Last Saturday, Orlando City SC suffered a 4-3 defeat at Columbus Crew, ending the Lions’ three-game winning streak in dramatic fashion. Despite a spirited comeback from 3-0 down, individual errors proved costly, causing Oscar Pareja’s men to lose ground in our pursuit of a fourth consecutive MLS Cup Playoffs appearance.
The defeat means Orlando City SC remain on 43 points in a tightly congested Eastern Conference. Goals from Diego Rossi, Christian Ramirez, and Cucho Hernández put Crew 3-0 up at at Lower.com Field. Then late goals from Ramiro Enrique, Luis Muriel, Aziel Jackson, and Muriel (again) saw City fall just short in Ohio.
Hoping to bounce back and reinforce our playoff charge, Orlando City SC now visit FC Dallas for the first time since September 2020. With City currently fifth in the Eastern Conference, our push for a top four finish is still within reach, though last weekend’s setback means the pressure is mounting.
As for FC Dallas, they are fighting for a playoff spot themselves in the Western Conference. Coming off a morale-boosting 3-1 victory over Los Angeles FC, who were gearing up for the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, this win marked Toros’ first in their last four MLS fixtures (1-1-2). As such, this game promises to be another stern examination of Orlando City SC’s resilience and adaptability. Right now, every point is vital as we enter the final stretch of the MLS regular season. A strong performance in Frisco could be the catalyst needed to reignite our playoff and post-season hopes.
Saturday’s visit to Toyota Stadium will also be a reunion for both Oscar Pareja and Luiz Muzzi. Both are very familiar with the venue after many successful years working together at the Texan club.
Last time out
Last Saturday, Orlando City SC fell 4-3 to Columbus Crew in a thrilling contest at Lower.com Field, marking a disappointing end to the Lions’ three-game winning streak.
Despite showing character to fight back from 3-0 down, costly errors ultimately saw City lose ground in our pursuit of a fourth consecutive MLS playoff appearance.
The defeat leaves Orlando City SC stuck on 43 points while Crew capitalised on every opportunity presented to them, extending their Eastern Conference tally to 56 points.
Goals from Diego Rossi, Christian Ramirez, and Cucho Hernández put Crew 3-0 up at at Lower.com Field.
Then late goals from Ramiro Enrique, Luis Muriel, Aziel Jackson, and Muriel (again) saw City fall just short in Ohio.
Oscar Pareja, opting for an altered starting lineup due to César Araújo’s suspension, watched on as Pedro Gallese started behind Dagur Dan Thórhallsson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, and Rafael Santos.
Handed a rare start, Jeorgio Kocevski filled in for Araújo next to Wilder Cartagena in midfield, while Duncan McGuire got the nod upfront.
The game started at breakneck speed with both sides rattling the woodwork within the opening 15 minutes.
Orlando City SC nearly took the lead through Dagur Dan Thórhallsson’s strike that ricocheted off the post, but it was Columbus Crew who would strike first on 30 minutes.
An underhit pass from Martín Ojeda found the wrong target, gifting possession to Mohamed Farsi, whose quick pass to Diego Rossi culminated in a deflected shot past Pedro Gallese (1-0).
The Lions, unable to find an equaliser before half-time, entered the break trailing in possession, shots, and passing accuracy, although we were far from outclassed.
The second-half, however, started disastrously for Orlando City SC as our high defensive line was caught out, leading to a simple headed goal from Christian Ramirez on 51 minutes (2-0).
Moments later, Oscar Pareja introduced Nicolás Lodeiro, Luis Muriel, and Ramiro Enrique from the bench to inject some fresh attacking impetus.
But Columbus Crew struck again through half-time substitute Cucho Hernández, who powered past the Orlando City SC backline, connecting one-time with Max Arfsten’s cross to run up the score (3-0).
Together with Diego Rossi and Christian Ramirez, Cucho forms the “three-headed monster” of Crew’s attack, as described by Apple TV’s Kevin Egan, with all three finding the scoreline last Saturday.
Wilfried Nancy may have limited Cucho to one half, considering the Crew’s 2024 Campeones Cup clash with Club América last night.
Just when it seemed like the game was out of reach, Orlando City SC responded on 74 minutes.
A pin-point pass from Luis Muriel found Iván Angulo racing down the flank, with the Colombian’s shot hitting the post before Ramiro Enrique smashed in the rebound (3-1).
Then, on 77 minutes, Yaw Yeboah’s foul on Angulo inside the box gave Muriel the opportunity to convert from the penalty spot, which he did, making it a one-goal game (3-2).
Orlando City SC nearly found themselves level moments later when Ramiro Enrique’s cross reached Nicolás Lodeiro, only for his shot to deflect agonisingly wide.
A case of ifs, buts, and maybes, an equaliser here would’ve marked a sensational comeback!
However, a miscommunication between Felipe Martins and Dagur Dan Thórhallsson proved catastrophic, as Cucho Hernández seized possession and set up Aziel Jackson to restore Columbus Crew’s two-goal advantage on 85 minutes (4-2).
After the game, Felipe Martins owned up to his mistake on X, tweeting: “Always trying my best no matter what I always keeping going and try to help as much I can! Tonight wasn’t different, you never want to make a mistake but unfortunately this is soccer! On to the next one! Much love 💜🦁”.
Luis Muriel’s second goal, a long-range effort that caught Patrick Schulte off guard in stoppage time, gave Orlando City SC faint hope, but the Lions ran out of time, falling just short at 4-3.
The final whistle was a painful reminder of the margins that separate the top Major League Soccer sides from the rest, with Oscar Pareja’s men unable to overcome their defensive lapses.
Despite finishing with more shots (13 to 12), Orlando City SC’s defensive fragility proved decisive.
In the end, it was a valiant effort against the reigning 2023 MLS Cup and 2024 Leagues Cup champions.
But the 4-3 scoreline showed that more work is needed to secure a playoff spot in the final weeks of this MLS regular season.
Last head-to-head
The last time that Orlando City SC faced FC Dallas in MLS was back on May 28, 2022.
On the night, the Lions fell to a disappointing 1-3 defeat at Inter&Co Stadium despite leading 1-0 at the break.
Things looked promising when Mauricio Pereyra assisted Ercan Kara, who scored with a clinical header in first-half stoppage time (1-0).
This marked Kara’s second goal in as many matches, solidifying his position as City’s leading goalscorer with five goals at the time.
Jake Mulraney also made his Orlando City SC debut with both teams ditching their usual colour schemes.
On the field, the Lions donned the semi night flash and scarlet version of the 2022 Adidas PRIMEBLUE jersey, while FC Dallas sported the white and glow pink version.
Both teams also wore special jersey patches to honour the victims of the Uvalde, Texas tragedy.
In the second-half, FC Dallas equalised on 67 minutes through Paul Arriola, who finished emphatically after being set up by Franco Jara (1-1).
Just three minutes later, Jara scored off a Jesús Ferreira assist, putting FC Dallas ahead (1-2).
The night got worse for the Lions when Arriola netted his second goal on 84 minutes, securing all three points for the visitors.
Ultimately, Orlando City SC were left to regret missed opportunities throughout the game.
Defensive lapses allowed FC Dallas to capitalise and turn the tide of the match, despite the Lions controlling the game for large periods.
What’s at stake this time?
Following Orlando City SC’s 4-3 defeat at Columbus Crew, we’ve dropped from fourth to fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
Right now, the Lions have 43 points from 30 games played.
A top four seeding is still very much alive for City, but our chances took a hit last weekend with other teams capitalising on our slip-up.
New York City FC (41 points) closed the gap on Orlando City SC to just two points after drawing 1-1 with Inter Miami.
On a sunny afternoon at Yankee Stadium, James Sands scored a dramatic headed equaliser in virtually the last play of the game.
Having played the same number of games (30) as Orlando City SC, The Pigeons’ persistence means they’re hot on our heels.
Despite The Herons looking almost unstoppable this season, our Florida rivals annoyingly paid us no favour at NYCFC.
Elsewhere, Charlotte FC made their move too.
Thumping a hapless New England Revolution side 4-0, The Crown also sit just two points behind Orlando City SC on 41 points having played the same number of games (30) as the Lions.
New York Red Bulls’ 2-2 draw against Atlanta United not only took them to 44 points, but saw them leapfrog us back into fourth place by a single point.
And in this game, Atlanta United paid us no favour either, squandering a precious one-goal lead – just like our fellow rivals Inter Miami!
Despite Edwin Mosquera giving The Five Stripes a late 92nd minute lead (1-2), they surrendered it to Elias Manoel who equalised in the 97th minute (2-2).
Sandro Schwarz’s side are the Lions’ main competition right now, with both Orlando City SC and Red Bulls having played the same number of games (30).
Toronto FC lost further ground with a 2-0 defeat at Colorado Rapids and significantly, they’ve played a game more (31) than New York Red Bulls (4th), Orlando City SC (5th), Charlotte FC (6th), and New York City FC (7th).
This gives us some breathing room, since Toronto FC won’t be in action on 2024 MLS Decision Day.
As it stands, Orlando City SC need to get back to winning ways and capitalise on any slip-ups from our Eastern Conference rivals.
With the margins so tight, every point counts as we aim to seal a top four finish and secure that all-important home field advantage in the Round One Best-of-3 Series of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
It’s crunch time, and with just seven points separating us from eighth-placed Toronto FC, it’s clear that the race for a guaranteed playoff spot is far from over.
But reassuringly, aside from Facundo Torres’ fantastic form, Orlando City SC’s strikers have also been impressive.
During our last nine MLS games, Ramiro Enrique has scored 5 goals, Duncan McGuire has scored 2 goals, and Luis Muriel has also scored 2 goals, showcasing the team’s growing confidence in attack.
It’s great to see all three strikers thriving in healthy competition, pushing each other by scoring regularly and making a strong case for Oscar Pareja to start them each week.
Thankfully, our fate is still in our hands.
Can Orlando City SC rally again and solidify our place among the Eastern Conference’s top four elite?
Only time will tell.
Opposition danger men
When it comes to FC Dallas’ danger men, Designated Player Petar Musa stands out as the Texan side’s biggest threat.
After all, he’s currently FC Dallas’ leading goalscorer with a club record-breaking 15 regular season goals in his debut MLS season.
A campaign to remember, the Croatian international striker has quickly made a name for himself.
Joining FC Dallas from Benfica for $9.7 million in February 2024, this club-record fee will potentially rise to $13 million with add-ons.
Standing at 6 ft 3 in, Musa is an imposing physical presence.
He excels at holding up play and finishing chances with clinical precision.
Elsewhere, club captain Paul Arriola remains a key player for FC Dallas with his relentless work ethic and agility.
Having called Toyota Stadium home since January 2022, the USMNT winger has four goals and six assists so far this MLS season.
Typically deployed on the right wing, Arriola is renowned for his speed, tenacity, and leadership skills.
We can’t forget about Alan Velasco and Jesús Ferreira too.
Out since October 2023 due to an ACL injury, Velasco made his long-awaited return for FC Dallas as a substitute against Colorado Rapids on August 31.
Standing at just 5 ft 6 in, with a low centre of gravity, Alan Velasco’s standout attributes are his exceptional dribbling, speed, and creativity.
As for Ferreira, he can play as both a striker or an attacking midfielder, and is renowned for his clinical finishing, intelligent movement, and technical skills.
Having scored 53 goals in 159 MLS regular season appearances for FC Dallas, the Homegrown hero has also been recognised internationally, earning 23 caps for the USMNT and scoring an impressive 15 goals.
New opposition faces
Because it’s been over two years since Orlando City SC last faced FC Dallas, the Texan side have undergone several personnel changes in that time.
Indeed, former FC Dallas player Peter Luccin officially took over as interim head coach on June 9 after the club parted ways with Nico Estévez.
Going 7-2-5 during his 14 games in caretaker charge, the Frenchman has impressively got a reaction out of Estévez’s underperforming FC Dallas side.
Player-wise, 2023 saw Toros sign the likes of American defender Sebastien Ibeagha, former Real Madrid midfielder Asier Illarramendi, and Canadian international midfielder Liam Fraser.
Going into 2024, FC Dallas spent the off-season recruiting Enes Sali, Omar Gonzalez, Patrickson Delgado, Petar Musa, and Carl Sainté, not to mention Logan Farrington as the 3rd overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft.
With a similar attacking profile to Duncan McGuire, Farrington has been a regular in his debut MLS season, making 25 league appearances (nine starts) and scoring four goals this year.
Logan Farrington is one to watch having scored in FC Dallas’ last two home MLS fixtures against Colorado Rapids (2-3) and Los Angeles FC (3-1).
On July 22, FC Dallas signed Angolan midfielder Manuel Cafumana, also known as Show, on loan from Maccabi Haifa.
And most recently, on August 12, FC Dallas acquired former Lion Ruan from CF Montréal in exchange for $50,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money.
FC Dallas are the fourth MLS club Ruan has played for after Orlando City SC, D.C. United, and CF Montréal.
Injuries and suspensions
Heading into this game, Mason Stajduhar (right lower leg) and David Brekalo (right thigh) are definitely out for Orlando City SC.
But César Araújo is back in contention after serving his one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation at Columbus Crew.
Elsewhere, new boy Heine Gikling Bruseth still awaits his MLS debut after being an unused substitute against Charlotte FC (2-0) and Columbus Crew (4-3).
As for FC Dallas, Liam Fraser (leg), Geovane Jesus (knee), and Paxton Pomykal (knee) are definitely out while Show (knee) is questionable.
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FC Dallas vs Orlando City SC
Last 3 head-to-heads
- August 3, 2019: Orlando City SC 2 FC Dallas 0 (MLS)
- September 27, 2020: FC Dallas 0 Orlando City SC 0 (MLS)
- May 28, 2022: Orlando City SC 1 FC Dallas 3 (MLS)
2015/22 head-to-head stats
- It was 1-3 to Dallas the last time the sides met (May 2022)
- Played Dallas 7 times in MLS – Dallas 4, Draws 2, Orlando 1
- Orlando have failed to score against Dallas in 5 of 7 MLS head-to-heads so far
- Both teams have scored in 6 of Dallas’ last 7 MLS fixtures
- Orlando have scored 2 or more goals in 6 of their last 7 away fixtures in MLS
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Watching the game
FC Dallas vs Orlando City SC will be shown live on Apple TV at 01:30 (GMT) on Sunday, September 29.
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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