Kévin Denkey caps two-goal effort with bicycle kick to lead Cincinnati over Sporting KC 2-1

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CINCINNATI (AP) — Newcomer Kévin Denkey scored a goal in each half — the second one with a bicycle kick — to lead FC Cincinnati to a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Saturday.

Cincinnati (7-2-1) has won five matches in a row and is unbeaten in six straight since suffering its only shutout of the season in a 2-0 loss to Charlotte on March 15.

Neither team scored until Denkey was in the right place to send a deflected save by Sporting KC goalkeeper John Pulskamp into the back of the net from the right side of the box in the 43rd minute.

The score stood 1-0 until Denkey dazzled everyone with his goal in the 78th minute for a 2-0 lead. Luca Orellano snagged his second assist on Denkey’s sixth goal in his ninth career appearance. Orellano has nine assists in 41 appearances in his two seasons in the league.

Sporting KC made things interesting when defender Zorhan Bassong scored his first career goal in the 89th minute. Erik Thommy snared his second assist this season and defender Andrew Brody earned his first in his second appearance. All three players entered in the second half.

Roman Celentano finished with three saves in goal for Cincinnati, which evened the series at 1-1-2 all time with all four being played at home.

Pulskamp totaled five saves for Sporting KC (2-7-1).

Sporting KC was coming off a 5-3 win over the San Jose Earthquakes that snapped an eight-match losing streak on the road and an 11-match winless streak away from home in all competitions.

Sporting KC will host the Los Angeles Galaxy on May 4. Cincinnati travels to play New York City FC on May 4.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer