Orlando City played a good first half against Supporters’ Shield hopeful FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, OH. But a lack of finishing bit the Lions (14-7-10, 52 points) once again when Cincinnati (18-9-5, 59 points) played Orlando off the pitch in the second half, with Kevin Denkey eventually making the Lions pay for constantly giving the ball away. Orlando created chances late but continued to miss the target until Alex Freeman’s header deep in stoppage time rescued a road point for the Lions.

On another night, the Lions might have scored four or five goals, but good shot blocking by FC Cincinnati and a lack of lethality turned what could have been three points into what was almost zero points, and eventually turned into a single, hard-fought point.

“A very typical match against Cincinnati, against this rival that demands a lot of physicality in the game,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I think we coped with it. I think we had the personality to propose the game also when we had the ball.”

Pareja’s lineup featured Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Freeman. Kyle Smith joined Eduard Atuesta in central midfield for the second straight game between wingers Ivan Angulo and Marco Pasalic, with Martin Ojeda and Duncan McGuire up top.

Cincinnati dominated the early possession, but Orlando defended desperately and prevented the hosts from getting a clear-cut look in the opening moments. The only chance created came on a quick transition with a good ball in from Ender Echenique on the right finding Denkey in front. The striker headed on target but Gallese kicked it away.

Pedro at work early 💪 pic.twitter.com/eo2CSLWfda

— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) September 28, 2025

Orlando, meanwhile, struggled to settle into the match, misplacing passes early, including two that would have led to breakaways. Ojeda nearly sent McGuire in behind but the pass floated a bit, allowing Cincinnati goalkeeper Evan Louro to knock it out of play. A few minutes later, Orlando had a chance to send Ojeda behind off a cleared Cincinnati corner kick, but the ball was overhit and Louro was able to get to it first.

The Lions began to settle into the match after the opening 10 minutes and created some decent chances.

McGuire should have scored in the 11th minute. Pasalic found space on the left side and scorched a low cross into the area. Ojeda touched in on to McGuire, who settled it with a great first touch, but he poked his shot just inches wide of the left post. Two minutes later, Pasalic took a layoff just outside the box and fired with his right foot, but the defense blocked it.

Four minutes later, Cincinnati native Smith got into the box and fired a shot that the defense blocked out front. The rebound came back to Smith, who made a mess of the shot, sending the spinning ball well off target. Atuesta sent Ojeda forward with a good ball in the 19th minute, but the Argentine tried to drive left to get the ball on his dominant foot, allowing Miles Robinson to race back and force him wide without a shot.

Freeman ended up with the ball in the box on the left side in the 20th minute and fired a shot that deflected off Nick Hagglund and out for a corner. The set piece fell in the box at Brekalo’s feet, but Hagglund made another block in the 21st minute.

Evander found space on the right from long range in the 27th minute and sent in a cross that found Denkey at the top of the box, but the header again was hit at Gallese, who scooped it up on the bounce.

The Lions went the other way and Pasalic cut in from the right and laid off for Ojeda, who fired a shot that was once again blocked by a defender. Schlegel got a head to the cross but the shot deflected out for a second corner and the hosts were able to clear it.

In the last 15 minutes of the half, Cincinnati re-established itself in possession, started playing more physically, and won some set pieces.

Just past the half hour mark Atuesta was booked for fouling Pavel Bucha, giving Cincinnati a free kick. Evander went for goal but Jansson blocked it. Moments later, Atuesta appeared to suffer a foul in the attacking third but it wasn’t called. Brekalo was booked for pulling back Brenner on the ensuing counter. Two minutes later, Cincinnati won another free kick from range. Evander went for goal but Gallese easily caught it.

McGuire took a pass from Angulo in the box in first-half stoppage time and tried a first-touch shot but Hagglung once again blocked the effort, and it trickled harmlessly in front on the last play of the half.

At the break, Cincinnati had the edge in possession (55.4%-44.6%) and passing accuracy (88%-82.9%). The Lions held the advantage in shots (11-4) and corners (3-2). Both teams put two shots on target, with Denkey’s first of the game being the most dangerous. The difference in a comfortable halftime lead and a scoreless game was Cincinnati’s seven first-half blocks.

“I feel like we’re a team that creates a lot and, you know, maybe today we weren’t as clinical as we wanted to be, but that’s just something we know we should work on during the week,” Freeman said. “You know, obviously we’re not happy that we didn’t score as much goals as we wanted.”

The first couple of chances of the second half went Orlando’s way. Ojeda did well to pick out Freeman’s trailing run on the right in the 47th minute. The fullback shot immediately but tried to go near side and Louro had his post covered. The Lions won a corner and played it short, eventually picking out Ojeda outside the area. The Argentine blasted a shot that forced a sprawling save from Louro, who could only knock it to Jansson, and with a gaping net in front of him, the center back missed over the bar.

Cincinnati then settled into the second half and started creating in transition. Gallese made a decent diving save to deny Brenner’s shot from the top of the arc in the 50th minute. Two minutes later, Angulo lost the ball in the attacking third and the hosts countered, ending the movement with Denkey on the right. His shot toward the left post skipped wide.

The hosts nearly scored in the 58th minute when Echenique torched Brekalo on the wing and entered the box, dribbling toward the end line at the near post. Denkey went to ground and got up, with the winger trying to ping it to him, but the ball deflected and spun toward goal, where Gallese covered it.

The hosts kept coming as the Lions got sloppy with the ball again, giving up chances. Samuel Gidi was left in space about 30 yards out and had a hit. Gallese did well to catch the shot without spilling it in the 61st minute. A minute later, Evander was left alone outside the area, but the attacking star did not get a lot of power on his effort and sent it right at Gallese.

Second-half sub Alvas Powell cut inside and sent in a dangerous shot in the 69th minute but Gallese made another save. Two minutes later, it was Echenique cutting in from the right and firing but his shot hit Evander and caromed out of play.

Denkey broke the deadlock two minutes later. Substitute Tyrese Spicer started the Cincinnati possession by losing the ball in the attacking half. The hosts came forward and Evander sent the ball in to Denkey, who fired past Gallese’s outstretched arm and in to make it 1-0 in the 73rd minute.

Kévin Denkey buries it! @fccincinnati take the lead at home! pic.twitter.com/PiCTDjR1cg

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 29, 2025

“Middle of the second half, we started losing distances with their midfielders,” Pareja said. “We had three players with yellow cards. They were so timid in that part of the match to go hard and play as we played in the first half.”

Pareja sent some attacking subs into the match, but Orlando continues to create little because the Lions couldn’t keep the ball. Freeman managed a shot from a tight angle on the right in the 80th minute, but it was no trouble for Louro at his near post.

Brenner shot wide in the 83rd minute, but he may have been offside on the play anyway, but it kept the Lions in the match.

Schlegel received a booking in the 87th minute, which was significant, because he’ll miss the next match.

As the game entered seven minutes of stoppage time, the Lions suddenly roared to life, creating numerous chances but wasting most of them. The first of those was a good ball Freeman served up for Ojeda at the right post. The Designated Player fired with his weaker right foot and missed the net from point-blank range in the 92nd minute.

Two minutes later, Ojeda fed the ball in front for substitute Luis Muriel. The ball was behind the Colombian, who managed to redirect it toward goal, but again the shot missed the target. The Lions quickly took possession again and created more danger in the box, with substitute fullback Adrian Marin cutting in front of Ojeda to take the shot from the left, but the defender sent his shot fizzing inches wide of the right post on another wasted opportunity.

The stars finally aligned for the Lions in the sixth added minute. Spicer blazed down the left, lost Echenique with a great spin move, and sent a cross into the box for Freeman, who had pushed forward. The USMNT fullback leaped and met the ball at the perfect height, sending his header just inside the right post and past Louro to tie the match. It was the defender’s sixth goal of the season and his second in three matches.

ALEX FREEMAN FINDS THE EQUALIZER! pic.twitter.com/Jwslrjlcok

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) September 29, 2025

“I feel like when you’ve got a guy like Spicer coming in on the left side — a fast, physical, technical winger — it’s bound to get in the box somehow,” Freeman said. “So, I think it was just Spicer creating something out on the left side and be able to dribble past his defender, and then just flipping a great cross. And then, I was just there trying to put it in the corner, and that’s exactly what I did.”

“I have to give credit to these players, because their reaction was extraordinary,” Pareja said. “The way we created the chances…you see how many chances we missed today. So (their reaction is) what I want to highlight. I was so confident on this reaction of the players. After the goal they wanted to win it, too.”

FC Cincinnati tried to respond in the short time remaining and created a shot for Ayoub Jabbari, who flicked Evander’s cross on frame. Once again, Gallese was there. Moments later, the match was over and the two playoff-bound teams had to settle for splitting the points.

FC Cincinnati finished with the advantage in possession (56.7%-43.3%), passing accuracy (88.5%-83.5%), and shots on target (9-6). Orlando fired more shots (23-19) and won more corners (6-2).

“I feel like we had chances. I feel like we played a very good game. And I feel like the first 70 minutes, you know, we were dominating,” Freeman said. “We were going to get the goal. And then when they scored, our heads went down a little bit, but we just continued to fight, continued to fight. That’s what our motto is — to just be able to fight and fight. And to be able to get that goal and get that tie means a lot for us. Obviously, we wanted the three points, but to end up getting the tie and just keep that fighting spirit…very happy about that.”

“Second half, we felt that when we were losing 1-0 that the game was going to escape away from us, but I think the reaction from the players is outstanding,” “One more time the boys showed the culture that has been installed in this team and this club. So, we fought and we get this result that could have been better. Also it could have been worse. Typical match. I liked our personality tonight.”

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The Lions return home for their next two matches, hosting the Columbus Crew on Saturday.