New York City FC vs FC Cincinnati: Odds, Spread, and Total
New York City’s rope-a-dope tactics paid off last weekend. The Pigeons phoned in their effort in the Leagues Cup Group Stage, hoping to preserve the starting 11’s fresh legs for…
New York City's rope-a-dope tactics paid off last weekend. The Pigeons phoned in their effort in the Leagues Cup Group Stage, hoping to preserve the starting 11's fresh legs for a big MLS contest against Nashville. The strategy worked, with Alonso Martinez striking a winner to give NYCFC a 2-1 victory.
Can the Pigeons fly above two marquee Midwestern teams in a row? We'll find out when New York City FC visits the Eastern Conference leaders from FC Cincinnati at 7:30 p.m. EST this Saturday.
Cincinnati bounced back from an upset loss to Charlotte by defeating host Portland 3-2 last round. The Orange and Blue is a minus-odds favorite for Saturday, but the Crown opened at a noble (+275) price.
Spread
- New York City FC +1 (+105).
- FC Cincinnati -1 (+175).
Moneyline
- New York City FC +310
- FC Cincinnati -152
- Draw +300
Total
- Over 2.5 (-182).
- Under 2.5 (+140).
The above data was collected on Aug. 22, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
New York City FC vs FC Cincinnati Betting Trends
- NYCFC has gone 5-1-2 in its last eight league matches.
- FC Cincinnati has lost three straight times on home grounds across competitions.
- Portland's goals ended Cincinnati's string of three straight clean sheets in MLS play.
New York City FC vs FC Cincinnati Injury Reports
New York City FC
- Forward Malachi Jones is out with a leg injury.
- Defender Thiago Martins is out with a leg injury.
- Defender Nico Cavallo is out with a leg injury.
- Midfielder Keaton Parks is out with a leg injury.
FC Cincinnati
- Forward Yuya Kubo is out with an ankle injury.
- Midfielder Obinna Nwobodo is out with a quad strain.
- Forward Luca Orellano is out with a leg injury.
- Forward Sergio Santos is out with a leg injury.
- Goalkeeper Paul Walter is out with a foot injury.
New York City FC vs FC Cincinnati Predictions and Picks
Saturday's match has the earmarks of two hot teams colliding. New York City FC has won two of its last three road matches, while FC Cincinnati just had a shutout streak snapped that the Orange and Blue's terrific back line maintained for over 300 minutes before Portland's goals scored last weekend. Yet, bookmakers view the contest more like a David-and-Goliath meeting due to Cincy's W/L/D record.
NYCFC's blog gushed with praise of the Pigeons after the Nashville win, saying that after months of New York City's games going under betting totals, the club's attack is finally "on the front foot." That usually means that midfielders are winning the football more often, but in this case, it's a reference to how the organization's swift wingers Hannes Wolf and Agustin Ojeda are spreading opposing back lines out, similar to the New York Giants stretching a secondary with long-bomb TDs … if that ever happens.
The standard MLS price on a home team would tilt Cincinnati's odds logically, except that this week's hosts have been faring poorly on home grounds. Our prediction is for the Crown to cover ATS.
