After two years of building, everything came to fruition for CT United FC as the club took the field for the first time, squaring off against FC Cincinnati 2,
Things got off to a good start as former Gonzaga midfielder Robbie Mora scored the club’s first goal just before halftime. A phenomenal strike from Alex Monis and Ibrahim Kasule led CT to secure all three points following a 3-1 victory.
Here are three thoughts.
1 - Monis’ Magnificence
It may have been my Revolution II bias, but I was really high on Monis coming into the 2026 season. I believed he was a tremendous addition for the MLS NEXT Pro newcomers, and he showed it in Sunday’s opener.
On top of finding the back of the net, Monis also had three key passes, two successful dribbles, drew three fouls, completed 25 of 34 passes, and had three defensive contributions.
I think Monis’ biggest impact came on corners as he consistently delivered the balls perfectly. Unfortunately, they didn’t result in any goals, but if Monis can continue that type of delivery, CT’s set pieces will be a threat to opposing defenses.
2 - Defying Expectations
It was honestly hard to gauge where this team would be on opening day, as outside of Monis and Kasule, there was zero MLS NEXT Pro experience on the roster. Watching them play, you couldn’t tell that was the case as the team did a good job moving the ball and creating chances while severely limiting FC Cincinnati 2.
If this is how CT United looks on Matchday One, I’m thrilled to see how they’ll look as they progress throughout the season and continue building chemistry.
3 - Applewhaite’s Application
I really liked how involved Andre Applewhaite was on both sides of the ball. Looking at the heat map, it's clear the left back was all over that left flank, and the stats show how impactful he was.
Applewhaite ended the day with two defensive contributions, three key passes, one big chance created, completed 19 of 26 passes, and completed two of three long balls.
I hope we continue seeing Applewhaite be that big presence on both sides of the ball. I also hope we see that type of production translate to the opposite side of the pitch.
