Orlando City SC‘s hopes of reaching the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs desperately hang in the balance after City suffered a painful 2-1 defeat at New York City FC on Sunday.
Not a knockout blow, considering the Lions have two games remaining, Oscar Pareja‘s side now visit Inter Miami in our final away game of the season, most definitely the highest stakes Sunshine Clásico yet.
Considering Orlando City SC took a 47th minute lead at Red Bull Arena, this made the New York City FC defeat sting even more.
When you’re playing this far down the stretch, with post-season qualification on the line, every result matters.
After a long throw from César Araújo, Ercan Kara flicked it on at the near post to Facundo Torres who tapped it home for a 47th minute lead.
As we’ve seen many times this season, when Orlando City SC have something to hold on the road, we tend to capitulate.
And unfortunately, we capitulated again.
Heading into Sunday’s game, Nick Cushing’s side had already clinched their spot in the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs by way of Saturday’s results.
You wondered how professional and motivated NYCFC would be, and on reflection, Torres’ strike only sparked The Pigeons into life.
In the 65th minute, it was pinball inside Orlando City SC‘s 18-yard box as Talles Magno muscled his way past Ercan Kara and Rodrigo Schlegel.
Showing much greater determination, Talles Magno laid in Alexander Callens who equalised past Peruvian international team-mate Pedro Gallese.
With NYCFC smelling blood, on 81 minutes, Gabriel Pereira threaded in an unmarked Talles Magno who swept home a game winner to Orlando City SC‘s dismay – pure heartbreak and that horrible sinking feeling.
A minute prior to Talles Magno’s strike however, Facundo Torres and the Orlando City SC bench were enraged by a PRO Referees no-call.
Facundo Torres screamed handball on Maxime Chanot after a fierce strike that Joe Dickerson didn’t even consult VAR on.
With Oscar Pareja bringing this up in his post-match press conference, we’ve reached that stage of the season where every play matters – hence our desperation.
Unfortunately, Orlando City SC are going to have to do things the hard way, first visiting an in-form Inter Miami, and then hosting Columbus Crew on 2022 MLS Decision Day.
Heading into City’s crucial Wednesday game in hand, hosts Inter Miami have won their last three consecutive MLS games.
Phil Neville’s side earned a vital late 0-1 victory at Toronto FC on Friday courtesy of Gonzalo Higuaín’s 86th minute winner.
Hold on tight folks because the final chapter of our rollercoaster 2022 campaign is all set to be written.
Godspeed!
So, uh…there’s a lot riding on Wednesday night.
Biggest Florida Derby of all time? #OrlandoCity #InterMiamiCF pic.twitter.com/6kPvDveMZW
— Evan Weston (@EvanLWeston) October 3, 2022
Inter Miami vs Orlando City SC – 2020/22 head-to-head stats
Last meeting on July 9, Orlando City SC ensured #FloridaIsPurple with a late, late 1-0 victory over state rivals Inter Miami.
The Lions overcame a rain delay of over two hours to arrest a two-game losing streak in MLS.
With kick-off originally scheduled for 8:05pm, the game started at 10:25pm local time. In the end, the match crazily spanned both Saturday evening and the early hours of Sunday morning!
No goal separated the Sunshine Clásico rivals in regulation. But on 92 minutes, Damion Lowe’s own goal earned the Lions a much-needed hard fought victory.
In stoppage time, the Jamaican international took a wild swing at Jake Mulraney‘s left-footed cross, ballooning the ball into his own net past Drake Callender.
The first player in MLS history to score a stoppage time own goal in a 1-0 loss, the strike sent a hot and sweaty Exploria Stadium crowd into late, late jubilation.
Orlando City SC 1 Inter Miami 0 – Highlights – July 9, 2022 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Including the clubs’ inaugural fixture in the #MLSisBack Tournament curtain raiser, Orlando City SC hold FOUR victories to Inter Miami’s TWO.
Last visiting DRV PNK Stadium in June 2021, the Lions achieved their first ever victory (1-2) in Fort Lauderdale.
Despite City being second best to The Herons for much of the game, Oscar Pareja‘s side got a second wind late on.
Superbly taken smash-and-grab goals from Chris Mueller and Nani sealed our first ever victory at DRV PNK Stadium.
With a large contingent of travelling Orlando City SC supporters present, they headed back up Florida’s Turnpike victorious!
With state bragging rights at stake, Inter Miami vs Orlando City SC / Orlando City SC vs Inter Miami games have always been closely fought encounters.
The stats prove it too!
In EIGHT MLS meetings so far, SIX of these games have been separated by just ONE goal. The other two games were 1-1 and 0-0 draws at Exploria Stadium last season.
Besides MLS play, Orlando City SC also took great delight in dumping Phil Neville’s side out of the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 back on May 25.
After Jean Mota and Facundo Torres goals in extra-time (1-1), a Mason Stajduhar save on Bryce Duke and a skied DeAndre Yedlin effort saw the Lions progress 4-2 on penalties.
Orlando City SC 1 Inter Miami 1 (4-2 on penalties A.E.T.) – Highlights – May 25, 2022 (Credit: Miami Total Futbol)
Inter Miami form
There is some bad news heading into our final away game of the 2022 MLS regular season.
This is the fact that Inter Miami have won their last THREE consecutive home fixtures at DRV PNK Stadium.
The Herons have recently defeated New York City FC (3-2), Toronto FC (2-1) and Columbus Crew (2-1) in Fort Lauderdale.
Desperate to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs for a second time, but this time following a full 34-game season, rather than contesting a play-in round, Phil Neville’s side are close to achieving their goal.
That’s why there is so much more satisfaction at stake for Orlando City SC.
First, to help seal our place in the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs, and second to help eliminate our Florida rivals.
Inter Miami 2 Columbus Crew 1 – Highlights – September 13, 2022 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Orlando City SC form
Winning the same amount of away games (5) as we’ve lost (5) this year, something is going to have to give at DRV PNK Stadium.
While going 5-6-5 is far from the worst road record, unfortunately our inability to win enough home games means we find ourselves in this will they – won’t they post-season qualification predicament, in the final week of the season.
Right now, Orlando City SC supporters are desperate for a victory, any which way it comes, especially against a rival like Inter Miami.
Hopefully we can conjure the kind of spirit showcased in the final 20 minutes of our most recent visit to Fort Lauderdale.
As we already mentioned, in June 2021, at 1-0 down, smash-and-grab goals from Chris Mueller and Nani sealed our first ever victory (1-2) at DRV PNK Stadium.
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Don’t forget, Inter Miami vs Orlando City SC will be shown LIVE on FreeSports at 01:05 (GMT) in the early hours of Thursday morning.
You can view our TV Fixture Tracker by clicking here.
GOOD NEWS 🚨 | @InterMiamiCF 🆚 @OrlandoCitySC will be shown LIVE on @FreeSports_TV at 01:05AM in the early hours of tomorrow morning. 😄📺⚽👏🏽
VIEW TV TRACKER 📺: https://t.co/KV9JvpAA0o#OCTwitter #MIAvORL #InterMiamiCF #OrlandoCity #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/bCh1B7UzK9
— Orlando City UK 🏆 (@Orlando_CityUK) October 5, 2022
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