Evander, Kévin Denkey each score a goal, Cincinnati beats Fire 2-1 for 4th straight win

CINCINNATI (AP) — Evander Da Silva Ferreira — known simply as “Evander” — had a goal and an assist, Kévin Denkey also scored a goal and FC Cincinnati beat the Chicago Fire 2-1 on Saturday night for their fourth consecutive win.

Cincinnati (13-5-3) has 42 points, most in all of MLS, and moved ahead of Philadelphia (40) into first in the Eastern Conference.

Evander took the ball near midfield, raced down the right side to the edge of the penalty area and then flicked a shot that bent inside the back post into the side-net to open the scoring in the 19th minute.

Evander, racing down the right side, bent a low cross between to two defenders and goalkeeper Jeffrey Gal to Denkey on the left side of the area for a first-touch finish into a wide-open net to make it 2-0 in the 50th minute.

Philip Zinckernagel put away a one-touch shot — off a cross played by Andrew Gutman — for Chicago (8-7-4) in the 55th to make it 2-1.

Cincinnati also beat the Fire 3-2 in Chicago on April 19.

Denkey and Evander have 12 goals apiece this season. The duo became just the sixth pair of teammates in MLS history to record at least 12 goals each in the team’s first 21 games.

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