FC Cincinnati needed a lift, and Kevin Denkey delivered it in the most dramatic fashion possible.
The club-record signing scored in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time to give Cincinnati a 4-3 win over CF Montreal at TQL Stadium on Sunday, just four days after a crushing last-second loss to Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16.
The victory was made even more impressive by the fact that Cincinnati played the final 30 minutes with 10 men after Miles Robinson was shown a red card in the 60th minute.
Head coach Pat Noonan said the result was about more than the three points.
“It’s not about how pretty it looks; sometimes you just need the feeling of a win,” Noonan said. “The players experiencing the positive feeling of winning a game in front of our home fans is important at this moment.”
Cincinnati has struggled defensively to start the season, conceding 11 goals in five MLS matches. But getting the attack clicking and heading into the international break with confidence was the priority.
“You go into the international break with some positive feelings and momentum,” Noonan said. “They fought, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Denkey has been a bright spot amid a difficult start to the season. After posting 15 goals and two assists in his debut 2025 campaign, he now has six goals and one assist across all competitions in 2026.
“He’s maturing quickly,” Noonan said. “We know he can score goals, and we need to get him in those positions.”
Cincinnati sit ninth in the Eastern Conference with six points. They return to MLS action on April 4 against Red Bull New York at 7:30 p.m. ET on Apple TV.
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