Jabbari's Late Strike Clinches Cincinnati's Fifth Straight Playoff Trip

FC Cincinnati are heading back to the playoffs. Ayoub Jabbari came off the bench and needed only six minutes to make the difference, tapping home the rebound in the 70th minute after Evander's shot was parried by Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake, as Cincinnati beat the Union 1-0 at TQL Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The win lifted the Orange and Blue to 12-11-10 and 46 points, and it guarantees a fifth consecutive postseason appearance under head coach Pat Noonan. It was Celentano's third clean sheet in 29 starts this season, with the goalkeeper standing firm late on. Philadelphia, who fell to 13-12-8 and 47 points, were shut out for a second straight match and for a seventh time in league play this season. Cincinnati now sit seventh in the Eastern Conference and can climb past Philadelphia into sixth with a win over Supporters' Shield winners Nashville on Decision Day next Saturday, November 7 — a result that would also keep them out of the single-game wild-card round.