Charlotte FC welcome FC Cincinnati to Bank of America Stadium on Saturday night with the two clubs separated by a single point in the Eastern Conference table.
Kick-off is Saturday, May 9, at 7:30 PM ET.
Charlotte sit seventh on 14 points but have lost four of their last five and are slipping. Cincinnati are sixth on 15 with back-to-back wins following three straight draws. Evander has been one of MLS’s best creators, and Kevin Denkey has six goals already.
The H2H tilts to Charlotte with three straight wins and no defeats in the last four meetings, and bet365 reflect that with Charlotte priced -109 — barely odds-on at home — and Cincinnati out at +260.
Best Bets & Predictions: Charlotte vs FC Cincinnati
| Our Prediction | Odds & Sportsbook | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte FC to win | -109 @ bet365 (52.0%) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Charlotte have won each of the last three meetings; Cincinnati are without multiple first-team regulars. |
| Pep Biel to score anytime | +160 @ bet365 (38.5%) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Biel has five goals and four assists in 11 — Charlotte’s most consistent attacking source. |
| Both Teams to Score: Yes | -200 @ bet365 (66.7%) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Cincinnati have shipped in nine of their last 10; Charlotte’s home games rarely stay clean. |
| Over 2.5 goals | -188 @ bet365 (65.3%) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Five of Cincinnati’s last seven matches have featured three or more goals. |
| Correct Score: 2-1 Charlotte | +800 @ bet365 (11.1%) | ⭐⭐ | A Pep Biel goal at one end, a Denkey or Evander reply at the other, Charlotte close it out. |
| Kevin Denkey to score anytime | +140 @ bet365 (41.7%) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Denkey has six goals in 10 — Cincinnati’s clearest finisher and the road threat. |
Our approach: Lead with Charlotte at -109, stack BTTS Yes for volume, and pick up Pep Biel anytime as the parlay leg.
Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.
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Prediction Markets: Live Odds & Win Probability
Note for US readers: Polymarket is now live for real-money trading in the US following its 2025 acquisition of QCX, a CFTC-regulated exchange, available in most states except Arizona, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey, Nevada and Ohio. New US users can claim a 100% deposit match up to $50 with code ACQUIRE05. Market prices shown are real-money figures from the Polymarket platform. Kalshi, also CFTC-regulated, trades in all 50 states.
Polymarket traders favor Charlotte as the home pick, but the line is much closer than the table position implies — Cincinnati’s edge in big-chance creation through Evander pulls the spread inward. Kalshi sits in the same range across the merged Match Result book. Both venues are on the home side, with neither willing to call this a runaway.
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Season Form & Standings
One point separates these two in the Eastern Conference, but both are still on the right side of the playoff line as it stands.
| Eastern Conference | Pos | GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC Cincinnati | 6 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 22 | 25 | -3 | 15 |
| Charlotte FC | 7 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 19 | -1 | 14 |
Tracking the playoff race? Bookmark the MLS standings and the MLS stats hub.
Potential Match-Winners
- Pep Biel (Charlotte FC): Five goals, four assists, and nine shots on target in 11 starts. The Crown’s creative engine.
- Idan Toklomati (Charlotte FC): Three goals and six shots on target in 10 starts as the focal striker.
- Wilfried Zaha (Charlotte FC): Two goals, four big chances created and 10 shots on target in nine — high-volume threat down the right.
- Kevin Denkey (FC Cincinnati): Six goals in nine starts and nine shots on target. The Orange and Blue’s best finisher.
- Evander (FC Cincinnati): Five goals, an assist, seven big chances created and 16 shots on target in 10 — the playmaker who turns Cincinnati’s good performances into results.
Head-to-Head
Charlotte have won each of the last three meetings, including a 2-0 home win in March 2025. Cincinnati’s only recent win was a 3-0 home rout in late 2023.
| Date | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 9, 2025 | FC Cincinnati 0-1 Charlotte | MLS |
| Mar 15, 2025 | Charlotte 2-0 FC Cincinnati | MLS |
| Jul 13, 2024 | FC Cincinnati 1-3 Charlotte | MLS |
| Sep 23, 2023 | FC Cincinnati 3-0 Charlotte | MLS |
Recent Form
Charlotte FC — L W L L L
- Apr 11: L 1-2 vs Nashville SC (home)
- Apr 18: W 2-1 at New York City (away)
- Apr 22: L 1-4 at Orlando City (away)
- Apr 25: L 2-4 at Nashville SC (away)
- May 2: L 0-1 at New England (away)
One win in five and three straight defeats. Charlotte have leaked goals — nine in the last three road games — and need home form to start delivering.
FC Cincinnati — D D D W W
- Apr 11: D 1-1 at Toronto (away)
- Apr 18: D 3-3 vs Chicago Fire (home)
- Apr 22: D 4-4 at New York City (away)
- Apr 25: W 2-0 vs New York Red Bulls (home)
- May 2: W 3-2 at Chicago Fire (away)
Five games unbeaten and two straight wins have pushed the Orange and Blue up the table, but there is still work to do, especially with their unreliable defense.
Charlotte vs FC Cincinnati Prediction
Charlotte have leaked, but they own the recent H2H, and Cincinnati are without four first-team regulars including Miles Robinson and Obinna Nwobodo. Take the Crown to win at -109, BTTS Yes for the volume, and Pep Biel anytime as the cleanest player-prop play.
Back Charlotte at bet365, or browse the bet365 review first. Other Eastern fixtures, including Toronto FC vs Inter Miami and New England Revolution vs Philadelphia Union are on the MLS hub.
Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.
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