Brenner scores 3 to beat D.C United, putting Cincinnati in MLS playoffs for first time
The Cincinnati soccer team (4–1–0) will play its first postseason match since MLS’s inception in 1996 on Saturday against D.C. United (3–5–3) at Nippert Stadium in Covington, KY. In order to advance to the MLS championship, Cincy will have to win its last two games, one against D.C. United and the other, against the New York Red Bulls (3–5–3), in the Cincy Derby. Cincinnati’s final regular-season game is Sunday, March 5 with two more games left on the schedule.
For Cincy, this could be a big first time step to advance to the postseason. This is only the second-straight season Cincy finished in the top 8 of the Eastern Conference, finishing tied for 3rd. This season, Cincy tied with Toronto FC for 3rd place. They are now in the top 4. The team set a national record for wins in a season when they won 14 games. This season, they are tied for 3rd place with Dallas FC.
Cincinnati’s 3rd-place finish in the Eastern Conference also tied a playoff record when Columbus, FC Dallas and Atlanta won the conference. That mark was set in 2015. Cincinnati also tied for 3rd place with Seattle and D.C. United. The Reds’ last playoff appearance came in 2000 when they made it to the MLS Cup final in a 3-2 overtime defeat against the New England Revolution. The Reds have won just twice on the road this season. Cincy has been the only team to not lose on the road this season.
The Reds have now lost four games with one tie since Week 8. Cincy’s only other loss came on July 1 when the team lost a 2-1 result to the Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium. This year, it is Cincy’s first loss in a 6- or more goal game since losing to the Los Angeles Galaxy on May 29 (4-1) at FedEx Field. In the past three games, Cincy has tied, lost and tied.
Cincy is off to its best start in nearly 17 years. Since 1995, when the club started playing in the U.S. Soccer League, Cincinnati has won three games on the season (1995, 1998,
