Evander overshadows Messi to push FC Cincinnati toward second trophy in three years

Cincinnati defeated Miami 3-0 and pulled all of the chatter, all of the narrative and all of the headlines back from Messi's Miami in 90 tidy minutes of play. The win was orchestrated by Evander, Cincinnati's criminally underrated Brazilian playmaker; he scored twice while running rampant throughout Miami's bewildered defense. It was a star-making performance from a man who really should be known as a star already.

Much of Evander's MLS journey, from his arrival to his big-money Cincinnati transfer to his very real league-leading stats this season, has been overshadowed by Messi mania, and that's a real shame. He's pushing MLS forward with just as much vigor as Messi is. The Argentinian entered this Cincinnati-Miami clash having scored in five straight games, but Evander finished it having pulled off exactly the same feat. He's been scoring everything from free kicks to headers to poached striker's goals this season and has fundamentally changed Cincinnati's fortunes while doing so. Cincinnati has long been a team that is structurally organized but lacking an explosive playmaker; Evander has flipped the script on that and lifted the whole squad in the process. They all look better when he's on hand to elevate their plays.

"He's just, like, so effortless with everything he's doing,” laughed Evander's Cincinnati teammate Lukas Engel. “Sometimes it's a little bit annoying for everyone else, because we're trying so hard just to get the small things right, and for him, it's just natural.”

“He has a really high soccer IQ," said Evander's Cincinnati coach Pat Noonan. "He's a pleasure to work with, and he's also somebody you can challenge: ‘Hey, this isn't good enough.’ And he's going to think about it, and he's going to take that information and try to get better."

Evander's creative explosion couldn't be happening at a better time. Just 11 games remain in the MLS regular season; Evander's summer heroics mean every one of them is downhill for Cincinnati. The Ohio-based club is second in the Supporters' Shield standings, just one point behind the over-performing Philadelphia Union, and looks primed to take home its second Shield in three years.

That means something for the area. Cincinnati's first Shield win back in 2023 was the city's first major sporting trophy since the Reds won the World Series in 1990. Bringing a second trophy back to southern Ohio in such a short timeframe would be a dream — and Evander's made it his mission to bring it to life.

"Now is my time to help the club and write my name in the story of the club," he said. "We are strong enough to win the league."

Evander and Cincinnati will return to MLS action on Saturday, July 19 against Real Salt Lake.