Evander leads FC Cincinnati in dominant Leagues Cup opener | OneFootball

By José Nuñez

Evander and FC Cincinnati are off to a strong start in Leagues Cup 2026 after defeating LIGA MX side Pachuca, 3-1, at TQL Stadium on Tuesday.

Although an early Pachuca goal brought a hush over the Cincinnati crowd, the players and staff did not panic. 

For better or for worse, it's a position that head coach Pat Noonan and the Cincinnati squad know well, and one they've proven they can overcome. 

“We've shown we can come back. We've shown we can respond even when we go down a goal, but respond better," Noonan told reporters postgame. "I don't know if it's necessarily better because when we play with the lead and when we play with confidence, it's a lot more enjoyable to play with a lead than it is to feel like you have to come from behind.

"...But the guys continue to work when things aren't going their way and try to find some solutions and get themselves back into the game."

Evander & Bucha shine

Despite falling behind after eight minutes, Cincinnati, led by Brazilian superstar Evander, stayed composed before breaking through just 10 minutes later.

As he so often does, Cincy's All-Star midfielder spectacularly equalized for FCC, firing a screamer past Pachuca goalkeeper Carlos Moreno and into the top-right corner. Evander's wonder goals are becoming nearly a weekly occurrence.

The goal marked Evander’s fifth across all editions of Leagues Cup in which he has competed and added another highlight to the résumé of Cincinnati’s on-field general.

Pavel Bucha gave Cincy the lead in the 39th minute with his fifth goal of the season, drawing high praise from Noonan for his relentless work rate. 

“It is amazing how he gets even more power, strength, motivation. His mental strength to push himself is very impressive,” Noonan said of Bucha’s ability to anchor the midfield despite a grueling post-World Cup schedule.

Leagues Cup launchpad

By defeating a Pachuca side featuring Venezuelan legend Salomón Rondón and former LaLiga veteran Oussama Idrissi, FC Cincinnati have now won four of their last five matches, finding peak form as they eye a deep run in the competition.

“When you are playing against a very strong side, the result is the most important thing,” Noonan said when asked whether preserving minutes after taking the lead became a priority.

Cincinnati must now maintain that momentum heading into their second Leagues Cup match on Friday, when they host Pumas UNAM at TQL Stadium (8 pm ET | Apple TV).

The LIGA MX side fell to Charlotte FC in their Leagues Cup 2026 opener, but boast plenty of star power, including former Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Pedro Vite and former legendary Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who will likely present another significant challenge.

“What we didn’t do well last year was follow up with a similar performance," Noonan said.

"We are in a good position, but we need to turn it around and have another strong performance.”

WATCH: Cincinnati ROUT Pachuca to kick off Leagues Cup in style