Playing without one of its two headline-making new stars on offense, FC Cincinnati produced a 2-2 draw Saturday with a quick burst of brilliance from the other.

Evander, a 26-year old Brazilian whom FC Cincinnati acquired from the Portland Timbers before the season, scored twice in a six-minute span in the second half as the Orange and Blue rallied from a 1-0 deficit to tie Atlanta United FC. Atlanta scored a late goal to salvage the draw.

Cincinnati is now 2-1-2 on the season for seven points, avoiding a second straight defeat in MLS play. Cincinnati stood in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with six points entering play, with 12 games kicking off later Saturday.

Cincinnati persevered without its star striker transfer Kévin Denkey, who played for Togo in a World Cup qualifying match earlier Saturday. Denkey scored the tying goal in the second half as Togo drew 2-2 with Mauritania.

Fans at TQL Stadium got to see Atlanta’s headline-making transfer Emmanuel Latte Lath open his Cincinnati account. Latte Lath, a 26-year old from the Ivory Coast, scored his fourth goal of the season in the 50^th minute to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead.

Atlanta signed him with a reported record $22 million transfer fee from Middlesbrough in England’s Championship league. He has four of the five goals this season for Atlanta, which dropped to 1-1-3.

Evander tied the game for FC Cincinnati in the 70^th minute with a free kick from 24 yards. He fired an accurate laser up the middle that Atlanta keeper Brad Guzan appeared to lose in the sun.

Six minutes later, Evander took a pass near the penalty spot at the 12-yard mark, and while falling off balance to his left, he directed the ball inside the far post with his right foot to give Cincinnati a 2-1 lead.

Atlanta tied it in the 89^th minute when a crossing pass deflected off Cincinnati’s Alvas Powell and inside the post.

It was a key early match for both teams

The match paired two clubs who are expected to contend for first place in the Eastern Conference but who have had their struggles so far in the 2025 MLS season. Atlanta entered the day 12^th in the East with four points and had eight members of its first-team roster gone for international play.

FC Cincinnati faced Atlanta using a different back line without two of its regular starters. Miles Robinson was a late scratch due to illness and Teenage Hadebe was unavailable as the Zimbabwe native is in his home country working on getting a green card.

Nick Hagglund recorded his 120^th career start for the Orange and Blue, and 176^th all-time MLS start. He took the middle of the back line with Lukas Engel and Alvas Powell on the outside.

At halftime, Hagglund was replaced by Corey Baird, with DeAndre Yedlin moving to the back line.

The first half was fast-paced with 12 shots and 19 fouls

The first half was fast-paced and physical, with 19 total fouls and three injury stoppages. Kubo and center back Lukas Engel received yellow cards for Cincinnati.

Atlanta had seven shots to five for FC Cincinnati.

Seven minutes in, Atlanta star winger Saba hit the post on a laser from about 25 yards out. Moments later, FC Cincinnati just missed scoring from a deflection off a free kick by Evander.

Brad Guzan, a 40-year old playing his 305^th MLS game in goal, 235^th for Atlanta, made a tough save on Nick Hagglund from close range.

In the 16^th minute, FC Cincinnati’ sLuca Orellano, celebrating his 25th birthday, had a free kick from the side of the 18 punched out by Guzan.

In the 35^th minute, Cincy keeper Roman Celantano made a diving save at the goal line on Xande Silva.

In stoppage time, Guzan saved a 25-yard shot by Evander and Celantano made a tough save on a corner kick.

The tempo continued in the second half. Cincinnati ended with 14 shots to 12 for Atlanta, and the teams combined for 29 fouls.

The match was the fourth straight time FC Cincinnati has played to a draw at home during an afternoon kickoff. The team had three 0-0 draws last season in the afternoon at TQL Stadium. FC Cincinnati has two wins, four losses and now five draws in 11 day home games all-time at TQL.

What’s next for FC Cincinnati?

It was the first time FC Cincinnati has had a full week between games since the beginning of the season Feb. 19.

Counting its four games in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Orange and Blue had played eight games in the first 25 days of the 2025 season.

Now that FC Cincinnati has been eliminated from the Champions Cup, the team will only have weekend MLS games until it plays at Toronto FC on Wednesday, May 14.

FC Cincy next plays at Nashville Saturday, March 29, then returns home to face New England April 5. Nashville is 2-1-1, fifth in the Eastern Conference with seven points entering a home game against Montreal Saturday night.