Last Tuesday, Orlando City SC and Tigres UANL battled to a respectable 0-0 draw in leg one of our 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 tie. Now contesting the crucial second leg at Estadio Universitario, otherwise known as El Volcán, the Lions are coming off a gutting stoppage time 2-3 home defeat to Minnesota United in MLS on Saturday.
Oscar Pareja‘s side remains very much alive in this tie because the CONCACAF Champions Cup still uses the away goals rule as the first tiebreaker. In last year’s Round of 16 matchup, Tigres UANL narrowly clinched their progression to the quarter-finals thanks to an away goal scored at Inter&Co Stadium in an evenly-matched two-legged tie that finished 1-1 on aggregate. This time around, Orlando City SC head to Monterrey knowing that for every goal they score, it counts as double, giving their Mexican hosts a mountain to climb in order to progress.
Last time out
On Saturday, Orlando City SC lost 2-3 to Minnesota United at Inter&Co Stadium.
Ultimately, we are still winless after three MLS games in a really disappointing start to 2024.
Heading into the game, Oscar Pareja‘s Lions were desperately looking to score their first MLS goal of 2024 after going scoreless against CF Montréal (0-0) and Inter Miami (5-0).
Despite Duncan McGuire grabbing two goals on the night, the first of which is Orlando City SC‘s fastest ever goal in MLS (14 seconds), a Teemu Pukki brace and a stoppage time winner from Bongokuhle Hlongwane ensured another frustrating night at home.
Unfortunately for the Lions, things just aren’t going our way in Major League Soccer at the moment.
With César Araújo injured, Wilder Cartagena now suspended after a stupid post-game red card, and a second consecutive MLS defeat in the books, this loss was extra painful than usual.
After all, Orlando City SC dominated every metric in the game apart from the one that matters most – the full-time scoreline.
Bossing possession 57% to 43% and out-shooting Minnesota United 21 to 10, the Loons were ruthless when they needed to be.
After the game, two-goal Teemu Pukki said: “To be honest, I’m not sure we really deserved it today.”
Admitting himself that the Loons were lucky to win, the former Norwich City striker recognised that Orlando City SC had dominated large portions of the game.
But on the night, we just couldn’t put the visiting Loons to the sword.
A lot of head-scratching must’ve taken place in Oscar Pareja‘s locker room, that’s for sure.
Last head-to-head
Reflecting on our Round of 16 first leg game against Tigres UANL last Tuesday, Orlando City SC crucially prevented the Mexican giants from scoring.
A valiant defensive display, it was a solid and professional reaction, especially considering we had just embarrassingly shipped five goals at Inter Miami.
In the game, Oscar Pareja interestingly reverted to a 4-4-2 formation with Nicolás Lodeiro deployed on the right wing.
The 0-0 draw ensured that for the third head-to-head in a row, this battle of United States vs Mexico ended even.
Again, stopping Tigres UANL from scoring was huge because Orlando City SC goals will count for double in leg two – multiplying our chance to progress.
Obviously, we need to keep them out and be ruthless when chances present themselves.
In leg one, shutting Tigres UANL out and keeping their star striker André-Pierre Gignac quiet was no mean feat.
Especially considering that Robert Siboldi’s side are the third overall seed in this year’s competition and blew away Vancouver Whitecaps 4-1 on aggregate in Round One.
Nevertheless, Orlando City SC once again faced frustration in drawing a blank in front of goal.
After all, we’d only managed to score against Cavalry FC prior to this fixture.
This was not for the want of trying, however.
In the latest hard-fought head-to-head between these cross-border opponents, theatrical antics reigned supreme as both sides chipped away at each other seeking an advantage.
On 22 minutes, César Araújo cried penalty after Sebastián Córdova felled the Uruguayan in the box.
While replays confirmed that Córdova did have arms around the Uruguayan, Araújo hit the turf too dramatically with referee Walter López Castellanos calling no foul.
With Córdova then waving an imaginary yellow card for diving as both sets of players surrounded the referee, it was yet another intense international affair.
Barely a minute later, Nahuel Guzmán came up big not once but twice to keep the honours even.
Palming away a powerful volley from Robin Jansson, Guzmán then stood tall to deny César Araújo on the rebound with our number 5’s strike going just inches wide.
Wilder Cartagena received his customary yellow card on 26 minutes when tripping Luis Quiñones who was on the break.
While it was a clear foul, the way in which Quiñones rolled and writhed around on the turf would’ve suggested he’d lost his leg!
Like I said, theatrical antics aplenty.
Coming on strong, Orlando City SC almost forced the breakthrough just before half-time.
Seeking his first City goal, the 45th minute saw Luis Muriel shimmy past multiple Tigres UANL defenders before dragging a shot just wide of Nahuel Guzmán’s right hand post.
Again, just inches from an opener.
Replays did confirm however that Guzmán got the slightest of fingertips to this great effort.
At half-time, you really couldn’t deny that Orlando City SC had been the protagonist, reacting well from our Inter Miami humbling to truly put that game behind us.
In the second-half, both sides traded blows but frustratingly, a goal just wouldn’t come for us.
The biggest second-half chance fell to Tigres UANL on 70 minutes.
Chesting the ball down on the edge of Orlando City SC‘s box, Sebastián Córdova volleyed on goal but Pedro Gallese quickly flexed his tentacles to impressively deny the Mexican.
What’s at stake this time?
Ultimately, a place in the quarter-finals is on the line where Orlando City SC or Tigres UANL will face either Columbus Crew or Houston Dynamo.
After leg one, 2023 MLS Cup champions Crew lead Dynamo 1-0 thanks to Alexandru Mățan‘s 96th minute strike.
If Orlando City SC were to take the scalp of one of this year’s tournament favourites in Tigres UANL, we’d take immense confidence into the remaining rounds leading up to the single leg final that takes place on June 2.
Regarding the away goals rule in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, this is still the first tiebreaker.
If two clubs are tied on aggregate and on away goals, they’ll proceed to extra time – where away goals no longer count – followed by penalties.
Opposition danger men
When it comes to Tigres’ danger men, you all know about André-Pierre Gignac who we spoke about in our first leg preview.
But now having played the Liga MX side three times, Sebastián Córdova has been a real nuisance in each head-to-head.
Scoring the crucial away goal that eliminated Orlando City SC from the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League, the 26-year-old almost grabbed another goal at Inter&Co Stadium last Tuesday.
Without Pedro Gallese‘s trusty tentacles, Sebastián Córdova’s 70th minute volley could’ve opened the scoring.
Córdova also attempted to get César Araújo booked on 22 minutes in that non-penalty incident.
Scoring three goals so far in the Clausura phase of the 2023/24 Liga MX season, attacking midfielder Córdova is a threat we really need to nullify.
New opposition faces
Tigres UANL’s side is largely the same as it was when facing them in March 2023.
A new face however is Ozziel Herrera, a right or left winger signed from Atlas in July 2023.
A scorer in Tigres’ Round One second leg victory over Vancouver Whitecaps (3-0) on February 14, the 22-year-old has seven goals and three assists across all competitions in his club career to date.
In last Tuesday’s first leg, Ozziel Herrera played for a half hour after subbing in for Diego Lainez on 64 minutes.
Elsewhere, former Arsenal hopeful Marcelo Flores joined Tigres UANL in September 2023 but the 20-year-old midfielder was an unused substitute at Inter&Co Stadium last Tuesday.
Injuries and suspensions
Heading into this Round of 16 second leg tie in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup, César Araújo (right ankle), Jack Lynn (right lower leg), and Facundo Torres (right upper extremity) are questionable for Orlando City SC.
As for Tigres UANL, they will be without inspirational goalkeeper Nahuel Guzmán (right knee) and David Ayala (broken knee cap).
Tigres UANL vs Orlando City SC
2023/24 stats
- It was 0-0 the last time the sides met (March 2024)
- Prior to this two-legged tie, Orlando have won 20 and lost 14 knockout fixtures since 2015*†
- Prior to this two-legged tie, both sides have scored in 6 of Orlando’s last 11 knockout fixtures**
- Prior to this two-legged tie, Orlando have scored 16 goals in their last 11 knockout fixtures**
- Tigres UANL have gone 5-3-3 so far in the Clausura phase of the 2023/24 Liga MX season
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Key
* Our two victories (1-0 and 0-1) over Nashville SC in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Best-of-3 series have been counted as one win
* Our two victories (0-3 and 3-1) over Cavalry FC in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup have been counted as one win
† Our two-legged defeat to Tigres UANL (0-0 and 1-1) in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League Round of 16 has been counted as one loss
** Excludes game one of our 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs Best-of-3 series against Nashville SC
** Excludes game one of our 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round One tie against Cavalry FC
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Watching the game
Tigres UANL vs Orlando City SC will be streamed live on the CONCACAF YouTube channel at 02:30 (GMT) on Wednesday, March 13.
Subscribe (for free) now by clicking here.
Click here for the Tigres UANL vs Orlando City SC YouTube live stream link.
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