Luciano Acosta scored a goal and added an assist after coming off the bench at halftime and FC Cincinnati held on to a 2-1 victory at the New England Revolution on Sunday afternoon.
Yuya Kubo added a goal for Cincinnati (2-0-2, 8 points), which has earned both of its MLS victories on the road this season.
Acosta began on the bench after the 2023 MLS MVP played all 90 minutes of Cincinnati’s 2-1 defeat at CF Monterrey in CONCACAF Champions Cup play on Thursday.
Giacomo Vrioni pulled a late goal back for New England (0-4-0, 0 points), his first in MLS game since Aug. 30 after he also found the net in New England’s 1-1 draw at CD Alajuelense in CONCACAF Champions Cup play on Thursday.
The Revolution came closest to equalizing when Tomas Chancalay’s 81st-minute effort struck the top of the crossbar. Instead, they remained the only Eastern Conference team still without points this season.
Acosta entered at halftime and had an immediate impact, appearing to help Cincy take the lead in the opening seconds of the second half only for that sequence to be ruled offside.
Cincy went in front in the 52nd minute when Acosta’s in-swinging corner kick from the left bounded across the box and eventually found Kubo’s head at the far post.
Henrich Ravas scrambled to try and scoop Kubo’s header away from danger before it crossed the line, as the assistant referee confirmed the score.
Acosta added to the tally himself on a free kick from about 22 yards out two minutes later, driving a low shot beneath New England’s leaping defensive wall and inside the left post.
Vrioni pulled his goal back in the 62nd minute when he took advantage of a defensive giveaway and drove a low finish between the diving Roman Celentano and the left post.
The Revs led 17-13 in shots and 7-5 in efforts on target but could not find an equalizer.
–Field Level Media
