Enrique scores twice as Orlando beats Cincinnati

CINCINNATI (AP) — Ramiro Enrique scored twice to reach eight goals in his last 12 games and Orlando City beat Cincinnati 3-1 on Saturday night.

Orlando (15-11-7) can clinch homefield advantage in the first round of the MLS playoffs if New York City does not beat Nashville on Sunday.

Cincinnati (17-11-5), which finished with a 7-7-2 record at home, will travel to Philadelphia for its final match of the regular season on Oct. 19.

Enrique opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Kyle Smith, a Cincinnati native, curled a pass behind the defense that Enrique knocked in from the penalty spot.

Iván Angulo gave Orlando a 2-1 lead in the 66th. Enrique settled a cross that Angulo ran to for a one-touch finish that goalkeeper Roman Celentano got his hands before rolling into the back of the net.

Enrique scored again in the 72nd on an easy tap-in following a defensive mistake.

Orlando has scored 58 goals this season, surpassing its previous club record of 55 in 2016 and 2023.

Cincinnati's lone goal came in the 45th when Luciano Acosta curled in a shot from the corner of the box to tie it at 1-all. Acosta's 14th goal of the season caught goalkeeper Pedro Gallese cheating the wrong way.

Acosta’s 33 goal contributions this season are two more than his 2023 MVP campaign.

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AP MLS: https://apnews.com/hub/major-league-soccer