FC Cincinnati forward Dominique Badji has been named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 22, the league announced Monday. Badji’s first brace with FC Cincinnati earned him his first weekly league honor with the club.
Badji’s brace bookended the scoring in the 2-2 draw on Saturday night in the Eastern Conference showdown between FC Cincinnati and the New England Revolution at TQL Stadium. The 30-year-old’s two-goal night marked his fourth career multi-goal game in Major League Soccer, his first since June 22, 2019 with FC Dallas vs Toronto FC.
Badji has earned eight league starts since May 17 and has provided six goal contributions in those games. His Saturday night goals marked his 41st and 42nd career goals in MLS.
The honor is Badji’s first weekly league honor for FC Cincinnati. His last weekly recognition came via a bench spot on the 2021 MLS Team of the Week for Week 34.
The naming of Badji to the MLS Team of the Matchday is the 25th recognition of an FC Cincinnati player on the weekly team this season. A full list of 2023 FC Cincinnati weekly honors:
2023 FC Cincinnati MLS Team of the Matchday Player Recognitions
- Obinna Nwobodo (Matchday 1, 3, 13-Bench)
- Brenner (3-Bench)
- Junior Moreno (4)
- Matt Miazga (5-Bench, 7, 15-Bench)
- Brandon Vazquez (5-Bench)
- Yerson Mosquera (6, 10)
- Álvaro Barreal (6-Bench, 9, 11-Bench, 16)
- Sergio Santos (9-Bench)
- Luciano Acosta (11-Bench, 13, 14, 16-Bench, 17-Bench, 20)
- Roman Celentano (14-Bench, 20)
- Dominique Badji (22)
The full team for Matchday 22 is listed below.
2023 MLS Team of the Matchday presented by Audi (Matchday 22)
F: Bongokuhle Hlongwane (MIN), Dominique Badji (CIN), Facundo Torres (ORL)
M: Gadi Kinda (SKC), Emanuel Reynoso (MIN), Thiago Almada (ATL), Randall Leal (NSH)
D: Yaw Yeboah (CLB), Tim Parker (STL), Brooks Lennon (ATL)
GK: Brad Stuver (ATX)
Coach: Nick Cushing (NYC)
Bench: Maarten Paes (DAL), Shaq Moore (NSH), Remi Walter (SKC), Douglas Costa (LA), Matías Pellegrini (NYC), Cristian Espinoza (SJ), Anderson Julio (RSL), Gustavo Bou (NE), Cucho Hernández (CLB)
