Evander aims to lead FC Cincinnati's second-half turnaround | OneFootball

By Charles Boehm

It’s been a hectic fortnight or so for Evander.

FC Cincinnati’s star playmaker led the Orange & Blue back from MLS’s FIFA World Cup pause with a wild 4-3 win over Thomas Müller and Vancouver Whitecaps FC on July 22, followed by a trip north to Columbus for a tight Hell is Real derby that fell 2-1 in the Crew’s favor last weekend.

He barely had time to catch his breath before jetting to Charlotte to take part in the MLS All-Star Game presented by Chime, where he chopped it up with Müller and other luminaries at the Skills Challenge, then scored the game-winner in a 4-3 win over the LIGA MX All-Stars at Bank of America Stadium after striking up fast friendships with the likes of Müller, Son Heung-Min and Sam Surridge.

After the final whistle, it was straight back to Cincy to prepare for another big one: A Walmart Saturday Showdown with Western Conference co-leaders San Jose Earthquakes at TQL Stadium, one of MLS Matchday 19’s most promising fixtures  (7:30 pm ET | Apple TV).

“After a tough game last weekend,” Evander told FCCincinnati.com’s Carter Chapley, “we need to give a win to the fans at home.

“Need to get back and prepare for that.”

Made for the moment

Busy stretches like these crop up often in the MLS stretch run, the 2026 edition of which figures to be particularly intense given the tight calendar of a World Cup year. Now in his fourth season in the league, Cincy’s Brazilian creator has grown familiar with those rhythms, and it’s the type of challenge he embraces – the bigger the stage, the better.

“With the responsibility that I have,” Evander told MLSsoccer.com in Charlotte, “I have to do well every game, and with no excuses, and try to do best for the team. It doesn't matter if it's an easy game or a hard game, I’ve just got to do my job and help the team in the best way.”

With 3g/5a in FCC’s last three matches, he's now on 10g/8a in league action, marking the third straight season in which he's hit double-digit goals – and it's likely just a matter of time before he does the same in assists.

That makes him the key danger for a Quakes side still seeking their first win since the World Cup after a record-setting 9W-1L-0D start to the campaign. Bruce Arena’s men leaked five goals across a home loss to Antoine Griezmann and resurgent Orlando City before a 1-1 Cali Clásico draw with rivals LA Galaxy last week. Though Evander takes care to note San Jose’s quality, he recognizes that they could be a vulnerable foe at present.

“Of course, Bruce is one of the most successful coaches in the league, and San Jose has been doing a really great season,” he said, “[but] I think it's a moment that we should take advantage, and we're going to be playing at home, which is good. We have all the conditions to win the game.”

Second-half push

Considering these teams’ recent results, this could well turn into a barnburner. Cincy have been one of MLS’s stingiest sides in recent years, but their defense has struggled mightily in 2026, conceding the third-most goals in the league (42) in their first 17 matches.

With Evander, striker Kévin Denkey and rising French frontrunner Kenji Mboma Dem, they possess enough attacking firepower to outscore opponents, even if head coach Pat Noonan would surely prefer more control and less drama.

“Of course we want the game to be a little bit more safe for us,” said Evander. “You want to win the games without all those crazy things happening during the game.

“It's a moment where our offense has been working pretty well and defensively, not so much. But I think we're going to adjust and get ourselves going again.”

Cincy’s streakiness has been a problem. They’ve weathered three winless skids that have kept them below their usual place in the uppermost regions of the table; they're currently seventh in the Eastern Conference and 15th in the Supporters' Shield standings. Evander believes they’ve benefited greatly from nearly two months to rest and rebuild their team concepts during the World Cup.

And with him in the XI, they’ve almost always got a shot on any given matchday.

“We have been a little bit up and down during the season, and I think we needed to restart and reset a little bit, and get ourselves going again,” said Evander. “Of course, when you lose a derby, you maybe think that the season is over, but it's not. It's not the end of the world, and we just need to keep going.

“I think the table is pretty mixed. It's not a big distance from where we are right now, and I think we can recover ourselves in a good spot.”

Match Trailer | FC Cincinnati seek rebound vs. San Jose Earthquakes