Cincinnati Vs Universidad O&m: Noonan Confirms Evander Will Miss Leg 2 as FC Cincinnati Hold 4-0 Lead
FC Cincinnati travel into the return fixture with Universidad O& M carrying a 4-0 aggregate advantage, and coach Pat Noonan has confirmed that midfielder Evander will not be available for the second leg after leaving the home opener at 13 minutes with a non-contact injury. The outcome of the match now has immediate consequences for both teams’ paths in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Cincinnati Vs Universidad O& m: First-leg margin, scorers and what's at stake
FC Cincinnati opened the series with a 4-0 victory on O& M’s turf, a result built on goals from Tom Barlow, Kévin Denkey and a brace from Ayoub Jabbari. That four-goal cushion means Universidad O& M must score four away goals in the return to force extra time; if the teams are level on aggregate and away goals after 90 minutes, the tie will proceed to extra time and potentially penalty kicks.
The aggregate winner of this Round One pairing will advance to face Tigres UANL in the Round of 16 next month. The broader competition remains a priority for MLS sides: nine MLS clubs are participating in the tournament this year, and the single-match Champions Cup final is scheduled for May 30.
Evander, Noonan and FC Cincinnati squad implications
Noonan confirmed that Evander’s early departure from the club’s home opener — a match in which he left after 13 minutes with a non-contact injury — rules him out of the second-leg meeting with Universidad O& M. The coach has noted management of the injury will factor into near-term selection decisions, with a potential return discussed for an upcoming league match against Minnesota.
Evander’s absence is a tangible loss for Cincinnati’s midfield structure. The club had carried momentum into the Champions Cup after following the first-leg win with a 2-0 victory over Atlanta United that kicked off their 2026 MLS season. With Evander unavailable, the team will need others to fill creative and defensive responsibilities in the second leg, and Kévin Denkey was singled out earlier as a player expected to have a key role in the competition.
Universidad O& M’s uphill task and O& M player to watch
Universidad O& M arrive needing an unusually large away goal haul to stay alive; four away goals would be required just to force extra time. The Dominican side’s recent form has been poor, with no wins in eight matches across competitions this year and a position at the bottom of the Liga Dominicana de Futbol Liguilla table. That run underlines the scale of what a comeback would demand.
Haitian winger Frantzety Herard is O& M’s leading scorer with 10 goals this season and is the clearest offensive threat if the visitors are to mount an upset. The tactical imperative for Universidad O& M is straightforward: press for high-value chances early and try to overturn the aggregate gap before the game slips away under Cincinnati’s advantage.
What makes this notable is how much the first-leg scoreline shapes both teams’ approaches: Cincinnati can manage the game with a defensive buffer and selective attacking forays, while Universidad O& M must adopt an aggressive posture from the first whistle to have any realistic path to extra time.
The second leg will determine which club advances to meet Tigres UANL in the Round of 16. With the Champions Cup offering a route into further intercontinental tournaments and a final set for May 30, the stakes extend beyond a single tie — each result here alters the competitive map for the coming weeks for both clubs.
