Cincinnati snap six-game winless run with Atlanta victory as playoff race tightens

Noonan says breakthrough came at a crucial moment

FC Cincinnati ended a six-game winless run with a 3-1 victory over Atlanta United, giving the club a timely lift as it tries to hold onto an Eastern Conference postseason place. Cincinnati had gone three draws and three defeats without a win before the result at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Kevin Denkey scored twice in the second half and Tom Barlow also found the net. Cincinnati are ninth in the East with seven regular-season matches remaining, including five at home.

“It came at a very important time, and hopefully it's a win that can help propel us to a good stretch here,” head coach Pat Noonan said. He added that beating an Atlanta side close behind Cincinnati in the standings made the result significant, and said he was pleased that the team’s defensive performance was improving.

New England next after Seattle setback

Cincinnati’s next opponent, the New England Revolution, sit fourth in the Eastern Conference, three points behind second-place Inter Miami, but arrive after a 3-0 home loss to the Seattle Sounders. New England have lost their last two matches by that scoreline, following a three-game league winning streak.

Denkey’s brace against Atlanta brought his MLS season total to 16 goals. New England’s Peyton Miller, who had scored three times across the club’s previous two games, led the Revs with five shots against Seattle, putting four on target.

Recent home form offers Cincinnati encouragement

Cincinnati have taken 24 points from 12 home matches at TQL Stadium in the 2026 MLS season. They are unbeaten in five home league games since returning from the World Cup break, with three wins and two draws; their most recent was a 3-3 draw with Charlotte FC.

The teams’ earlier meeting this season went decisively New England’s way, with the Revolution winning 6-1 at Gillette Stadium in March. The supplied win-probability model gives Cincinnati a 50.1% chance of victory, compared with 25.2% for a draw and 24.7% for New England.