echenique drew the hosts level in the 40th minute, tucking a right-footed shot from the right side of the box into the bottom left corner after Alvas Powell played him in. The equalizer lasted barely five minutes. On the stroke of half-time, Iván Jaime found Owusu in the centre of the box and the Ghanaian forward slotted calmly through the middle to restore Montréal's advantage heading into the break.
Cincinnati came out with renewed urgency after the interval and were back on level terms within seven minutes of the restart. Echenique, who had already scored once, turned provider this time — threading a pass to Ayoub Jabbari, who fired a right-footed shot from the left side of the box into the bottom left corner to make it 2-2. The momentum appeared to be shifting firmly toward the hosts. Then came the moment that threatened to unravel everything. In the 60th minute, Miles Robinson was shown a straight red card, leaving Cincinnati to navigate the remainder of the match a man short. Montréal immediately seized on the numerical advantage. Two minutes later, a penalty was awarded, and Owusu stepped up to convert with a composed left-footed finish to the bottom right corner in the 64th minute — his second of the night and what looked like the decisive blow.
Matt Miazga had already picked up a yellow card in the 62nd minute, and Cincinnati manager Pat Noonan moved quickly, bringing on Teenage Hadebe and Nick Hagglund to shore up a defence now stretched to its limits. Obinna Nwobodo was booked in the 66th minute as tensions rose, and Montréal looked increasingly comfortable protecting their lead. But football rarely follows the script. Tom Barlow, introduced from the bench in the 77th minute, made an immediate impact — steering a left-footed effort from the centre of the box high into the centre of the goal in the 80th minute to level the scores at 3-3. The TQL Stadium crowd, which had endured a rollercoaster of emotions, roared back to life.
The teams shared possession almost equally across the ninety minutes, a 50%-50% split that underscored just how evenly matched these sides were despite the red card. Both goalkeepers earned their wages: Evan Louro made four saves for Cincinnati, denying efforts from Hennadii Synchuk and Brayan Vera among others, while Thomas Gillier matched him with four stops of his own at the other end, including a fine stop to deny Evander.
The turning point, beyond Robinson's dismissal, was arguably Barlow's introduction. His goal changed the complexion of the final ten minutes entirely, transforming a nervy rearguard action into a platform for something extraordinary. With Montréal substituting Owusu off in the 74th minute — removing their most dangerous weapon — Cincinnati sensed blood. Denkey, lurking with intent, pounced from very close range in the 94th minute to fire past Thomas Gillier and send TQL Stadium into pandemonium. He was booked for excessive celebration in the 95th minute, but nobody in orange was complaining.
The scoreboard resets; the table does not. FC Cincinnati carry three precious points into their trip to face New York Red Bulls on April 4, while a deflated CF Montréal must regroup quickly before travelling to take on New England Revolution on the same date.
