Cincinnati saw off San Jose Earthquakes 4-2 in their Major League Soccer regular season encounter on August 1st, moving them closer to the playoff picture. The hosts dominated possession at 60 per cent and created more chances, though the match itself was far from straightforward. And here's the thing — you could sense the game slipping away from the visitors long before the final whistle.
Kyle Smith picked up a yellow card in the 20th minute, a moment that set the tone for what followed. D. Munie gave San Jose the lead at 26 minutes before Brian J. Ramirez Leon restored parity six minutes later. By then the visitors had already switched to a more cautious approach, and it showed in their numbers.
Timo Werner pulled the visitors ahead again at 57 minutes, but Cincinnati responded with urgency. Thomas Barlow equalised at the 80th minute and Evander turned the match with a goal just two minutes later. The result meant everything for Cincinnati's hopes, who sit seventh with 31 points from 23 games.
The statistics tell their own story. Cincinnati registered 11 shots on target against San Jose's two, while the visitors' goalkeeper made seven saves to keep the scoreline respectable. Expected goals stood at 2.67 for the hosts compared to 1.42 — a gap that reflected the quality of chances created.
San Jose remain fifth with 38 points from 24 matches, but this defeat ended a run of consistency. They had drawn with Los Angeles Galaxy in their previous outing before that heavy 4-0 loss to Orlando City. The visitors will need to regroup quickly if they want to maintain their position.
Ahuke Steve Kevin Denkey came on as a substitute in the 90th minute, while Amarou Jabbari added a late consolation goal for Cincinnati in stoppage time. The match finished with three yellow cards for the hosts and none for the visitors, a reflection of the intensity rather than any tactical discipline.