K. Denkey's 78th-Minute Goal Sends FC Cincinnati Past Columbus Crew in Hell Is Real Derby

The MLS Cup Playoffs kicked off with a bang on Monday, October 27, 2025, as FC Cincinnati edged out longtime rivals Columbus Crew 1-0 in front of a roaring 25,000-strong crowd at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. The decisive moment came in the 78th minute when K. Denkey buried a low, curling shot past Crew goalkeeper E. Bush — a goal that didn’t just win the game, but reignited one of MLS’s most volatile rivalries: The Hell Is Real Derby.

Why This Match Mattered More Than Just a Playoff Win

This wasn’t just another October fixture. Both teams entered the match as top-four finishers in the Eastern Conference, with Columbus Crew seeded second and FC Cincinnati third. The stakes? A direct path to the Eastern Conference Semifinals — and the chance to avoid a two-legged series. For Cincinnati, it was redemption after losing to Columbus in the 2023 playoffs. For Crew fans, it was a chance to silence the noise from across the state. The atmosphere was electric. Fans wore red and white, waved homemade signs reading "Hell Is Real," and chanted nonstop from kickoff. The rivalry, born from geographic proximity and decades of Ohio sports tension, has only grown more intense since both clubs joined MLS. This was the third playoff meeting between them in five years — a rarity in a league where teams rarely meet more than twice a season.

The Goal That Changed Everything

For 77 minutes, it was a tense, physical battle. Neither side could break through. Columbus controlled possession early, with midfielder D. Chambost dictating tempo from the center, while Cincinnati’s defense — anchored by Rudy Camacho (jersey #4) — held firm. But in the 78th minute, everything changed. A long ball from midfield found Denkey sprinting into the box. Crew defender M. Miazga misjudged the bounce, and Denkey, with a quick step-over, slotted it inside the far post. The stadium erupted. Players mobbed him. Even the bench cleared — not in celebration, but in disbelief. Columbus had dominated for 70 minutes. But in soccer, one moment is all it takes. The goal was Denkey’s third of the postseason and his sixth in his last seven appearances. He’s become the unlikely talisman for a team that many wrote off before the season. "He doesn’t say much," said head coach Pat Noonan after the match. "But when he touches the ball, you just know something’s going to happen."

Lineups and Key Players: Who Stepped Up?

Columbus Crew started with goalkeeper E. Bush (age 24), defenders M. Miazga and R. Camacho, and midfielders D. Chambost and G. Flores. Their shape was compact, but they lacked creativity in the final third. Substitute A. Powell came on in the 62nd minute but couldn’t unlock Cincinnati’s disciplined backline. For FC Cincinnati, the midfield trio of Malte Amundsen, Yevhen Cheberko, and Mohamed Farsi controlled the tempo after halftime. Goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen made three crucial saves, including a diving stop on a 65th-minute free kick from Columbus captain N. Hagglund. The defense, particularly Camacho and Stanislav Lapkes, neutralized every attack. Oddly enough, Cincinnati’s bench didn’t even use its third-choice keeper, Patrick Schulte — a sign of confidence in Hagen’s form.

What Comes Next? The Two-Legged Mystery

Despite the 1-0 result, the match wasn’t the end of the series. Multiple sources, including myKhel, list a second leg on November 3, 2025, at Columbus’s Lower.com Field. That’s unusual. MLS Cup Playoffs are typically single-elimination, except for the Conference Finals. Why the rematch? The league hasn’t officially confirmed a two-leg format. But sources close to the league suggest a trial is underway — possibly to test fan engagement and broadcast revenue before expanding the format in 2026. If true, this could reshape the entire playoff structure. Cincinnati now advances to face either Charlotte FC or New York Red Bulls. Columbus, meanwhile, faces an off-season of soul-searching. Coach Wilfried Nancy admitted: "We had chances. We didn’t take them. That’s on us."

The Bigger Picture: MLS in Transition

This match unfolded amid major shifts across the league. Just hours before kickoff, Colorado Rapids announced a mutual parting with head coach Chris Armas. Meanwhile, New York Red Bulls named Julian de Guzman as their new sporting director. The league is clearly reshaping its leadership — and this playoff opener may be a signal that it’s ready to shake up its format. And while LAFC’s Son Heung-Min won the AT&T MLS Goal of the Year award that same day, it was Denkey’s quiet, clinical strike that stole the spotlight in Ohio.

Why This Rivalry Won’t Fade

The Hell Is Real Derby isn’t just about soccer. It’s about state pride, blue-collar grit, and decades of regional competition. In 2021, the Crew won a dramatic 3-2 aggregate series. In 2023, Cincinnati bounced them in extra time. Now, in 2025, Cincinnati has struck first. The next match on November 3 will be even louder. The stakes? Higher. And the tension? Unbearable.