After achieving our highest high of 2022, a 6-5 penalty shootout win over Nashville SC in the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarter-finals (1-1 A.E.T.), it’s now back to MLS action.
On July 4 weekend, Orlando City SC now welcome D.C. United to Exploria Stadium for the Eastern Conference duo’s first league meeting this year.
Sure, the Orlando City SC roster must be feeling fatigued right now in a typically busy mid-season schedule.
That said, Oscar Pareja‘s Lions must be running on adrenaline too, especially after the manner of last Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup triumph.
Now set to host a semi-final for the second successive tournament, it’s a huge achievement.
Since Orlando City SC have hosting priority for the final too, just New York Red Bulls (July 27 semi-final) stand in the way of the Lions’ second MLS era final.
It’s all so sweet, especially considering Orlando City SC were just two minutes away from U.S. Open Cup elimination.
After nemesis Hany Mukhtar’s opportunistic strike gave Nashville SC a 52nd minute lead, it was difficult to see City recovering.
Inconsistent and unconvincing in recent weeks, Orlando City SC huffed and puffed with Elliot Panicco largely untroubled in the Nashville SC net across the ninety.
It really did feel like a massive opportunity was passing the Lions by. That was until Rodrigo Schlegel had other ideas!
In the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, Schlegel popped up in Nashville SC’s penalty box. Talk about being in the right place at the right time!
The Argentine’s right footed shot from the centre of the box found the bottom right corner (1-1) to send The Wall into ecstasy.
The tide really turned when Sean Davis received a second yellow card (and red) only a minute into extra-time.
With Orlando City SC patiently waiting to kill off Nashville SC’s 10 men in extra-time, the Lions couldn’t break them down and had to settle for penalties.
But penalties are what we do best, right?
In a PK shootout that reached sudden death, Pedro Gallese‘s save on Eric Miller saw Orlando City SC win 6-5 to progress to their second ever U.S. Open Cup semi-final – incredible!
The PK victory saw the Lions win a shootout for the seventh consecutive time in our Major League Soccer history – remarkable!
You could forgive City for being whipped up by the excitement of the cup, but we must now take care of MLS business against D.C. United.
Orlando City SC vs D.C. United – 2015/21 head-to-head stats
The last time Orlando City SC faced D.C. United, the Lions produced one of the most iconic moments of their 2021 MLS campaign.
Yes, this was the game where Daryl Dike‘s 97th minute buzzer beater goal earned City their first MLS win in six games (2-1).
A feeling of déjà vu overcame Exploria Stadium when Julian Gressel blasted D.C. United into a 0-1 lead on just 6 minutes.
Leaving ourselves with work to do yet again, the timing of Robin Jansson‘s 17th minute equaliser was key.
After this, the rest of the game ebbed and flowed in a superbly entertaining fixture for neutrals.
Really needing to win to keep our post-season ambitions alive, Chris Mueller sent in a stoppage time corner that Daryl Dike headed home emphatically.
Cue scenes of Daryl Dike wheeling away in front of The Wall before putting those purple Ruckus sunglasses over his eyes.
Iconic!
Orlando City SC 2 D.C. United 1 – Highlights – October 2, 2021 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Everything is all tied up right now in this super-competitive Eastern Conference game series.
Both Orlando City SC and D.C. United hold SIX victories with just ONE draw played out since our 2015 MLS debut.
In last season’s first meeting (May 2021), the Lions ran out 0-1 winners at Audi Field.
Mauricio Pereyra‘s solitary strike settled the score for Orlando City SC‘s first ever victory at the Buzzard Point venue.
Cushioning a fantastically weighted through ball from Kyle Smith into the path of Tesho Akindele, Akindele returned it before Pereyra swept it past Jon Kempin.
Sustaining a lot of D.C. United pressure throughout the 90, Oscar Pareja‘s side held on before jubilant scenes in the away locker room.
D.C. United 0 Orlando City SC 1 – Highlights – May 16, 2021 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
In recent seasons, when Orlando City SC have faced D.C. United, games have been decided by the narrowest margin.
In the last FIVE Orlando City SC vs D.C. United / D.C. United vs Orlando City SC head-to-heads, the games have been separated by just ONE goal.
After a run of three straight defeats to Ben Olsen’s D.C. United (3-2, 1-2, 1-0), City defeated Hernán Losada’s D.C. United not once but twice in 2021 (0-1, 2-1).
Orlando City SC form
You can’t say things haven’t been entertaining at Exploria Stadium so far this season.
In fact, things have been a little too entertaining at times for Orlando City SC!
Indeed, there have been OVER 2.5 GOALS SCORED in all but two home league fixtures in 2022.
Losing half (four) our home fixtures so far, City really needed that narrow morale-boosting 2-1 victory over Houston Dynamo on June 18.
With two quick-fire home games coming up against D.C. United and Inter Miami, this is a big opportunity to put our unconvincing home form right.
D.C. United form
The good news heading into this one is that D.C. United are a side in a slump right now.
After parting company with Hernán Losada in April, Chad Ashton is currently interim head coach.
Ashton has just overseen three consecutive MLS losses against New York Red Bulls (4-1), Chicago Fire (1-0), and Nashville SC (1-3).
Every game is different but Orlando City SC really have to be aiming for three points in this encounter.
D.C. United 1 Nashville SC 3 – Highlights – June 25, 2022 (Credit: Nashville Soccer Club)
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Don’t forget, Orlando City SC vs D.C. United will be shown LIVE on FreeSports at 00:05 (GMT) in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
You can view our TV Fixture Tracker by clicking here.
GOOD NEWS 🚨 | @OrlandoCitySC 🆚 @dcunited will be shown LIVE on @FreeSports_TV in the early hours of July 5. 😄📺⚽👏🏽
VIEW TV TRACKER 📺: https://t.co/KV9JvpAA0o#OCTwitter #ORLvDC #OrlandoCity #LetsFly #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/sTtpwx2mxG
— Orlando City UK 🌈 (@Orlando_CityUK) June 29, 2022
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