Kevin Denkey scored in the 78th minute to lift FC Cincinnati over the visiting Columbus Crew 1-0 on Monday to win their Major League Soccer playoff series opener.

The 24-year-old Togolese forward, who scored 15 goals in 29 regular-season appearances for Cincinnati, delivered the decider in the first game of the “Hell is Real” Ohio rivals playoff matchup.

Cincinnati, the second seed, took a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three first round series, which continues on Sunday in Columbus.

The series winner will meet either Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami or Nashville in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

The night’s only other match saw Minnesota win a penalty kick shootout 3-2 over visiting Seattle after a goal-less draw to grab the lead in their Western Conference series.

Minnesota goalkeeper Day

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