Orlando City SC are primed and ready as we head into 2024 MLS Decision Day! Following our impressive 1-3 victory against FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium on October 5, the Lions have put themselves in a really strong position to secure a coveted fourth-placed (top four) finish in the Eastern Conference. Prior to the international break, our crucial 1-3 win at FC Cincinnati not only capped off our final away fixture of the regular season but also showcased our remarkable resilience and tactical discipline. Ramiro Enrique was the star of the night, netting a brace to propel him to eight goals in his last 12 MLS appearances, while Iván Angulo added another to underline City’s offensive prowess.
With this victory, Orlando City SC reached 58 goals this 2024 MLS regular season, surpassing our club record (55 in 2023 and 2016) for the most goals in a single season – a testament to the attacking dynamism of this team. Currently sitting on 52 points from 33 matches, the Lions are firmly in control of their destiny, with a golden opportunity to seal that fourth-placed finish against fierce rivals Atlanta United at Inter&Co Stadium. Quite simply, a City victory on 2024 MLS Decision Day will guarantee home field advantage in the Round One Best-of-3 Series of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. After our stellar performance at FC Cincinnati, we’ve extended our remarkable run to 10 wins in 13 MLS matches since July 1, making us Major League Soccer’s most in-form team heading into Gameweek 34 and the post-season.
With New York City FC hot on our heels, just two points behind us, we know that any slip-up could prove fatal. The Pigeons visit CF Montréal on 2024 MLS Decision Day, with the Canadian side also vying to secure their own spot in the Eastern Conference MLS Wild Card match. Since Orlando City SC are now unrecognisable from the team that lost 2-0 at Atlanta United back in March, there would be nothing sweeter than putting an immediate end to The Five Stripes’ slim playoff aspirations. Given the fierce Florida-Georgia rivalry and the added pressure, Orlando City SC must harness the momentum from our recent successes and deliver a standout performance in this high-stakes fixture.
As we prepare for this defining match, the Lions are more than capable of rising to the occasion. With the remarkable attacking talent of Facundo Torres and the continued brilliance of Ramiro Enrique, Orlando City SC are not only aiming for a top four finish but also looking to set the stage for what we hope will be our deepest playoff run yet. All eyes are now on 2024 MLS Decision Day, so let’s make it count. Vamos Orlando!
2024 MLS Cup Playoffs: Top four clinch scenarios
Orlando City SC will clinch home field advantage in the Round One Best-of-3 Series of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs if:
- Orlando City SC win against Atlanta United or…
- New York City FC lose/draw at CF Montréal or…
- Orlando City SC draw against Atlanta United AND Orlando City SC own a tiebreaker advantage over New York City FC
Last time out
Back on October 5, prior to the international break, Orlando City SC defeated FC Cincinnati 1-3 at TQL Stadium in our final away fixture of the 2024 MLS regular season.
Looking to nail down a top four finish in the Eastern Conference, the Lions delivered a fantastic performance in Ohio.
Sporting The Legacy Kit, City kicked off the action from left to right, with Luis Muriel making his first MLS start since June 22, replacing Martín Ojeda in Oscar Pareja’s only change.
Despite FC Cincinnati’s early pressure, Orlando City SC struck first through Ramiro Enrique (who else?) on 10 minutes.
Continuing his fine form, the Argentine latched onto Cincinnati native Kyle Smith’s perfectly whipped cross from the right wing with a first-time finish, marking his seventh goal in 12 MLS appearances (0-1).
This play must’ve been super sweet, not only for Enrique, but Smith who is Cincinnati born and bred.
Eager to bounce back after two consecutive MLS defeats, FC Cincinnati had endured an unexpectedly poor 7-3-6 record at home this season.
And despite their efforts, they struggled to break down Orlando City SC’s disciplined bunker-and-counter approach.
This is a road tactic that has been perfected by Oscar Pareja over the years.
Some sharp and determined first-half touches from Facundo Torres and Ramiro Enrique kept the home side on edge.
Taylor Twellman even pointed out the eerie quiet in TQL Stadium, including The Bailey Supporters’ Section, during his Apple TV commentary as Orlando City SC’s defensive shape stifled the Orange and Blue’s usual rhythm.
The match was tense and chippy from the start, with tempers flaring as Orlando City SC’s Rodrigo Schlegel and FC Cincinnati’s Kevin Kelsy repeatedly clashed physically throughout the first-half.
But César Araújo and Wilder Cartagena once again set the tempo in midfield, making timely interceptions and keeping Kevin Kelsy in check.
Unfortunately, Cartagena picked up his usual booking, which now rules him out of our 2024 MLS Decision Day clash against rivals Atlanta United due to yellow card accumulation.
Despite Wilder Cartagena’s yellow, Orlando City SC remained focused and came close to doubling their lead.
Firstly, on 40 minutes, a clever quick free-kick from deep by Luis Muriel found Ramiro Enrique running clear through on Roman Celentano’s goal.
With Alvas Powell caught napping, Celentano unfortunately made an incredible save to deny Enrique one on one, tipping the Argentine’s strike over the crossbar.
While FC Cincinnati supporters whined about offside, a corner was given and it was from this corner that Ramiro Enrique had the ball in the net.
Thinking he’d doubled Orlando City SC’s lead, connecting with Facundo Torres’ corner at Celentano’s back post, referee Filip Dujic ruled out the goal.
This decision was incredibly harsh, as Roman Celentano collided with Luis Muriel, not the other way around, leading Dujic to incorrectly interpret it as a barge from Muriel before disallowing the goal.
In reality, Muriel did little, if anything, to warrant such a call.
Despite the Apple TV commentary labelling it as a foul, I really don’t see how Muriel could be penalised for his contact with Celentano?
Just as Orlando City SC looked set to enter half-time with a 0-1 lead, FC Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta struck a brilliant equaliser on 45 minutes.
Catching Pedro Gallese off-guard, Acosta bent a curling strike towards the near post, rather than the far corner where his body shape had suggested.
Unable to adjust his feet in time, Gallese could only watch as the ball nestled into the back of the net (1-1).
Throughout the first-half, both benches became increasingly animated, with lively exchanges between either sides’ coaching staff.
Tensions peaked at half-time, with head coaches Oscar Pareja and Pat Noonan stepping to each other, particularly after some contentious decisions.
There was certainly no love lost on the touchline, and boy, it was feisty down there, with emotions running high as the MLS regular season reached its climax!
Despite FC Cincinnati outshooting Orlando City SC 8 to 2 by half-time, only one of those shots was on target – Luciano Acosta’s clever finish that left the teams tied at 1-1 as they headed into the locker room.
In truth, Orlando City SC had done well to frustrate FC Cincinnati, making Acosta’s equaliser all the more difficult to swallow.
Entering the second-half, both teams knew the importance of the next 45 minutes in shaping the end to their regular season.
At half-time, Pat Noonan wisely substituted the hot-headed and already yellow-carded Kevin Kelsy for Yuya Kubo.
Kelsy had been a walking red card all evening, committing persistent infringement with five fouls in the first-half.
The second-half began with Orlando City SC continuing to execute Oscar Pareja’s disciplined game plan, with Kyle Smith excelling once again on his Cincinnati homecoming.
Defensively solid in Dagur Dan Thórhallsson’s absence, Smith also provided Orlando City SC with an attacking outlet down the right flank – not something he’s usually associated with.
On 59 minutes, he nearly recreated his first-half assist, whipping in another dangerous cross that Ramiro Enrique almost connected with.
However, FC Cincinnati managed to scramble it away, conceding a corner in the process.
Ramiro Enrique’s movement continued to trouble the FC Cincinnati defence, as his link-up play with Kyle Smith and Facundo Torres kept the hosts concerned.
Aside from the solo brilliance of talisman Luciano Acosta, FC Cincinnati appeared quite ordinary as an attacking force, with former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini remaining anonymous throughout the entire evening.
It wasn’t until Pat Noonan brought Luca Orellano on for Alvas Powell in the second-half that the Orange and Blue began to pose a more genuine threat on the break.
But on 66 minutes, Orlando City SC took the lead for the second time in the match.
Deployed in the number 10 role, Luis Muriel showed great hustle to work the ball out wide to the advancing Kyle Smith down the right wing.
And another cross from Smith set the stage for Iván Angulo.
Taking on a speculative strike from distance, Angulo’s shot slipped through the FC Cincinnati goalkeeper’s hands, gifting Orlando City SC a crucial second-half lead (1-2).
From here, the Lions pressed on and nearly made it 1-3 moments later when red-hot Ramiro Enrique dragged a shot wide after a promising chance.
But Orlando City SC’s relentless pressing paid off once again on 72 minutes.
After Facundo Torres flicked a pass over his head and in behind FC Cincinnati, a short, misjudged back pass from substitute Luca Orellano allowed Iván Angulo to intercept the ball.
Reminiscent of FIFA gameplay, the fleet-footed Angulo then laid off a square pass for Ramiro Enrique, who tapped in his second goal of the night (1-3).
With Ramiro Enrique’s confidence shining through, this marked his eighth goal in his last 12 MLS matches – a remarkable run of form since resolving his green card issues mid-season!
Struggling all evening to break down Orlando City SC’s organised and disciplined shape, FC Cincinnati attempted to find a way back into the game.
But Pedro Gallese has been back to his best since returning from the 2024 Copa América, and made two outstanding saves to thwart their late attempts.
El Pulpo has returned to the stingy and reliable form we all know and love after a slow start to 2024, and it has been great to witness.
Around the 75th minute mark, Gallese made two crucial saves, including a fantastic palmed dive to his right that denied second-half substitute Luca Orellano.
These stops were vital in maintaining the Lions’ two-goal cushion.
In the final stages, Pat Noonan’s side threw numbers forward, but Orlando City SC’s backline, marshalled by the battling Robin Jansson, stood firm.
On 80 minutes, Facundo Torres had the chance to add a fourth goal, but Roman Celentano denied him one-on-one, preventing further damage to FC Cincinnati’s confidence.
As the clock ticked into six minutes of second-half stoppage time, Orlando City SC once again demonstrated maturity and excellent game management.
The Lions successfully saw out an important 1-3 victory, cementing our coveted fourth-placed position in the Eastern Conference.
Despite Robin Jansson receiving a late yellow card for dissent after Nicolás Lodeiro committed what could hardly be considered a foul, this marked the final play of the game.
This result extended Orlando City SC’s incredible run of form to 10 wins in 13 MLS matches since July 1, further establishing us as one of the most feared teams heading into the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Once again showcasing defensive discipline and clinical counter-attacking, the Lions will be a team no one looks forward to facing come playoff time.
Last head-to-head
The last time that Orlando City SC faced Atlanta United in MLS, it was a sorry visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium way back on March 17.
Comfortably defeated 2-0 by our rivals, the mood was already somber after a really tough opening month of 2024.
Heading to Georgia deflated, fatigued, and understrength, facing The Five Stripes away is always tough – even at the best of times.
On 8 minutes, Rafael Santos sent in a cross to Atlanta United’s back post, a cross that inadvertently hit Brad Guzan’s crossbar.
Within the space of the same minute, Giorgos Giakoumakis launched a threatening counter for the hosts, skilfully curling a pass with the outside of his boot into the onrushing Saba Lobjanidze down the right wing.
Just where he wanted him, Lobjanidze caught Rafael Santos one-on-one with our left back having to backpedal after his marauding run forward.
Turning our number 3 inside out, the Georgian then fired low past Pedro Gallese to ruthlessly punish the Lions (1-0).
Experiencing that all too familiar sinking feeling, the Lions had a big mental hurdle to climb early on in front of 40,000+ fans.
Despite adversity, Orlando City SC dug deep to steady themselves, settling into the game thereafter with the dangerous Luis Muriel (x2) and Martín Ojeda forcing Brad Guzan into multiple first-half saves.
On the night, Atlanta United – who are a devastating side in transition – bypassed a nonexistent and makeshift Orlando City SC midfield multiple times throughout the first-half.
After all, Oscar Pareja made the strange decision to start Kyle Smith out of position in central midfield while sticking with natural midfielder Dagur Dan Thórhallsson at right back.
This was despite Felipe Martins being available in the absence of dynamic duo César Araújo (injury) and Wilder Cartagena (suspension).
I’m not a coach, but tactically speaking, the lack of a natural destroyer looked a really naive move on Atlanta United’s huge plastic pitch.
Several times throughout the first 45 minutes, a mighty determined Robin Jansson was forced to bail out Orlando City SC’s defence with several trademark last-ditch interceptions.
In first-half stoppage time, Pedro Gallese showcased his determination too, making an incredible double save to keep City in the game.
Demonstrating cat-like reflexes, El Pulpo repelled a Stian Gregersen header off an Atlanta United corner before impressively clawing away Xande Silva’s rebound too.
Despite steadying ourselves in the game, we still entered half-time 1-0 down.
Patiently maintaining spells of possession to put second-half pressure on Atlanta United, we still couldn’t produce enough genuine quality to really hurt them in the final third.
This came back to bite us on 70 minutes.
Breaking forward down the right wing, Brooks Lennon left Rafael Santos on the floor before spotting Giorgos Giakoumakis lurking dangerously on the edge of the City box.
Connecting with Lennon’s assist one-time, Giakoumakis curled a devastatingly accurate strike into Pedro Gallese’s top right hand corner from distance (2-0).
A goal that painfully took the game out of City’s reach, it was a truly stunning finish from the prolific Greek striker.
It’s never nice losing to your rivals, and given our really poor start to 2024, the full-time whistle heralded nothing but pain for everybody connected with Orlando City SC.
What’s at stake this time?
As Orlando City SC gear up for 2024 MLS Decision Day and our clash against Atlanta United, the stakes are high.
Following our impressive 1-3 win at FC Cincinnati, the Lions remain fourth in the Eastern Conference, now sitting on 52 points from 33 matches.
With just one regular season fixture remaining, City must now finish the job to secure home field advantage in the Round One Best-of-3 Series of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Unfortunately, our race for a fourth-placed (top four) finish isn’t over following Gameweek 33.
New York City FC, currently fifth, are just two points behind Orlando City SC with 50 points after their 3-1 win over Nashville SC on October 6.
After this crucial victory, The Pigeons remain the only team with a chance to leapfrog us into that coveted fourth spot on Gameweek 34.
On 2024 MLS Decision Day, New York City FC visit CF Montréal while Orlando City SC host Atlanta United at Inter&Co Stadium.
Quite simply, if the Lions win, fourth place is ours!
Meanwhile, New York Red Bulls have slipped to seventh place, now an unassailable five points behind Orlando City SC following a 2-1 loss at Atlanta United, who are desperately clinging to the slimmest of playoff hopes.
Twelfth in the East on 37 points, The Five Stripes are three points behind ninth-placed CF Montréal, who currently occupy the final spot in the Eastern Conference MLS Wild Card match.
Quite simply, Rob Valentino’s Atlanta United have to win at Inter&Co Stadium to keep their faint post-season hopes alive.
And Orlando City SC would love nothing more than sealing a top four finish while also putting the final nail in the coffin of Atlanta United’s playoff hopes!
Ultimately, Orlando City SC have been a different beast since June 1.
In this timeframe, across all competitions, Facundo Torres (13 goals, 7 assists), Martín Ojeda (4 goals, 7 assists), and Ramiro Enrique (10 goals, 3 assists) have all stepped up, with Ojeda and Torres finally clicking in their respective roles.
This newfound chemistry couldn’t have come at a better time, as it gives us the firepower to challenge for what we hope is our deepest playoff run yet.
Reflecting on our regular season so far, Orlando City SC managed just 17 goals in our first 17 MLS games of 2024.
However, in our last 16 games, we’ve netted 41 goals (58 in total), surpassing our club record for the most goals (55 in 2023 and 2016) in a single MLS regular season.
Ultimately, Orlando City SC are unrecognisable from the side that embarrassingly got thumped 5-0 at Inter Miami back in March.
Forgive us for mentioning that awful day again, as we had wiped it from our memories!
But it’s important to remember just how far we’ve come since that day, with our 1-3 win at FC Cincinnati representing our tenth win in 13 MLS games since July 1.
The is officially the best form of ANY Major League Soccer team in this timeframe.
It’s so pleasing that we’ve returned to the very high standards we’ve set for ourselves under Oscar Pareja, especially last season when finishing as runners-up in the 2023 Supporters’ Shield.
As the post-season looms large, the pressure is on to secure that coveted fourth-placed finish.
With it comes home field advantage, this is not only in the Round One Best-of-3 Series of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs but also in every subsequent round.
This advantage could potentially lead to hosting 2024 MLS Cup itself at Inter&Co Stadium – pending the elimination of higher seeds along the way, of course.
Excuse us for daydreaming for a second!
Regarding the playoffs, Orlando City SC must remain focused and disciplined, particularly given our history of rash decisions and red cards when it’s mattered most.
This has definitely been the elephant in the room for a few years now!
The upcoming match against Atlanta United presents not just an opportunity to secure a top four finish but also a chance to build momentum heading into the post-season.
In many ways, the recent international break probably fell at the wrong time for Orlando City SC, just as it did last year!
While it wasn’t the longest break, we’ve been hitting our stride over the past few months, making a pause in our momentum a bit frustrating.
With our confidence sky-high and team camaraderie at its peak, City supporters were hoping for no distractions, eager for our players to keep riding the momentum of our winning streak.
With everything on the line, can Orlando City SC now secure that coveted top four finish and kick off the playoffs with home field advantage?
We’ll soon find out on 2024 MLS Decision Day!
Opposition danger men
Since Orlando City SC last faced Atlanta United in MLS, the Georgia side have parted ways with their three best players.
In June, The Five Stripes sold star striker Giorgos Giakoumakis to Cruz Azul for a reported $10 million.
Then, in July, they sold 2022 FIFA World Cup winner Thiago Almada to Botafogo for a record outgoing MLS transfer fee of $22 million (plus $3 million in add-ons).
Not just losing Almada in July, Atlanta United also sold three-cap USMNT left back Caleb Wiley to Chelsea before he joined Strasbourg on loan.
As for Atlanta United danger men who are still in town, Saba Lobjanidze is undoubtedly the biggest threat in the opposition ranks.
A Georgia international winger now ironically playing in the American state of Georgia, Saba scored against City in March’s head-to-head (2-0).
Despite missing part of the regular season while representing Georgia in their unlikely run to the UEFA Euro 2024 Round of 16, Saba Lobjanidze still has eight goals and seven assists in MLS this year.
New opposition faces
Since Orlando City SC last faced Atlanta United, the The Five Stripes have undergone several personnel changes.
Beyond the high-profile sales of Giorgos Giakoumakis, Thiago Almada, and Caleb Wiley, June 3 saw Atlanta United part ways with head coach Gonzalo Pineda.
With Orlando City SC’s USL club legend Rob Valentino taking over as interim head coach following Pineda’s exit, he’s gone 5-6-6 during his 17 games in charge.
It’s not the first time Valentino has been Atlanta United interim head coach either.
Following the firing of previous head coach Gabriel Heinze, Valentino led Atlanta United to a 4-2-2 record as caretaker manager during the 2021 MLS season.
Player-wise, Atlanta United signed Portuguese left back Pedro Amador from Moreirense back on July 1.
And with their piggy bank full, The Five Stripes then spent a reported €15 million to sign Alexey Miranchuk from Atalanta.
Wearing his favoured #59 jersey at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Russian international Miranchuk can play as an attacking midfielder, a winger or at centre forward.
After joining Atlanta United as a Designated Player on July 30, Miranchuk expressed his love for Atlanta hip-hop.
Since then, he has already recorded three goals and one assist in MLS.
Injuries, international returnees, and suspensions
Heading into this game, Mason Stajduhar (right lower leg) is definitely out for the Lions.
But fortunately, David Brekalo (right thigh) and Dagur Dan Thórhallsson (left lower leg) have recovered from their injuries and are both in contention for this game.
Great news for City supporters, Dagur Dan’s return is particularly significant, as the Icelander has been one of our most consistent performers all season.
However, Wilder Cartagena will miss this game against Atlanta United due to yellow card accumulation, following a 17th minute booking in our 1-3 win at FC Cincinnati.
But Duncan McGuire is back in contention after serving his one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation at FC Cincinnati.
And fortunately, Pedro Gallese (Peru) and Facundo Torres (Uruguay) are both in contention too.
After facing each other in a 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier during recent international duty, this key duo have returned to Central Florida unscathed – phew!
In fact, Torres was an unused substitute against Peru (1-0) and Ecuador (0-0), so he’s been wrapped up in cotton wool, while Peru captain Gallese played the full 180+ minutes against Uruguay (1-0) and Brazil (4-0).
It’s brutal when key players get injured during this FIFA international window scheduled right before the MLS Cup Playoffs.
For what it’s worth, Wilder Cartagena (Peru) also returned from international duty unscathed after playing the full 90+ minutes against Brazil (4-0), so he’ll be ready to go once the post-season begins.
Elsewhere, new boy Heine Gikling Bruseth still awaits his City debut after being an unused substitute in Orlando City SC’s last five MLS fixtures.
It appears Oscar Pareja is easing him into Major League Soccer very gently amid the intensity of #HuntingSeason.
As for Atlanta United, Edwin Mosquera (knee) and Quentin Westberg (concussion protocol) are definitely out for Rob Valentino’s side.
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Orlando City SC vs Atlanta United
Last 3 head-to-heads
- May 27, 2023: Orlando City SC 1 Atlanta United 1 (MLS)
- July 15, 2023: Atlanta United 1 Orlando City SC 2 (MLS)
- March 17, 2024: Atlanta United 2 Orlando City SC 0 (MLS)
2017/24 head-to-head stats
- It was 2-0 to Atlanta the last time the sides met (March 2024)
- Played Atlanta 20 times in MLS – Orlando 4, Draws 7, Atlanta 9
- Orlando have gone 4-5-3 against Atlanta with Oscar Pareja as head coach
- Orlando have gone 3-0-2 in their last 5 MLS Decision Day fixtures
- Atlanta have gone 2-1-2 in their last 5 MLS Decision Day fixtures
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Watching the game
Orlando City SC vs Atlanta United will be shown live on Apple TV at 23:00 (GMT) on Saturday, October 19.
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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