Alvas Powell, tracking back to defend a cross, reached out with his foot, looking to block the sent-in ball by Atlanta forward Saba Lobjanidze. But the block attempt deflected the ball into the FC Cincinnati net and equaled the score. An unfortunate, frankly unlucky, but certainly unintentional error made late that FCC couldn’t overcome. And after conceding the first goal of the match and then coming back with two goals of their own late in the second half, the good feelings of a come-from-behind win were soured.

Photos © 2025 Andrew Sidchack/Loveland Magazine

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Earning three points, with all the external factors attached to it would have been even more swell. Missing its top striker due to International Duty and missing three center backs due to injury, illness and yellow card suspension, FC Cincinnati could have snagged a victory while shorthanded. But at the end of the game, what became clear was that, based on what Head Coach Pat Noonan said postgame, a win would overcome more than the forces they couldn’t really control. .

It would be overcoming the fact that they just plainly didn’t play their best.

“Overall, it was an average performance. The first half was sloppy. Just technically poor, passing and decision-making led to unnecessary transition moments, and I think we cleaned that up in the second half. Certainly a good response after going down a goal,” Noonan explained in an analysis of his team’s performance. “So, yeah, overall disappointing.”

FC Cincinnati had several players play out of position due to availability, a challenge that left FCC out of rhythm and, in parts, uncomfortable. Noonan praised those players who were out of position, both for their effort and willingness, in addition to their performances, given the circumstances. Still, the changes certainly left FCC in a pickle. Players like Powell, DeAndre Yedlin, Lukas Engel, Yuya Kubo and Corey Baird were all deputized to play center back or wingback out of position and apprised themselves well. But the performance just didn’t rise, as a whole, to a level beyond what Noonan said was average.

“Some guys were challenged by playing out of position, and for the most part, guys handled those responsibilities in a pretty good way,” Noonan explained. “But you could see just the rhythm off at times with decisions. I think we got away from some of the things that we kind of prepared that could have allowed us to move up the field in a better way more consistently.”

The come from behind second half performance, the one that Noonan praised as being an improvement on the ‘sloppy’ first half was fueled by Evander creating a brace for himself and, for perhaps the first time in an FC Cincinnati uniform, enforcing his will on the match.

His first goal, a free kick that deflected off the Atlanta wall, freezing the goalkeeper, was created because of his ball control and passing through the midfield and into the final third of the Atlanta zone. The well-taken set piece resulting in a goal was just a cherry on top. The second goal, a run into the box after Pavel Bucha carried the ball through the midfield was a finish that reminded everyone of how dominant an attacking force he can be.

“That is the responsibility of the number 10,” Evander explained postgame, explaining how he was able to create his goals and the importance of them in the match. “When a game is like that, we need to take responsibility and try everything we can to tie the game and then get the result. I think that’s something that I have to deal with.

“This is a good responsibility,” Evander clarified. “It is just a part of my game as well. So there’s nothing really crazy to it… it’s just something that we needed.”

“He’s been pretty consistent for games now,” Pat Noonan said of Evander postgame. “I think you see the impact that he has with making plays. There are a couple forced moments in the second half when we’re trying to find a goal – I think our entire group can be more patient and play a more simple way and we can still be very effective – but he does a good job. He’s just got a real smooth way about how he finds space for himself, his teammates. So, he’s certainly been impactful.”

The end game of the match came down to the own-goal that solidified the draw. After the second goal of the Evander brace in the 75th minute, FC Cincinnati needed to see the game out, and the concern Noonan raised postgame was not in the immediate action of the own goal – an obvious and clearly unintentional error – but in the build-up to it. While acknowledging that there were many players playing out of position or in a collection along the back line that was largely new to them, Noonan highlighted that the defensive recognition on the play was lacking. Even if the ball had made it through and not deflected off the blocking Powell, it was a problematic play and one that would have resulted in a dangerous situation regardless.

“It was just poor organization on the play,” Noonan said of the play. “Our defensive organization wasn’t good and some of their positioning ahead of the ball we didn’t recognize. It was just too easy for them to get the ball into the box.”

FC Cincinnati now turn their attention to Nashville SC, their next match on the calendar. This match, in some ways, can be a difficult one to evaluate, but the lessons taken from it will be felt and learned. In future matches, it seems unlikely (albeit not impossible) that FCC will have exactly one natural centerback available and that centerback will only be available for a half due to his return from surgery, so attackers won’t be enlisted as defenders and others won’t be away on international duty. But the themes Noonan laid out, things like organization or sticking to a game plan, are places they can grow – and intend to do so.

“We’ll be fine,” Noonan said simply and calmly. “We just have to continue to work and train, and we have plenty of time to do that to improve and find a better rhythm, and overall, just better and more consistent play.”

A draw is all they have to settle for this weekend. But “settling” is hardly “satisfied.” That much was clear Saturday afternoon.