FC Cincinnati defeated Pumas UNAM 2–0 in a Leagues Cup group-stage encounter where the hosts made their superior efficiency count despite an even contest. Both sides shared possession at 50 per cent and registered 15 shots apiece, yet Cincinnati's clinical finishing proved decisive; Kenji Mboma Dem and Pavel Bucha each netted once, while Cincinnati's expected goals of 1.78 edged Pumas' 1.21. The Mexican visitors, deployed in a defensive 5–4–1 shape, created clear openings but squandered them, with their goalkeeper facing four shots on target but saving only one, conceding 2.0 expected goals above actual performance. Cincinnati's goalkeeper, meanwhile, recorded a perfect 100 per cent save rate across four shots faced, underpinning a clean sheet that underscored the home side's clinical control. Oliver Vergara oversaw the contest without incident. Cincinnati's victory positions them strongly in group play.