After defeating CF Montréal 3-0 in a professional, impressive, and dominant performance, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now visit GEODIS Park for the very first time to face Nashville SC in our penultimate away fixture of the 2023 MLS regular season.
With City having just set a club record for our most ever Major League Soccer regular season victories (15) and points (54), everything seems to be clicking for the Lions right now. Preparing for the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs the best way possible, we’re not only hitting our stride with consistent performances but positive results to match.
How can Orlando City SC clinch a top four seed in the Eastern Conference – and subsequent 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup qualification – on Wednesday?
- If Orlando City SC win at Nashville SC, AND
- Columbus Crew lose at New England Revolution, AND
- Atlanta United lose or draw at Philadelphia Union
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The Lions currently remain second in the Eastern Conference on 54 points with just three MLS regular season fixtures remaining
City are currently just two points above third-placed New England Revolution and three points above fourth-placed Philadelphia Union as they aim to lock down a coveted top four position.
Menacingly, Revs have played one game fewer (30) than City (31) right now, although both sides will face each other at Exploria Stadium this forthcoming Saturday.
Clinching a top four seeding doesn’t just mean City will host two home games in the newly revamped Round One Best-of-3 series of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.
It also means we’ll qualify for the rebranded 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup and make our second successive tournament appearance following our 2023 debut.
With first-placed FC Cincinnati already qualified by virtue of winning the 2023 Supporters’ Shield, and third-placed Philadelphia Union already qualified by virtue of winning the 2023 Leagues Cup third-place play-off, this effectively leaves two 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup qualification spots open.
As for our midweek opponents Nashville SC, The Music City side sit seventh in the Eastern Conference on 45 points.
Gary Smith’s side are nine points behind City having played one game fewer (30) than the Lions (31).
Last meeting each other back on April 1, a savvy and street-smart Nashville SC made fools of Orlando City SC on April Fools’ Day.
For much of their time in MLS, Nashville SC have been super-efficient at defending whatever advantage they have, no matter how slender.
And in Central Florida, they executed their game plan to perfection.
On 28 minutes, Fafà Picault capitalised on some rather comical City defending to put Nashville SC 0-1 up.
This was a big shame, not just in the literal sense, but for the fact that Orlando City SC actually started the game bright, energetic, and on the front foot.
There was some controversy whether the ball was still in motion right before Hany Mukhtar assisted a quick and smart free-kick over a sleeping Lions backline.
Whether the goal was legitimate or not, Orlando City SC would’ve been massively disappointed to be caught out by a play so simple.
From here on in, it was much of a muchness for Orlando City SC who huffed and puffed, but simply couldn’t blow a resolute and stubborn Nashville SC defence down.
Fortunately, the Lions have since managed to solve their goalscoring issues but early on this season, we struggled a lot.
On 74 minutes, any remaining energy was completely sucked out of Exploria Stadium with Hany Mukhtar doubling Nashville SC’s advantage and continuing his personal hot streak against Orlando City SC.
Casting our minds back to Saturday though, Orlando City SC controlled the entire tempo of the game against a CF Montréal side really lacking in intensity and belief.
On 19 minutes, César Araújo intelligently laid in Rafael Santos up the left wing.
The Brazilian then fizzed a powerful left-footed cross into CF Montréal’s penalty area, a cross that Facundo Torres did extremely well to strike one-time on goal.
An impressive shot that initially hit the post, the rebound cannoned off Jonathan Sirois’ back and into the net to hand Orlando City SC a deserved first-half lead (1-0).
Officially a Sirois own goal, this denied Facundo Torres his thirteenth MLS goal of the season – albeit temporarily.
By half-time, CF Montréal only tallied a measly 0.3 expected goals with talisman Romell Quioto only touching the ball six times, such was Orlando City SC‘s first-half dominance.
By 50 minutes, things got even better!
A goal made at full back, Rafael Santos turned provider yet again to send another dangerous ball right across CF Montréal’s penalty area.
Sailing all the way to Jonathan Sirois’ back post, Dagur Dan Thórhallsson sprinted all the way forward from right back to simply prod home his fellow full back’s cross (2-0) – a goal Oscar Pareja would’ve loved!
The third time in four home games that Orlando City SC have scored within the opening five minutes of the second-half, this is a good habit the Lions are getting into.
With Oscar Pareja‘s half-time words still ringing in the players’ ears, a two-goal lead became a three-goal lead just four minutes later.
With the Lions starting the second-half like a train, a sublime counter attack saw Iván Angulo race into open space towards goal before laying in Facundo Torres who was criminally in acres of space inside CF Montréal’s penalty area.
Simply tapping home past Jonathan Sirois (3-0), this strike did indeed draw El Cuervo to within two goals of MLS Golden Boot race leaders Luciano Acosta, Giorgos Giakoumakis, and Hany Mukhtar – all currently tied on 15.
Our quick-fire second-half goals completely took the game away from CF Montréal and it was good to see Orlando City SC find their ruthlessness again – especially after being so wasteful against rivals Inter Miami a game prior.
The straightforward 3-0 victory saw Orlando City SC snap a painful streak of three consecutive MLS defeats against their Canadian opposition.
A thoroughly enjoyable game from start to finish, it was cruise control for Orlando City SC with Pedro Gallese barely tested all evening.
Nashville SC vs Orlando City SC
Last 3 head-to-heads
- November 23, 2021: Nashville SC 3 Orlando City SC 1 (2021 MLS Cup Playoffs)
- June 29, 2022: Orlando City SC 1 Nashville SC 1 (A.E.T.) (6-5 on penalties) (2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup)
- April 1, 2023: Orlando City SC 0 Nashville SC 2 (MLS)
2020/23 head-to-head stats
- It was 0-2 to Nashville the last time the sides met (April 2023)
- Played Nashville 8 times in MLS – Nashville 3, Draws 4, Orlando 1
- Hany Mukhtar has scored in each of the last 4 head-to-heads across all competitions
- Nashville have drawn 4 of their last 5 MLS fixtures
- Orlando have conceded the first goal in 4 of their last 5 away fixtures in MLS – rescuing deficits in 3 of these games
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Watching the game
Nashville SC vs Orlando City SC will be shown live on Apple TV at 01:30 (GMT) on Thursday, October 5.
Remember, UK supporters can watch all of Orlando City SC‘s 2023 MLS regular season fixtures by subscribing to Apple TV’s “MLS Season Pass”.
Subscribe now by clicking here.
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