After scoring goals for fun in Belgium with Cercle Brugge, on Wednesday evening Togo national team striker Kévin Denkey gave FC Cincinnati supporters a look at what's to come after he bagged a goal on his debut in the team's first competitive match of the 2025 season.
The Major League Soccer club's record signing ($16.2 million) fired in the go-ahead goal as Cincinnati defeated Honduran club Motagua 4-1 in their first leg clash from the first round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. After a tight first half that ended 1-1, Denkey showed his quickness and penalty box instincts to finish soon after the break from Lukas Engel's pass.
Cincinnati, who qualified for the top club competition in North America by virtue of a strong regular season in 2024, have big expectations for the 24-year-old who scored 66 goals over four seasons in Belgium.
The club fell to a disappointing early exit in round one of the MLS Cup Playoffs last season and Denkey is the centerpiece of a new look attack as the Eastern Conference club attempts to make a breakthrough. Despite consistently performing well in recent regular seasons, Cincinnati have consistently exited prematurely when it really counts in the playoffs.
Cincy begin the 2025 MLS regular season on Saturday against New York Red Bulls before hosting Motagua in the second leg of their Champions League clash next Wednesday. If the Orange and Blue advance past their Honduran opponents as expected, Denkey and his teammates will face a stern test against Mexican giants Tigres in the Round of 16.
Comentarios