The MLS schedule makers certainly haven’t made it easy on Orlando City SC with Oscar Pareja‘s Lions now flying north above Interstate 75 to visit rivals Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in only our second away league fixture of 2024.
Embarrassingly humbled 5-0 at fellow rivals Inter Miami in our last MLS away fixture, City supporters are demanding a much more professional, committed, and gutsy performance this time around. But this will be anything but straightforward, not just because of The Five Stripes’ packed 40,000+ home crowd but because of our current state of mind.
City not only lost 2-3 to Minnesota United in MLS last Saturday but also got eliminated from the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup on Tuesday. Defeated 4-2 on aggregate by Tigres UANL in the Round of 16 stage, it’s truly been a miserable start to the year for Orlando City SC, whom much more was expected of, albeit facing a tough and unforgiving schedule to kick off our 2024 campaign.
Last time out
On Tuesday, Orlando City SC exited the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 stage with a whimper.
After a hard fought 0-0 draw in leg one, Tigres UANL ran up the scoreline in leg two, progressing to the quarter-finals with a 4-2 win on aggregate.
With City admittedly facing one of the toughest Round of 16 draws, the Mexican side have now eliminated the Lions from this stage for a second successive season.
After Marcelo Flores gave Tigres UANL a 13th minute lead (1-0), the former Arsenal hopeful won a really soft penalty after making the most of a slight shoulder barge from Dagur Dan Thórhallsson.
With André-Pierre Gignac tucking this penalty away on 20 minutes (2-0), the game was already looking over for City at the intimidating El Volcán.
However, Orlando City SC had hope just four minutes later when Gignac needlessly shoved Robin Jansson to concede an untimely penalty from the hosts’ point of view.
Ever dependable from 12 yards, up stepped Facundo Torres who had crucially returned from injury for this game.
Confidently hammering home his penalty, this provided City with a vital lifeline (2-1).
On 68 minutes, the game encountered further controversy after Tigres UANL’s soft first-half penalty.
After a pin-point cross from André-Pierre Gignac, Pedro Gallese was on his toes to repel a Fernando Gorriarán header onto his own crossbar.
With the deflected ball hitting Gallese on the back, El Pulpo then dived to clutch the ball away from the goal line.
To El Pulpo’s bemusement, referee Iván Barton then immediately awarded a goal, one that was officially registered as a Pedro Gallese own goal (3-1).
For TV viewers who had the benefit of multiple replays, it was still totally inconclusive whether the ball had completely crossed the line.
Not for Iván Barton though!
A huge flashpoint, Barton’s terrible call really deflated Orlando City SC at a stage where they still only needed a score draw to progress.
Can you believe that Iván Barton was the same referee that made all those awful calls in City’s highly controversial Leagues Cup elimination (3-1) to Inter Miami last August?
On that night, a furious Oscar Pareja called the occasion “a circus” and the El Salvadorian referee’s latest gaff was certainly amateur hour all over again!
After a 72nd minute Rafael Carioca red card, tired Orlando City SC minds just couldn’t capitalise despite the game being 10 versus 11.
On 81 minutes, Pedro Gallese was embarrassingly caught in no man’s land to be lobbed by Sebastián Córdova from long range (4-1).
This was before Martín Ojeda dispatched a stoppage time penalty for nothing more than mere consolation (4-2).
Falling to our haunches at full-time, I really hope that we don’t run into Tigres UANL whenever we’re next contesting the CONCACAF Champions Cup!
Reflecting on our last MLS game however, Orlando City SC lost 2-3 to Minnesota United at Inter&Co Stadium back on March 9.
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).
We didn’t have to wait too long to open our 2024 account however.
14 seconds to be precise!
Duncan McGuire now holds the record for scoring Orlando City SC‘s fastest ever goal in MLS, and the fifth fastest goal in MLS history.
After Rafael Santos smartly intercepted a loose Hassani Dotson pass, the Brazilian laid in McGuire who coolly slotted home past Dayne St. Clair (1-0).
Somersaulting in celebration, it felt mighty good to start the game as we meant to go on.
That was until the fourth minute where Pedro Gallese shot himself in the foot with a dreadful and uncharacteristic error.
Taking too long to clear a Rafael Santos back pass, Teemu Pukki, to his credit, chased a lost cause and put pressure on the ball to intercept Gallese’s clearance before rounding him to tap into an empty net (1-1).
Changing the complexion of the game, the dangerous Pukki bagged his second goal of the night on 38 minutes.
Having made multiple mistakes at Inter Miami, Rodrigo Schlegel was at fault yet again.
Too slow to intercept Teemu Pukki, the Finland international quickly swivelled to fire a deadly accurate drive past Gallese from outside the box (1-2).
Late in the first-half, César Araújo went down without contact amid a suspected right knee injury.
Araújo hobbled in pain on the far touchline, unable to bear weight on the affected leg, with City withdrawing him on 40 minutes.
A big blow, Orlando City SC suffered another blow with Felipe Martins agonisingly sending a shot over Dayne St. Clair’s crossbar from point-blank range in first-half stoppage time.
When you wondered whether a second-half comeback was slipping away, Duncan McGuire produced some more brilliance on 83 minutes.
After a smart through ball from Martín Ojeda, McGuire took one touch to cushion it before demonstrating excellent technique to cut across the ball and fire an arrow of a strike into Dayne St. Clair’s side netting (2-2).
McGuire’s strike had little backlift and to use former Lion Sacha Kljestan‘s description on the ‘MLS Wrap-Up’ show on MLS Season Pass, it was “almost like a little golf shot” with the 23-year-old placing it exactly where he wanted it.
Unfortunately for the Lions however, things just aren’t going our way in all competitions right now.
On 95 minutes, Loons sub Jordan Adebayo-Smith leapt highest to lay in fellow sub Tani Oluwaseyi who found Bongokuhle Hlongwane racing clear through on Pedro Gallese‘s goal.
Delicately dinking his shot over the Peruvian (2-3), Hlongwane baited The Wall in celebration in yet another gut-punch moment for Oscar Pareja‘s side.
When referee Wilmer Pino Mercado’s full-time whistle sounded out after eleven minutes of second-half stoppage time, a post-game scuffle ensued with Wilder Cartagena foolishly receiving a red card after the last ball was kicked.
With César Araújo injured, Wilder Cartagena now stupidly suspended, 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 at full-time, that’s for sure.
Last head-to-head
The last time that Orlando City SC faced Atlanta United in MLS, the Lions made one of their biggest statements of 2023.
On July 15, the Lions treated their supporters to a super-sweet comeback victory at the home of their fierce rivals.
This noteworthy victory helped City to fifth in the Eastern Conference – and just one point off fourth-placed Nashville SC – after an impressive run of three victories in four MLS fixtures.
Oh, to be enjoying a run of form like this again!
Winning in front of 43,576 supporters at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, it was a landmark moment in club history.
Only our second ever win in Georgia, it was our first in front of a packed house with our other victory (1-3 in August 2020) taking place behind closed doors due to COVID.
With Atlanta United only losing once at home in the 2023 MLS season (1-3 to Charlotte FC in May) prior to City’s visit, our statement win was huge.
Especially considering that Caleb Wiley had put the home side in front against the run of play on 22 minutes.
Profiting from an initially fumbled Machop Chol strike, and then a goal-line clearance from Antônio Carlos, it was a sloppy and frustrating goal to concede.
However, just three minutes after Wiley’s opener, Antônio Carlos leapt high above The Five Stripes’ defence to power a bullet header beyond Brad Guzan off an inch-perfect Mauricio Pereyra free-kick.
The timing of this quick-fire equaliser was key.
Huge in terms of spirit, character, and belief, the hour mark then saw Mauricio Pereyra secure the eighth multi-assist game of his career.
Excellently sending a defence splitting through-ball into the path of Duncan McGuire, our rookie forward escaped both Juan José Purata and Luis Abram.
Racing away from the centre back duo, McGuire remained ice cool to simply slide the game winner beyond Brad Guzan who powerlessly performed his familiar “stuck in the mud” routine in goal – you know the one!
Deep in second-half stoppage time, Thiago Almada menacingly stood over a 99th minute free-kick from deep.
But Pedro Gallese flexed his trusty tentacles to powerfully palm away Almada’s fierce goal-bound strike – a save that effectively called game.
Finally overcoming our hoodoo at the home of the Atlanta Falcons, the full-time whistle saw Oscar Pareja leap for joy, grabbing his coaching staff in pure ecstasy.
On-field, Orlando City SC‘s players understandably milked the moment, jaunting across the plastic pitch to salute the travelling Ruckus – perched high up inside the cavernous Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
What’s at stake this time?
Whenever Orlando City SC face Atlanta United, regional bragging rights are at stake – plain and simple.
After our 1-2 comeback win in Georgia last July, the full-time whistle saw Orlando City SC supporters gleefully bait their Atlanta United adversaries online, mischievously brimming with pride after seeing their side deservedly secure a big win.
Considering that City have only defeated The Five Stripes four times out of 19 MLS head-to-heads, Atlanta United have been a real bogey side to us since they entered MLS in 2017.
Ultimately, beating them always feels sweeter!
Especially because they already hold one MLS Cup to their name, MLS didn’t make them move to a soccer-specific stadium, and our poor record against them means we’ve taken our fair share of s*** from their supporters over the years.
With Josef Martínez having much to do with Atlanta United’s early MLS dominance over Orlando City SC, he is no longer around with the Lions becoming the better team since Oscar Pareja‘s December 2019 arrival.
Indeed, since Papi succeeded James O’Connor, Orlando City SC have gone 4-5-2 against The Five Stripes, levelling the playing field in a previously one-sided rivalry.
Despite Orlando City SC having closed the gap in this game series, Atlanta United still hold eight MLS victories to City’s four.
Prior to the last MLS head-to-head, Brad Guzan played down the Atlanta United – Orlando City SC rivalry in a pre-game interview with Apple TV’s Steve Cangialosi.
A “forced” or “manufactured” rivalry or not, you can be sure that there are strong and authentic feelings of animosity towards The Five Stripes, at least among Orlando City SC supporters anyway.
If you ask me, the Peach and Citrus Classic is a fitting name for this MLS derby!
On a more serious note, beyond this game being a rivalry fixture, Orlando City SC are still chasing their first MLS away goal and first MLS away point of 2024.
This is after going 9-4-4 on the road in the 2023 MLS regular season – the best away record across the league.
Last but not least, Atlanta United have also only played two MLS games compared to Orlando City SC‘s three so far this season.
Last time out, a Giorgos Giakoumakis hat-trick helped Atlanta United to a 4-1 win over New England Revolution.
A resounding result in their 2024 MLS home opener, The Five Stripes will now be relishing the opportunity to face a deflated, fatigued, and understrength Orlando City SC side this Sunday.
Opposition danger men
When it comes to Atlanta United danger men, Thiago Almada is undoubtedly The Five Stripes’ best player.
A 2022 FIFA World Cup winner with Argentina, the 22-year-old has succeeded where Esequiel Barco and Pity Martínez before him failed.
Almada has currently tallied 18 goals and 31 assists for Atlanta United, showcasing his speed, dribbling ability, and low centre of gravity, which make him a tough proposition for any MLS opponent.
Destined for a future transfer to Europe – like Miguel Almirón before him – Almada defies his years to carry the creative burden for Gonzalo Pineda’s side.
Elsewhere, the aforementioned Giorgos Giakoumakis is the other top talent in Atlanta United’s ranks.
Signed from Celtic in February 2023, the Greek international striker is prolific in front of goal and has 20 goals and three assists in 29 MLS appearances for The Five Stripes.
Giakoumakis is now impressively number five in the the all-time list of players to score 20 MLS goals in under 2,000 minutes.
Hitting the ground running in North America, he is a big danger, as is Saba Lobjanidze, a Georgia international winger now ironically playing in the American state of Georgia.
The 29-year-old has three goals and four assists in only 11 MLS appearances so far.
New opposition faces
Compared to the last time Orlando City SC faced Atlanta United in MLS, The Five Stripes have several new faces in their ranks.
There’s a new centre back duo in former Blackburn Rovers and LA Galaxy centre back Derrick Williams, and Norway international Stian Gregersen.
The Five Stripes’ central midfield duo of Bartosz Slisz and Tristan Muyumba is in its infancy too, with Poland international Slisz joining from Legia Warsaw as recently as January.
Having already spoken about Saba Lobjanidze, an August 2023 arrival from Hatayspor, Atlanta United’s other winger Xande Silva was previously a West Ham United and Nottingham Forest player, and is another threat with pace to burn out wide.
Winter Park, Orlando native and MLS veteran Dax McCarty is also an Atlanta United player in 2024, still going strong in central midfield at the age of 36.
Injuries, international call-ups, and suspensions
Heading into this game, César Araújo (right ankle) and Jack Lynn (right lower leg) are questionable for Orlando City SC.
Some good news however is that David Brekalo, Pedro Gallese, Duncan McGuire, and Facundo Torres were all spotted at MCO boarding the plane bound for Atlanta.
Having all received international call-ups this March, this quartet will thankfully appear in this game before leaving Osceola Heritage Park to represent their countries.
Also called up by Peru this March, Wilder Cartagena will miss this game against Atlanta United as he serves his one-game MLS suspension following his post-match red card against Minnesota United.
To catch you up, here are the Orlando City SC players that will be missing due to international duty later this March.
| PLAYER | NATIONAL TEAM |
| David Brekalo | 🇸🇮 Slovenia |
| Wilder Cartagena | 🇵🇪 Peru |
| Pedro Gallese | 🇵🇪 Peru |
| Favian Loyola | 🇺🇸 USMNT U-19 |
| Duncan McGuire | 🇺🇸 USMNT U-23 |
| Abdi Salim | 🇸🇴 Somalia |
| Facundo Torres | 🇺🇾 Uruguay |
As for Atlanta United, Gonzalo Pineda currently has the luxury of selecting from a fully fit squad.
Significantly, Thiago Almada hasn’t been called up by Argentina, and Giorgos Giakoumakis doesn’t have international commitments with Greece until next Thursday, so Atlanta United’s dangerous duo is fit and available for selection in this game.
Something that is certainly bad news for us!
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Atlanta United vs Orlando City SC
Last 3 head-to-heads
- September 14, 2022: Orlando City SC 0 Atlanta United 1 (MLS)
- May 27, 2023: Orlando City SC 1 Atlanta United 1 (MLS)
- July 15, 2023: Atlanta United 1 Orlando City SC 2 (MLS)
2017/23 head-to-head stats
- It was 1-2 to Orlando the last time the sides met (July 2023)
- Played Atlanta 19 times in MLS – Atlanta 8, Draws 7, Orlando 4
- Orlando have gone 4-5-2 against Atlanta with Oscar Pareja as head coach
- Atlanta have scored 4 goals or more in 4 of their last 5 home fixtures in MLS
- The last time that Orlando lost 3 consecutive MLS games was in July / August 2022
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Watching the game
Atlanta United vs Orlando City SC will be shown live on Apple TV at 23:00 (GMT) on Sunday, March 17.
Remember, UK supporters can watch all of Orlando City SC‘s 2024 MLS regular season fixtures by subscribing to Apple TV’s “MLS Season Pass”.
Subscribe now by clicking here.
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