Brayan Ceballos, New England Revolution defender, celebrated his first goal against FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano on March 15, 2026, during the first half at Gillette Stadium. It was a significant moment in a match that saw Cincinnati fall to the Revolution, capping off an early season that had its share of action and drama for the squad.
Early Season Rollercoaster
Before that March 15 matchup, Cincinnati had already been through a whirlwind. They absolutely crushed O&M FC 4-0 in their Concacaf Champions Cup opener back on February 18. Kevin Denkey and Tom Barlow were on the ball, with Kyle Smith, a La Salle graduate and new 2026 player, playing in his first game for the club. Bryan Ramirez, also a new 2026 player, passed the ball during that dominant win.
Just a few days later, on February 21, things got intense against Atlanta United FC. Defender Nick Hagglund headed the ball on goal and later passed it forward. But Evander, their midfielder, unfortunately reached for his calf after suffering an injury in that first half. Then, on February 28, Cincinnati faced a tough 1-0 loss at Minnesota United in Major League Soccer action. Bryan Ramirez passed the ball and Miles Robinson surveyed the field during that match.
Standout Players and Training Insights
Beyond the results, individual player moments were big in this early stretch. Kevin Denkey, the forward, scored on a penalty kick against Red Bull New York, celebrating with midfielder Evander. Pavel Bucha, a midfielder, showed he was ready to step up, even scoring a goal against Pachuca in the Leagues Cup Phase One match on August 4. He also kept a close eye on Kristian Fletcher with the ball during a training session on July 7 at Mercy Health Training Center.
Bryan Ramirez, along with Tom Barlow and Kyle Smith, were among the new players warming up for the 2026 season back on February 20 at the Mercy Health Training Center. Nick Hagglund was also active in training. Forward Ayoub Jabbari was battling against New England Revolution defender Mamadou Fofana on March 15, keeping his eye on the ball in the first half.
The early 2026 season for FC Cincinnati was a whirlwind of action, from dominant wins in the Concacaf Champions Cup to challenging MLS matchups and key player moments like Brayan Ceballos’s first goal. With so much already happening before August, every game clearly matters. What’s next for this squad?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply