STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Austin FC – 23.03.2024

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After losing 2-0 at fierce rivals Atlanta United, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now return to Central Florida to welcome Austin FC to Inter&Co Stadium for the very first time in MLS.

Down in the dumps right now, the Lions are winless in four MLS games, scoreless in three, and currently second bottom in the Eastern Conference in what has truly been a nightmare start to 2024. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Atlanta United vs Orlando City SC – 17.03.2024

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The MLS schedule makers certainly haven’t made it easy on Orlando City SC with Oscar Pareja‘s Lions now flying north above Interstate 75 to visit rivals Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in only our second away league fixture of 2024.

Embarrassingly humbled 5-0 at fellow rivals Inter Miami in our last MLS away fixture, City supporters are demanding a much more professional, committed, and gutsy performance this time around. But this will be anything but straightforward, not just because of The Five Stripes’ packed 40,000+ home crowd but because of our current state of mind.

City not only lost 2-3 to Minnesota United in MLS last Saturday but also got eliminated from the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup on Tuesday. Defeated 4-2 on aggregate by Tigres UANL in the Round of 16 stage, it’s truly been a miserable start to the year for Orlando City SC, whom much more was expected of, albeit facing a tough and unforgiving schedule to kick off our 2024 campaign. Continue reading

Twitter reacts to… Orlando City SC’s Duncan McGuire joining Blackburn Rovers on loan

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With England’s January transfer window deadline having just closed at 11pm (GMT), Orlando City SC have now announced that Duncan McGuire has joined EFL Championship side Blackburn Rovers on a six-month loan. With Tom Bogert confirming that the loan fee is worth $700,000 with a purchase option of around $7 million, plus $2.5 million in add-ons, McGuire’s move across the pond comes after he reportedly rejected a contract extension in Central Florida. This alone is merely half the story however!

A high drama situation that has been unravelling all week, Blackburn looked all set to wrap up the deal yesterday. However, despite McGuire flying to England on Wednesday to seal his transfer to Ewood Park, Rovers then pulled out of a rumoured $4 million deal for the recently capped USMNT striker at the eleventh hour due to ‘financial reasons’. This not only left McGuire – on his transatlantic flight at the time – in limbo but also the Orlando City SC Front Office and City supporters who all faced an unprecedented transfer saga, or should we say soap opera, that has truly had supporters, journalists, and pundits transfixed since last weekend. News of the Blackburn deal collapsing then alerted McGuire’s other suitors Sheffield Wednesday with the striker spotted at Kenwood Park Hotel in Sheffield this morning.

Are you still following? From here, after cheekily attempting to hijack Orlando City SC’s move for David Brekalo, Blackburn remarkably re-entered negotiations for Duncan McGuire, and at 4:15pm this afternoon, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano put everybody out of their misery by tweeting that McGuire was “on his way to Blackburn to sign on loan with an option to buy clause.”

A saga that has had more twists and turns than the VelociCoaster at Universal Islands of Adventure, it’s been one of the craziest weeks in Orlando City SC‘s MLS history. With Duncan McGuire joining Rovers on loan until July, City must now wait to cash in on the 22-year-old with the start of our 2024 campaign looming large. A shock for some and an inevitability for others, City have now been forced back into the transfer market to find a starting centre forward replacement for the recently capped USMNT striker with Colombian international Luis Muriel looking the most likely candidate as we speak. Continue reading

Winners revealed in Orlando City UK’s 2023 end-of-season awards

This past week, we asked the Orlando City SC Twittersphere to select their Orlando City SC Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year for 2023 as part of our annual Orlando City UK end-of-season awards.

A public vote designed to recognise the standout Orlando City SC players in our highly impressive, yet agonisingly unfruitful 2023 campaign, we can now proudly reveal the winners as voted by you! Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Chicago Fire vs Orlando City SC – 20.08.2023

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Eliminated from the 2023 Leagues Cup back on August 2, Orlando City SC return to MLS regular season action, travelling to the Windy City to take on Chicago Fire at Soldier Field.

Prior to the Leagues Cup break, Oscar Pareja‘s Lions climbed to fifth in the Eastern Conference – and just one point off fourth-placed Nashville SC – after an impressive run of three victories in four MLS fixtures. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Tampa Bay Rowdies – 20.04.2022

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After a two-season absence due to COVID-19, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is back and so is the eagerly anticipated return of the I-4 Derby.

With Orlando City SC facing old minor league rivals Tampa Bay Rowdies competitively for the first time since 2014, this intriguing third round clash is dripping in nostalgia. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Atlanta United – 17.04.2021

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With memories of the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs defeat to New England Revolution now faded, anticipation fills the air as Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC kick off the 2021 Major League Soccer campaign.

Starting at home for a seventh consecutive season in MLS, the Lions face fierce Georgia rivals Atlanta United. This was after defying all expectations to finish fifth overall last season. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Atlanta United – 28.10.2020

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After losing at Inter Miami 2-1, Orlando City SC return to Exploria Stadium to face their other rival Atlanta United for the fourth and final time this regular season.

It’s been all change this year with The Five Stripes languishing in twelfth place while Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC qualified for the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs with five games to spare. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs New York City FC – 14.10.2020

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Unlucky to draw 0-0 at Atlanta United, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC return to Exploria Stadium for a home game against New York City FC.

Rested after Sunday’s Columbus Crew game was postponed due to two COVID-19 cases in the Crew staff, this is a big opportunity to help solidify a top four place and seeding in the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs. Continue reading

Who is Orlando City SC transfer target Pedro Gallese?

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The number of Orlando City SC off-season additions currently stands at five and there could well be a significant sixth joining very soon.

According to a report from Peruvian source Trome yesterday, Peruvian international goalkeeper Pedro Gallese has all but signed for Oscar Pareja‘s Lions. Continue reading