After the agony and ecstasy of a 2022 MLS regular season that had more twists and turns than the VelociCoaster at Universal Studios, Orlando City SC have finally qualified for the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs!
Finishing seventh in the East and clinching our spot by virtue of a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Columbus Crew on 2022 MLS Decision Day, Oscar Pareja has successfully guided City to the playoffs for all three of his seasons in charge.
Casting out minds back to 2022 MLS Decision Day, Orlando City SC supporters’ emotions at half-time and full-time were a complete contrast.
Never doing things the easy way, the Lions deservedly trailed 0-1 at half-time after a well taken Derrick Etienne Jr. strike.
At this stage, Orlando City SC were eliminated from playoff contention, and our second clinch scenario of drawing while hoping D.C. United could beat FC Cincinnati was completely falling by the wayside.
In a game that was seemingly passing Orlando City SC by, the Lions put in another worryingly nondescript first-half performance that was pedestrian, predictable, and lacked any sort of urgency – much like Inter Miami away.
For the world, it looked like heads had dropped and that we’d all have to be content with our 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup triumph, and that alone.
But on 56 minutes, up stepped Júnior Urso.
Cleverly spinning past Jonathan Mensah on the edge of the Crew 18-yard box, “The Bear” struck right when we needed it most.
From here, the game was neck and neck with Cucho Hernández seemingly on a one-man mission to beat Pedro Gallese.
While this didn’t come, the Lions knew they needed one more goal to seal their post-season place at Crew’s expense.
Fortunately, Orlando City SC had the soccer gods to thank for shining down on them late, late in the day on 84 minutes.
Replacing Ercan Kara in the 74th minute, sub Benji Michel attempted a volley in the Crew box, a volley that cannoned off Miloš Degenek’s arm.
The Wall then took one huge collective breath of anticipation as referee Alex Chilowicz consulted VAR to confirm the handball.
After an agonising wait that felt like an eternity, Chilowicz’ arm then pointed boldly at the penalty spot, and Orlando City SC had their big, big chance to take one final step into the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Up stepped Facundo Torres who sent a rasping penalty high and powerfully to Eloy Room’s left to send Exploria Stadium into raptures!
Never in doubt, right?
There’s a reason Orlando City SC are nicknamed the “Cardiac Cats” and after the toils and tribulations of a 34-game MLS regular season, City held on to seal their spot in the playoffs.
Now visiting the Eastern Conference’s second seed, CF Montréal, playoff tests don’t come much tougher.
Wilfried Nancy’s side finished the regular season just two points (65) off Eastern Conference winners Philadelphia Union (67), and impressively went 20-5-9 throughout the course of 2022.
But as we know in North American sports, it’s now a clean slate for everybody, and regular season records now count for nothing as Major League Soccer reaches its most exciting climax.
Godspeed, Orlando City SC!
#OrlandoCityUK 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘾𝙏𝙎 🗣 | A rollercoaster @MLS regular season full of twists and turns, but Oscar Pareja has steered the @OrlandoCitySC ship into the #MLSCupPlayoffs for a third consecutive season. 🎢💜
👏🏽 FOUGHT TO THE DEATH! 👏🏽#OCTwitter #ORLvCLB #OrlandoCity #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/ZY73yPSzga
— Orlando City UK 🏆 (@Orlando_CityUK) October 9, 2022
CF Montréal vs Orlando City SC – 2015/22 head-to-head stats
Orlando City SC will hope they perform a damn sight better than they did the last time they visited CF Montréal.
Visiting Stade Saputo back on May 7, the Lions succumbed to a painful 4-1 defeat, our joint second heaviest margin of defeat all season long.
With Oscar Pareja handing a first MLS start to 18-year-old centre back Thomas Williams, it was a tough baptism for the City academy graduate.
Joel Waterman and Djordje Mihailovic goals put Wilfried Nancy’s side 2-0 up by 52 minutes.
But on 72 minutes, a glimmer of hope.
João Moutinho rose highest to head home a Mauricio Pereyra corner to reduce the arrears to one.
On the day, this consolation strike only served to inspire CF Montréal with the Quebec side punishing City with two more late goals through Joaquín Torres and Zachary Brault-Guillard.
CF Montréal 4 Orlando City SC 1 – Highlights – May 7, 2022 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
There can be no draws in this CF Montréal vs Orlando City SC game, but in truth, we rarely get draws in this international MLS affair anyway.
After NINETEEN league head-to-heads, there is mirror imagery across the win, draw, and loss columns.
With both CF Montréal and Orlando City SC sharing EIGHT victories each, City will hope to draw some inspiration from their 2021 MLS Decision Day visit to Stade Saputo.
Winning a make-or-break game 0-2, Jhegson Méndez unleashed an unstoppable strike from outside the 18-yard box that looped beyond Sebastian Breza.
In a game they needed to win to reach the playoffs, CF Montréal became increasingly agitated. The pressure proved too much for Rudy Camacho on 79 minutes.
Inflicting an ill-timed lunge on Daryl Dike, the Frenchman saw red before Dike sealed our place in the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs with an ice cool finish on 86 minutes.
Wilfried Nancy’s CF Montréal will remember the pain they felt from this defeat and will be out for revenge on Sunday.
CF Montréal 0 Orlando City SC 2 – Highlights – November 7, 2021 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
It’s only been in this 2022 MLS regular season that both Orlando City SC and CF Montréal have arrested a rather surprising statistic.
Indeed, each Eastern Conference side won their home game against the other this year – 2-0 and 4-1.
But prior to 2022, home advantage didn’t seem to count for anything in games between the Quebec and Central Florida sides.
All in all, the home side has failed to win in SEVEN of the last NINE Major League Soccer head-to-heads.
Orlando City SC will hope this peculiar game series trend continues, and that our 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs run isn’t a case of one and done.
CF Montréal form
There’s no doubting who the favourite is in this CF Montréal vs Orlando City SC 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs Round One tie.
Despite finishing runners-up to Philadelphia Union, CF Montréal actually won the most amount of games (20) in the East this regular season.
Not only that but Wilfried Nancy’s side have only experienced ONE defeat in their last FIFTEEN MLS fixtures.
If Orlando City SC were under any illusions just how hard this game will be, this stat underlines how impressive CF Montréal have been this year.
This one defeat was a 0-1 home loss to New York Red Bulls, courtesy of a Lewis Morgan strike, back on August 31.
CF Montréal 0 New York Red Bulls 1 – Highlights – August 31, 2022 (Credit: Major League Soccer)
Orlando City SC form
Looking back on Orlando City SC‘s 2022 MLS regular season, the Lions’ didn’t have the worst record on the road.
Achieving FIVE wins and SIX draws, City also fell to SIX defeats away from Exploria Stadium.
For most of 2022, Orlando City SC strangely looked more comfortable and confident when suiting up for road games.
For whatever reason, we just couldn’t hit form at Exploria Stadium but in away games, Oscar Pareja‘s tactics of bunkering and countering always seem to give us a fighting chance.
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Don’t forget, CF Montréal vs Orlando City SC will be shown LIVE on FreeSports in the early hours of Monday morning at 01:00 (GMT).
You can view our TV Fixture Tracker by clicking here.
GOOD NEWS 🚨 | @cfmontreal 🆚 @OrlandoCitySC will be shown LIVE on @FreeSports_TV in the early hours of Monday, October 17. 😄📺⚽👏🏽
VIEW TV TRACKER 📺: https://t.co/KV9JvpB7PW#OCTwitter #MTLvORL #CFMTL #OrlandoCity #MLSCupPlayoffs #MLSUK pic.twitter.com/2bh6euHYOr
— x – Orlando City UK 🏆 (@Orlando_CityUK) October 10, 2022
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