STATS PREVIEW: Tigres UANL vs Orlando City SC – 12.03.2024

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Last Tuesday, Orlando City SC and Tigres UANL battled to a respectable 0-0 draw in leg one of our 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 tie. Now contesting the crucial second leg at Estadio Universitario, otherwise known as El Volcán, the Lions are coming off a gutting stoppage time 2-3 home defeat to Minnesota United in MLS on Saturday.

Oscar Pareja‘s side remains very much alive in this tie because the CONCACAF Champions Cup still uses the away goals rule as the first tiebreaker. In last year’s Round of 16 matchup, Tigres UANL narrowly clinched their progression to the quarter-finals thanks to an away goal scored at Inter&Co Stadium in an evenly-matched two-legged tie that finished 1-1 on aggregate. This time around, Orlando City SC head to Monterrey knowing that for every goal they score, it counts as double, giving their Mexican hosts a mountain to climb in order to progress. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Tigres UANL – 05.03.2024

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February 27 was a historic night for Orlando City SC as we sealed our first ever two-legged victory in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Making light work of defeating Cavalry FC 6-1 on aggregate across two Round One legs in the 2024 edition of the tournament, Orlando City SC now face a much tougher proposition in the Round of 16.

As fate would have it, the Lions now face two legs against Mexican giants Tigres UANL in exactly the same matchup as we saw at this stage of the competition last year. On that occasion, tournament favourites Tigres UANL narrowly progressed past City via the away goals rule having drawn 0-0 in Monterrey and 1-1 in Central Florida.

Out to avenge the pain we felt in our March 2023 tournament debut, one major difference this time is that Orlando City SC are hosting this first leg at Inter&Co Stadium with the crucial return leg taking place at Estadio Universitario on March 12. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs CF Montréal – 30.09.2023

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Rescuing a one-goal deficit to draw 1-1 with Florida rivals Inter Miami, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now face CF Montréal in our penultimate home fixture of the 2023 MLS regular season.

In a passionate Sunshine Clásico full of aggression and needle, a scrappy derby had flashes of promise but ultimately ended even. Admittedly a fair result on the balance of play, the Lions were very wasteful in front of goal despite Duncan McGuire‘s 66th minute equaliser – a goal that ensured Inter Miami have still never won at Exploria Stadium. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Inter Miami – 24.09.2023

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Mission accomplished! Despite suffering a 2-0 defeat at New York City FC last night, a favourable 1-1 draw between D.C. United and Atlanta United elsewhere saw Orlando City SC clinch their spot in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs with five games to spare. Reaching the promised land of the MLS post-season earlier than ever before, Oscar Pareja has now impressively steered the City ship into the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.

In a mouth-watering prospect, Orlando City SC and Inter Miami now meet in MLS for the first time since the Lions’ highly controversial 2023 Leagues Cup Round of 32 defeat (3-1) at DRV PNK Stadium back on August 2.

With Lionel Messi’s brace helping steer The Herons towards what proved to be their first major title in club history, the injustice of several incidences against City has undoubtedly lit the touch paper for this eagerly anticipated rematch. Revenge will most certainly be on the minds of Orlando City SC players and supporters as the Lions aim to derail Inter Miami’s late push to reach the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.

In huge news, seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi WILL NOT visit Exploria Stadium for the very first time however. After The Herons’ 4-0 win over Toronto FC yesterday, Tata Martino ruled both Messi and Jordi Alba out of Sunday’s Sunshine Clásico after they were both subbed off with suspected first-half injuries in that game. Whether this is managerial mind games or not remains to be seen. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Inter Miami vs Orlando City SC – 02.08.2023

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Orlando City SC will face the world’s greatest ever player Lionel Messi in their next club fixture. A wild sentence that seemed implausible a few years ago, that is the reality with City now visiting Florida rivals Inter Miami in the 2023 Leagues Cup Round of 32.

Qualifying from our “South 2” group to the knockout stage courtesy of home triumphs over Houston Dynamo (1-1 at full-time, 5-4 on penalties) and Santos Laguna (3-2), Orlando City SC probably couldn’t have faced a tougher MLS opponent right now – such has been the relentless nature of Messi’s start to life in South Florida. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Santos Laguna vs Orlando City SC – 29.07.2023

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After defeating Houston Dynamo 5-4 on penalties (1-1 at full-time) in our first “South 2” group game of the 2023 Leagues Cup, Orlando City SC now face Liga MX side Santos Laguna at Exploria Stadium, requiring at least two points to guarantee a spot in the Round of 32 knockout stage.

Previously facing Guerreros back in the 2021 Leagues Cup, Miguel Gallardo‘s boyhood club Santos Laguna were victorious on that occasion (0-1) with Oscar Pareja‘s side hoping for a better outcome this time around. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Houston Dynamo – 21.07.2023

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This Friday sees a break from MLS play with Orlando City SC hosting Houston Dynamo in the three-team group stage of the 2023 Leagues Cup.

With the regular season on hiatus, City take now compete in the Leagues Cup for the first time since 2021. In that second edition of the tournament, the Lions were ironically eliminated 0-1 by Santos Laguna – the other side making up our “South 2” group this year. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs FC Cincinnati – 04.03.2023

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Defeating New York Red Bulls 1-0 to start our 2023 MLS campaign with all three points, Orlando City SC now face FC Cincinnati in a second successive home fixture.

Now undefeated in nine MLS opening fixtures, last Saturday’s win wasn’t perfect, far from it, but was gutsy all the same with Oscar Pareja‘s Lions earning a satisfying clean sheet against a notoriously difficult opponent. Continue reading

Orlando City UK celebrates our seventh birthday: 2022 round-up

Wow, what an incredible 2022 we’ve had! Today, we’re celebrating our seventh birthday here at Orlando City UK with our Official International Fan Club of Orlando City SC established seven years ago.

In our eighth MLS season, 2022 was the year the Lions finally got their hands on their first major silverware. Triumphantly winning the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, our loyal UK supporters keenly supported every step of the way from the United Kingdom. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Charlotte FC vs Orlando City SC – 21.08.2022

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What a difference a week makes! After a humiliating 0-3 home defeat to New England Revolution, Orlando City SC bounced back to win 0-1 at New York Red Bulls, halting a worrying run of three consecutive MLS defeats.

With the Lions desperate for a victory to get their noses back above the red line, Facundo Torres‘ solitary first-half strike was enough to steal away three precious points from Red Bull Arena. Continue reading