After Kyle Smith‘s buzzer beater header in stoppage time at Toronto FC (0-1), Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now head to Texas for their inaugural MLS fixture with Austin FC.
With no meeting between the sides in Austin FC’s inaugural 2021 MLS season, this is City’s first taste of the atmospheric Q2 Stadium as we look to maintain our positive league campaign so far.
The manner of Orlando City SC‘s 0-1 victory at BMO Field was particularly sweet.
Especially considering there were just three stoppage time minutes remaining when Kyle Smith headed home a late, late Alexandre Pato corner.
With the duo replacing Ercan Kara and Facundo Torres from the bench in the 76th minute, it appeared Oscar Pareja was settling for a road draw.
But when you can call upon the genuine quality that Alexandre Pato provides, his pinpoint corner made all the difference.
In truth, Toronto FC vs Orlando City SC was a very even game in the Ontario sunshine.
Coming into the fixture, Bob Bradley’s side had just lost four consecutive MLS games and looked unsure of themselves for long periods.
Half-time substitute Ayo Akinola caused City’s defence more difficulties but you felt the Lions were in control for much of the game.
Sitting just one point behind current Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union, 2022 is coming along nicely for Orlando City SC.
Especially since we’ve also navigated our way through two rounds to reach the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 stage too.
After a tough twelfth-placed finish in their inaugural 2021 MLS campaign, Josh Wolff’s Austin FC have surpassed all expectations in 2022.
Currently topping the Western Conference, Los Verdes have gone 7-2-3 so far this season, impressively winning 1-2 at Los Angeles FC on Wednesday to usurp them as leaders in the West.
A big test for Orlando City SC at the vociferous Q2 Stadium, the Lions can take heart from only one road loss from six MLS games so far.
Austin FC vs Orlando City SC – Head-to-head stats
This fixture will represent the first time that Austin FC and Orlando City SC have faced each other in Major League Soccer.
Of course, Orlando City SC originally laid down their roots in Austin, Texas back in 2010.
With Phil Rawlins seizing USL pro rights and creating the Austin Aztex organisation back then, the club relocated to Central Florida and the rest is history.
While soccer fandom was in its infancy back then in Austin, things have come full circle during the last 10+ years.
After all, Austin FC was the only MLS club to sell out all 17 of its regular-season home matches in 2021.
Experiencing 20,738 sellout crowds in all SIX home games at Q2 Stadium so far in 2022, Los Verdes are undoubtedly a seriously passionate MLS franchise.
From 2015 to 2022, Orlando City SC have gone 4-1-3 in their inaugural fixtures against new MLS expansion sides.
Additionally, our FOUR victories actually came most recently in 2019, 2020 and 2022 against FC Cincinnati (5-1), Inter Miami (2-1), Nashville SC (3-1), and Charlotte FC (2-1).
- 2015 – vs. New York City FC (1-1)
- 2017 – vs. Atlanta United (0-1)
- 2017 – @ Minnesota United (1-0)
- 2018 – @ Los Angeles FC (4-1)
- 2019 – vs. FC Cincinnati (5-1)
- 2020 – vs. Inter Miami (2-1)
- 2020 – vs. Nashville SC (3-1)
- 2022 – vs. Charlotte FC (2-1)
Oscar Pareja will hope his Lions side can start off the new game series against Austin FC in the best possible fashion.
Austin FC form
Austin FC are unrecognisable from the side that went 9-4-21 in their inaugural 2021 MLS campaign.
Inaugural MLS seasons are always a tough baptism and it appears sticking with head coach Josh Wolff is paying off.
Learning from their experiences last season, Los Verdes have tallied FOUR victories, ONE draw and ONE loss at Q2 Stadium so far this season.
A surprise package at the top of the Western Conference in the early weeks and months of 2022, Austin FC’s only home loss came against LA Galaxy (0-1) back on May 8.
On paper, this appears a tough away game for Orlando City SC to navigate.
Austin FC 0 LA Galaxy 1 – Highlights – May 8, 2022 (Credit: Austin FC)
Digging deeper into Austin FC’s 2022 MLS campaign so far, a pattern has been emerging in recent months.
That pattern is Austin FC being competitive in any Major League Soccer game, whether home or away.
SIX of Los Verdes’ last SEVEN MLS fixtures have been separated by ONE goal.
In this streak, Austin FC have gone 5-0-2.
On Wednesday evening, Ruben Gabrielsen and Diego Fagúndez goals saw Austin FC achieve a statement 1-2 victory at Los Angeles FC.
The victory at Banc of California Stadium saw Austin FC usurp LAFC as current Western Conference leaders.
Los Angeles FC 1 Austin FC 2 – Highlights – May 18, 2022 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Orlando City SC form
One big positive for Orlando City SC is that goals have been shared around the starting eleven this term.
So much so that FOUR of the Lions’ last SIX Major League Soccer goals have been scored by defenders.
Besides Ercan Kara and Facundo Torres‘ strikes against Columbus Crew and Charlotte FC, Rodrigo Schlegel, Ruan, João Moutinho and Kyle Smith have all found the net in recent gameweeks.
Toronto FC 0 Orlando City SC 1 – Highlights – May 14, 2022 (Credit: Toronto FC)
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