FC Cincinnati's final match of the 2021 Major League Soccer season went the way of so many others.
FC Cincinnati started strongly and took an early lead against an Atlanta United side seeking to clinch a playoff berth but capitulated one final time in a 2-1 loss Sunday at TQL Stadium.
After Zico Bailey scored for 1-0 in the 21st minute, Cincinnati squandered its lead be conceding goals to Miles Robinson and FC Cincinnati-killer Josef Martinez in the 70th and 79th minutes, respectively.
The circus shot Martinez scored was the sixth of his career against FCC.
Cincinnati his response over the final 11 minutes of the regular season, which the club ended on a 12-match losing streak.
The loss also meant that Cincinnati would end its third MLS campaign on a 4-22-8 record, matching franchise worsts for single-season losses (22) and victories (4).
Corrective actions – firings, the hire of a new general manager in Chris Albright and an ongoing process to find the club's next permanent head coach – were taken late in the season but did nothing to improve results.
FC Cincinnati went 0-9-0 after Jaap Stam was fired as head coach Sept. 27.
Atlanta's win saw it climb into fifth place in the Eastern Conference and secure its MLS Cup playoff berth.
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