FC Cincinnati have etched their name in MLS history by capturing the coveted Supporters’ Shield for the first time, following a dramatic 3-2 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday.
The remarkable achievement marks a stunning transformation for a team that had languished at the bottom of the league standings for its first three seasons in MLS.
Throughout the 2023 season, FC Cincinnati have been a force to be reckoned with, consistently leading the MLS regular-season standings.
Their triumph in Toronto has now solidified their position at the pinnacle of MLS, rendering them unassailable by their closest rivals—St. Louis City SC, Orlando City, and the New England Revolution—with just three games remaining in the season.
With a commanding 65 points from 31 matches, Cincinnati clinched not only the Supporters’ Shield but also the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. This means they will enjoy home-field advantage throughout the upcoming MLS Cup playoffs, a significant advantage as they aim to add to their burgeoning trophy collection.
This historic win makes FC Cincinnati the 16th different club in MLS’ 28-season history to hoist the Supporters’ Shield, and they become the fifth active team to achieve this feat within their first five seasons in the league.
What makes this achievement even more exceptional is Cincinnati’s early struggles in MLS, where they had previously occupied the undesirable position of the worst team in the league for three consecutive seasons. These initial seasons were marred by challenges on and off the field, making their triumphant rise all the more remarkable.
The decisive moment in the match came in the form of Aaron Boupendza’s second-half goal, which not only secured the Supporters’ Shield but also sealed the 3-2 victory over Toronto FC. Boupendza’s performance since joining FC Cincinnati during the July transfer window has been instrumental, with five goals in just eight regular-season matches.
This thrilling encounter saw a flurry of goals in the first half, with Brandon Vazquez and Toronto’s Jonathan Osorio each scoring twice within a 16-minute frenzy. Despite relinquishing an early two-goal lead, Cincinnati’s resilience shone through as they battled back to claim the victory.
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