It’s time, Orlando! With potential 2024 MLS Cup glory just 270+ minutes away, Orlando City SC are on the cusp of reaching their first-ever Eastern Conference Final. Standing in City’s way are fierce Georgia rivals Atlanta United who visit Inter&Co Stadium this Sunday in a single elimination Eastern Conference Semi-Final. Both teams have played each other 21 times in MLS, but never in a playoff match, until now. With just eight teams remaining in the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, the stage is set, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. This is what we’ve worked all season for – and now, it’s all about executing when it matters most.
After our heart-stopping game three victory over Charlotte FC in Round One, Orlando City SC have proven once again that we know how to handle pressure. Our thrilling 4-1 shootout victory (1-1 at full-time) saw us progress to our third-ever Eastern Conference Semi-Final, but this has been the end of the line twice before. Still carrying scars from our semi-final exits to New England Revolution (2020) and Columbus Crew (2024), it’s now up to Oscar Pareja’s Lions to go further than any Orlando City SC team has before. So, let’s be THAT team and say ‘why not us?’.
In Round One (game three), Facundo Torres’ buzzer-beater heroics and Pedro Gallese’s clutch penalty shootout saves were a testament to the grit and determination that define our team. With our momentum building, we’re hungrier than ever. Ultimately, Orlando City SC will never have a better opportunity to reach their first-ever MLS Cup. After all, the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference – Inter Miami (first), Columbus Crew (second), and FC Cincinnati (third) – shocked everyone by getting eliminated in Round One of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. If we can get past Atlanta United, Orlando City SC will host either sixth seed New York City FC or seventh seed New York Red Bulls at Inter&Co Stadium – a tantalising prospect with our fourth seed home advantage paying dividends.
Over the years, Atlanta United have been the bane of Orlando City SC’s existence. They not only won MLS Cup in their second-ever season (2018). Across all competitions, they also hold an impressive 11-7-4 all-time record against City since joining Major League Soccer in 2017. A team our supporters love to hate, it would be incredibly sweet to knock out The Five Stripes. We’d be one step closer to clinching what we’ve all yearned for since 2015 – that coveted Philip F. Anschutz Trophy and a first-ever MLS star above our crest! With a sellout crowd expected to pack out Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando City SC must be bold, focused, and disciplined. We can’t allow rash decisions, hot-headedness, and red cards to be our downfall like in post-seasons of old. Let’s show we’re #AllTeeth and ready to send Atlanta United packing! LFG. Vamos Orlando!
Last time out
Two words – Bye Ya’ll!
Back on November 9, Orlando City SC defeated Charlotte FC 4-1 on penalties (1-1 at full-time) in the decisive game three of Round One in the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Setting up our third-ever Eastern Conference Semi-Final, all under Oscar Pareja’s guidance, it was a special yet incredibly tense night at Inter&Co Stadium.
Ahead of our 3-1 penalty shootout defeat (0-0 at full-time) in game two, the Lions had scored in nine consecutive MLS matches.
Knowing that game three was make or break, we simply had to come out firing.
With Charlotte FC providing travel assistance to their supporters, around 500 away fans were in attendance at Inter&Co Stadium, adding to an electric playoff atmosphere.
Oscar Pareja kept Orlando City SC’s starting lineup unchanged from games one and two, and for good reason.
After all, Charlotte FC had failed to score a single goal against us over 180+ minutes.
As for The Crown, Pep Biel returned to Dean Smith’s starting eleven after serving his one-match suspension.
He replaced Liel Abada while Kerwin Vargas kept his starting spot from game two.
Patrick Agyemang also remained in the starting lineup, keeping Karol Świderski on the bench for a second consecutive game.
In a tense first-half, the Lions dominated the early exchanges and tested Charlotte FC’s resilience repeatedly.
From the opening whistle, Orlando City SC showed plenty of attacking intent and urgency.
This was everything we had desperately wanted from our disappointing game two performance at Bank of America Stadium.
On 3 minutes, Martín Ojeda delivered a pinpoint cross from the left wing to Facundo Torres.
However, the ball ricocheted off the Uruguayan before he could adjust his feet in time.
Just minutes later, Rafael Santos’ charged down the left wing, as he loves to do, and crossed to create more chaos in the Charlotte FC box.
Forcing Tim Ream to scramble, Kristijan Kahlina eventually gathered the ball.
But it was actually Charlotte FC who fired the game’s first real warning shot.
On 10 minutes, Djibril Diani headed a Pep Biel corner straight into Pedro Gallese’s clutches from near point-blank range.
Orlando City SC’s defence carelessly left Diani unmarked at Gallese’s back post.
In truth, the Lions were fortunate to avoid an early scare, thanks to the Frenchman’s weak contact.
Just 13 minutes into our game, good news filtered through from Ohio.
New York City FC had just defeated FC Cincinnati 5-6 on penalties (0-0 at full-time) in their deciding game three.
This was significant, because with second seed Columbus Crew already eliminated from the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, third seed FC Cincinnati had just fallen too.
This meant that as fourth seed, Orlando City SC had the potential to host their Eastern Conference playoff games en route to 2024 MLS Cup itself.
This was, of course, provided we took care of business against Charlotte FC.
All while hoping that Atlanta United could triumph over Inter Miami, some 230 miles down Florida’s Turnpike later that evening.
Back in our game, it was Facundo Torres who sparked the first real moment of excitement for an expectant home crowd.
On 17 minutes, Martín Ojeda cleverly cut the ball back to an unmarked Torres.
Facu was calling for it with his arms wide open at the top of The Crown’s box.
Torres’ left-footed strike pinged off Kristijan Kahlina’s left-hand post, sending a collective gasp throughout Inter&Co Stadium.
Just three minutes later, Facundo Torres rose highest above Andrew Privett.
Facu rattled the Charlotte FC woodwork once again – this time hitting Kristijan Kahlina’s crossbar instead of the post.
The chance came after César Araújo sent in a beautiful ball into the Charlotte FC box from the right wing.
With El Cuervo seemingly on a one-man mission to score against the team he loves facing (4 goals in 8 MLS games), the Charlotte FC goal was truly living a charmed life!
Not allowing our heads to drop, Orlando City SC kept pressing, determined to force the breakthrough.
On 25 minutes, César Araújo nervously deflected a Nathan Byrne cross just wide of our own goal after a tenacious run by the Charlotte FC right back who somehow kept the ball in play on the far byline.
Then, on 32 minutes, a fantastic Dagur Dan Thórhallsson through ball split Charlotte FC’s defence in two.
Thórhallsson’s pass found Martín Ojeda in a promising position on the near byline, but Kristijan Kahlina quickly dashed off his line to intercept.
Just moments later, Pedro Gallese came to Orlando City SC’s rescue.
His crucial last-ditch sliding tackle denied Patrick Agyemang who was racing through one-on-one towards our goal.
Our first-half frustration peaked on 42 minutes when Facundo Torres struck yet another fierce shot on Charlotte FC’s goal.
Instant replays confirmed that Andrew Privett clearly deflected the ball with his left arm.
But referee Ismir Pekmic waved away City’s penalty appeals, leaving the Orlando City SC home faithful in disbelief.
Then, right before half-time, Patrick Agyemang thought he had finally scored Charlotte FC’s first goal of the series.
Racing clear through on goal yet again, Agyemang coolly chipped the ball over Pedro Gallese and into the net.
However, linesman Jeffrey Greeson’s offside flag was thankfully raised with urgency on the far side of the pitch.
A massive get-out-of-jail-free card for Orlando City SC, this razor-thin decision kept the score, and series, level.
Truth be told, it seemed like Dagur Dan Thórhallsson was playing Agyemang onside in the build-up.
This decision could’ve honestly gone either way, and for me, we got away with one here.
The situation was reminiscent of the fine margins seen late in game two.
Remember, when Nicolás Lodeiro was flagged offside, despite Tim Ream seemingly playing the Uruguayan onside?
More recently, a November 15 tweet by @OffsideModeling confirmed that Adilson Malanda was playing Lodeiro onside by about two inches anyway!
Even with instant replays, it couldn’t be confirmed with 100% certainty if Patrick Agyemang was onside or offside.
And Apple TV commentators Tony Husband and Ross Smith even fell relatively quiet during this play.
They were seemingly undecided themselves about what the correct decision was, given how close of a call it was.
Since the game, another November 15 tweet by @OffsideModeling confirmed that Agyemang was offside by about three feet!
So maybe the play was a trick for the eyes, with the decision being justified after all?
Nevertheless, Charlotte FC still haven’t stopped crying about this decision ever since!
At half-time, Orlando City SC had seemingly done everything but score.
Reassuringly however, Facundo Torres was leading by example and putting the team on his back.
At this point, Charlotte FC had gone five halves without scoring a single goal in the series.
But with game three still on a knife-edge, our home faithful would grow increasingly nervous with each second-half minute that passed.
In our do-or-die scenario, Orlando City SC came out strong from the second-half whistle.
Our players were eager to strike early to ease both their own and our supporters’ anxiety.
There were early signs of Charlotte FC’s vulnerability when Adilson Malanda received a booking for pulling back Ramiro Enrique shortly after the restart.
Continuing with a great tempo, the Lions took control, moving the ball with purpose and creating several promising attacks.
On 52 minutes, Nathan Byrne fouled Iván Angulo just outside the Charlotte FC box.
This made it three yellow cards for The Crown as City looked poised for a breakthrough.
And on 56 minutes, following a corner, Martín Ojeda’s searching cross found an unmarked Ramiro Enrique at Charlotte FC’s back post.
But Enrique agonisingly headed wide in what was the clearest opportunity of the game to score.
By the hour mark, with game three still scoreless, it was quickly turning into ‘squeaky bum time’ at Inter&Co Stadium.
Oscar Pareja made his first tactical adjustments of the night on 65 minutes.
Not short of top-quality attacking reinforcements, Papi brought on Duncan McGuire and Luis Muriel for Ramiro Enrique and Iván Angulo.
On 68 minutes, Muriel showed great intent early on with a superb defence-splitting through ball to Facundo Torres.
But Kristijan Kahlina was quick off his line yet again to swiftly snuff out the opportunity.
Not Luis Muriel’s only impactful moment, the Colombian looked to make his mark when he dragged a shot wide of Kristijan Kahlina’s right-hand post on 70 minutes.
However, his decision to ignore forward runners drew visible frustration from his Orlando City SC team-mates.
On 77 minutes, the tension mounted when Pedro Gallese went down for treatment.
This raised alarm bells with Mason Stajduhar already out injured, leaving third choice Javier Otero as our only backup.
However, to City supporters’ relief, Gallese got up and soldiered on to finish the match.
On the night, Orlando City SC were the better team in terms of possession (60% to 40%), shot attempts (20 to 7), and shots on goal (6 to 4).
But as the game wore on, the prospect of a second successive penalty shootout loomed large.
This created a sickening feeling deep in the stomachs of City supporters everywhere!
We were all feeling unsettled because it was through penalties that Kristijan Kahlina and Charlotte FC won game two.
With Kahlina making two saves during that shootout, we all knew he was top-quality, so much so that he’s since been crowned 2024 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.
On 79 minutes, Oscar Pareja introduced Kyle Smith and Nicolás Lodeiro for Dagur Dan Thórhallsson and Martín Ojeda.
With only 10+ minutes of regulation time remaining, Lodeiro entered having registered 13 assists across all competitions this year.
In truth, he had been a bright attacking spark when introduced late in game two.
Orlando City SC continued to press, but on 82 minutes, panic set in when the Lions’ resolute defence finally faltered.
In a rare and costly error from Robin Jansson, our Swedish captain misjudged the bounce of a long ball forward from Ashley Westwood.
Allowing Karol Świderski to nip in between the play, collect the ball, and drive towards our goal, the Polish striker combined neatly with fellow second-half substitute Liel Abada.
Drifting out to the left wing, Abada got in behind Kyle Smith and delivered a dangerous square pass into the Orlando City SC box, finding Świderski.
The Polish striker lost Rodrigo Schlegel with a subtle feint, creating the extra yard of space he needed to score.
With a quick swivel of his hips, Karol Świderski left Pedro Gallese rooted to the spot, stunning Inter&Co Stadium with a ruthless sucker punch of a strike.
This goal gave Charlotte FC a precious 0-1 lead and a 1-2 advantage in the Round One Best-of-3 Series.
This was their first lead across over 262 minutes of head-to-head action.
Like letting the air out of a balloon, Orlando City SC’s desperation was evident.
With time running out fast, the Lions began launching their final offensives.
On 90 minutes, Rafael Santos stood up a deep cross to Nicolás Lodeiro at Charlotte FC’s back post.
Just inches from scoring, Lodeiro agonisingly squandered this huge opportunity.
He awkwardly trod on top of the ball with Kristijan Kahlina’s goal at his mercy.
By this point, even the most devoted of Orlando City SC supporters could sense it was just ‘one of those nights’.
It seemed like Charlotte FC’s ‘Brexit ball’ tactics of hanging tough were about to pay off big time.
But on 90+7 minutes – with just one minute of second-half stoppage time remaining – the football gods delivered a bolt from the blue!
Following a dangerous last-ditch Wilder Cartagena cross, all hope was revived.
Djibril Diani desperately tugged at Duncan McGuire’s shirt in the Charlotte FC penalty area, sending McGuire to the ground after the infringement.
As Andrew Wiebe noted in his Apple TV punditry, Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith was really frustrated with the call, arguing that Duncan McGuire didn’t need to go down.
However, Wiebe correctly pointed out that Smith was “putting responsibility on the wrong person”.
Ultimately, Diani should have known better than to make this foolish foul in virtually the last play of the match.
Former Lion Sacha Kljestan called it “lazy defending” from Diani, and he was right.
Thank heavens that Djibril Diani had this rush of blood to the head.
Had he not, we would have been eliminated.
With Ismir Pekmic awarding a dramatic last gasp penalty to Orlando City SC, this provided us the ultimate opportunity to save our season.
In winning the penalty, Duncan McGuire heroically dislocated his shoulder when colliding with the ground.
But wait!
After Ismir Pekmic originally pointed to the spot, Djibril Diani’s tug on Duncan McGuire had to go to VAR review.
It was a real gut-churner for everybody involved, especially so late in the game.
With the tension reaching fever pitch, Charlotte FC captain Ashley Westwood and his team-mates launched a fierce protest.
Westwood even marched towards the penalty spot, clearly aiming to scuff it up and delay the restart.
Altogether, from the initial awarding of our penalty to its eventual execution, these antics stretched the wait to an agonising FOUR whole minutes.
This included Ismir Pekmic’s VAR review at the monitor on the far touchline.
For Orlando City SC supporters, it honestly felt like an eternity!
You couldn’t help but feel for Facundo Torres, who gripped the ball tightly, anxiously awaiting his big opportunity to save the game and our season.
With each passing minute during the VAR review, I honestly thought Ismir Pekmic might overturn his original penalty call.
Especially given our misfortune throughout the 90+ minutes!
But upon reflection, I suppose Pekmic had to take the time to reach the right decision.
After all, it was a massive call so late in the game, the series, and in both team’s seasons.
The penalty was finally taken, and although Kristijan Kahlina dived quickly to his right to save Facundo Torres’ initial shot, Facu reacted swiftly to pounce on the rebound.
The ball fell perfectly at Facu’s feet, and he secured a dramatic equaliser in virtually the final seconds of our 2024 MLS season!
With our season on the line, Torres’ equaliser honestly couldn’t have come much later.
The Cardiac Cats were back, baby – and how!
Facundo Torres’ rebound strike not only kept Orlando City SC’s 2024 season alive.
It also made him our all-time leading scorer in MLS Cup Playoffs history (2 goals).
This is the third club record that Torres has broken in little over one month.
After becoming Orlando City SC’s all-time leading goalscorer (45, now 47 goals) on October 2, he then set City’s record for the most single-season goals (19, now 20 goals) on October 27.
Charlotte FC must be sick of the sight of Torres, who now has five goals in nine MLS head-to-heads.
He has been an absolute thorn in The Crown’s side!
In the ensuing penalty shootout, Orlando City SC made full use of their coin-toss advantage by opting to shoot in front of The Wall.
Being the twelfth man, both the Ruckus and Iron Lion Firm waved their flags furiously behind the goal.
They certainly played their part in creating a hostile Central Florida atmosphere to unsettle Charlotte FC’s penalty takers.
For the second successive Round One game, Orlando City SC also took the first kick.
This is always an advantage in shootouts.
With Facundo Torres’ buzzer beater equaliser still rattling Charlotte FC’s psyche, the visitors struggled to keep their composure.
Round One (game three) penalty shootout – How it went down:
| TAKER | STATUS | REVIEW |
| Luis Muriel | ✅ | 1-0. Cool as a cucumber, Luis Muriel calmly stroked the ball to the left of Kristijan Kahlina, rooting the Croatian goalkeeper to the spot. After a tough debut season in MLS, Muriel deserves credit for converting both his game two and game three penalties. |
| Pep Biel | ❌ | 1-0. Pedro Gallese denied Pep Biel with a leaping one-handed save to his left. This got our shootout off to a perfect start! Inter&Co Stadium is the Spaniard’s hell after he got sent off in game one. |
| Kyle Smith | ✅ | 2-0. Damn, Kyle! I wasn’t familiar with your game. The Accountant stepped up confidently, rifling the ball into the top left corner. His powerful strike brought back memories of Harry Maguire’s UEFA Euro 2020 Final penalty for England. It was an incredible unerring shot from Smith who has long been one of Oscar Pareja’s most trusted soldiers. |
| Karol Świderski | ❌ | 2-0. Karol Świderski might’ve thought it was his night after putting Charlotte FC 0-1 up on 82 minutes. But Pedro Gallese denied him in the shootout with a leaping dive to the right. With two saves from two, it finally felt like it might be our night after all! |
| Facundo Torres | ✅ | 3-0. Seeing his initial penalty saved before scoring his rebound equaliser on 90+12 minutes, Facundo Torres made no mistake this time. Facu sent Kristijan Kahlina the wrong way to give City a commanding 3-0 lead. It was a great strategy from Oscar Pareja and co to adjust our penalty order – something that caught Kahlina off guard. It made perfect sense for our best taker, Torres, to go third instead of waiting to go fifth – a big regret from game two. |
| Ashley Westwood | ✅ | 3-1. The Charlotte FC club captain converted his team’s only successful PK of the night. But he knew that their season was over if City scored their next spot kick. |
| Rafael Santos | ✅ | 4-1. After two penalty misses this year, Robin Jansson wasn’t taking a PK this time around! Technically gifted, Rafael Santos confidently stepped up instead and sent a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner. The Brazilian’s kick finally sealed victory after 270+ minutes of a super-tense Round One Series. Inter&Co Stadium erupted as Orlando City SC advanced to their third-ever Eastern Conference Semi-Final. Prevailing 4-1 from 12 yards, this broke our hoodoo of two consecutive shootout defeats against Cruz Azul (H) and Charlotte FC (A). |
In the end, Pedro Gallese further cemented his legendary club status.
His two clutch saves helped guide City to a commanding 4-1 shootout win.
Simply unable to contain his excitement, El Pulpo delivered an iconic celebration.
He playfully mimed putting Charlotte FC’s dreams to bed, with Rodrigo Schlegel quickly following suit.
There was even a witty two-pole banner on The Wall reading ‘Bye Ya’ll’.
This was a savage response to Charlotte FC’s original ‘Hey Y’all’ banner (featuring a Mickey Mouse symbol) displayed at Bank of America Stadium during a previous MLS matchup back in August 2022.
Reflecting on the match, Orlando City SC owe a huge debt of gratitude to linesman Jeffrey Greeson.
Looking back, his razor-thin decision to flag Patrick Agyemang’s goal as offside spared us a first-half deficit.
Honestly, at the time, it seemed like Dagur Dan Thórhallsson was playing Agyemang onside.
However, Orlando City SC could also feel hard done by in the first-half.
Especially after Andrew Privett’s clear handball in Charlotte FC’s box, a no-call penalty decision by Ismir Pekmic that should’ve gone our way.
By full-time, the stats showed that Orlando City SC generated 3.90 expected goals (XG) compared to Charlotte FC’s 0.53.
This underlined City’s dominance as the clear protagonist throughout the 90+ minutes.
As for the recent FIFA international break, it couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Ultimately, it has interrupted Orlando City SC’s momentum, right before our huge Eastern Conference Semi-Final.
This break was far from ideal for our boys, who were riding high on adrenaline after their game three penalty shootout victory over Charlotte FC on November 9.
Last year, a similar break disrupted City’s flow between eliminating Nashville SC and going out to eventual 2023 MLS Cup winners Columbus Crew at the Eastern Conference Semi-Final stage.
Ultimately, the Lions need to pick up from where they left off.
We need to dig deep and rise to the challenge as we push hard for ultimate 2024 MLS Cup glory.
Last head-to-head
Orlando City SC last met Georgia rivals Atlanta United little over a month ago on 2024 MLS Decision Day.
Back on October 19, Orlando City SC fell 1-2 to The Five Stripes at a sold-out Inter&Co Stadium.
This was just our third defeat in 14 MLS matches.
Heading into 2024 MLS Decision Day in fourth place, with a coveted top four seed for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs at stake, the Lions were looking to finish the regular season on a high note.
Knowing that New York City could still leapfrog us into fourth place, we needed to hold our nerve.
The Lions began brightly, displaying early intent when Dagur Dan Thórhallsson found César Araújo on the edge of the box.
On 5 minutes, the Uruguayan’s stinging strike forced 40-year-old Brad Guzan into a sharp save.
This set the tone in the opening exchanges.
Despite this promising start, Orlando City SC fell behind just minutes later.
On 7 minutes, Saba Lobjanidze played a neat one-two with Pedro Amador on the edge of City’s box, weaving his way through the Lions’ defence far too easily.
From here, the dangerous Georgian forward calmly curled a right-footed shot inside Pedro Gallese’s far post.
After a brief VAR check from referee Rubiel Vazquez, the goal stood (0-1).
Trying to regroup, Orlando City SC nearly equalised on 11 minutes when Martín Ojeda’s long-range effort rippled the side netting, drawing gasps from the home crowd who initially thought it had snuck in.
But our tension quickly turned to frustration when The Five Stripes grabbed another goal just five minutes later.
A dangerous corner by Alexey Miranchuk saw Pedro Gallese initially make a quick reflex save.
But Felipe Martins’ rebound cruelly fell to Jamal Thiaré, who prodded home to double Atlanta United’s lead (0-2).
With the goal confirmed after another VAR check, it was a nightmarish start for the Lions, leaving our boys shell-shocked!
Despite our early adversity, the Lions rallied to show flashes of promise as the half wore on.
And on 42 minutes, Orlando City SC’s lifeline arrived.
Raiding down the right to the byline, Dagur Dan Thórhallsson’s overhit cross flew across the entire Atlanta United penalty area, finding fellow full back Rafael Santos on the opposite wing.
Fortunately, the Brazilian’s pinpoint delivery found Martín Ojeda who deftly headed home a timely reply for the Lions (1-2).
Ojeda’s glancing header breathed new life into the team and the Inter&Co Stadium crowd, giving Orlando City SC huge momentum right before half-time.
Our strong finish to the first-half and New York City FC’s failings elsewhere suggested that this match, and that coveted top four finish, were still very much within our reach.
But unfortunately, City found themselves under pressure immediately after the restart.
Barely a minute into the second-half, Dagur Dan Thórhallsson clumsily brought down Saba Lobjanidze in the box, with Rubiel Vazquez awarding Atlanta United a penalty.
The Inter&Co Stadium faithful groaned in frustration, knowing that a two-goal Atlanta United lead might prove unassailable.
However, Pedro Gallese produced a moment of magic, saving Alexey Miranchuk’s penalty with a fantastic right-handed stop.
His third regulation time penalty save across all competitions this season, El Pulpo stood tall once again, showcasing why he’s still one of the best shot-stoppers in Major League Soccer.
This save was absolutely vital and kept Orlando City SC within striking distance of pegging back The Five Stripes.
Throughout the second-half, Atlanta United continued to frustrate our home crowd.
But right before stoppage time, Orlando City SC appeared to have scored a dramatic equaliser through Duncan McGuire.
On 89 minutes, McGuire poked the ball home in a crowded Atlanta United penalty area.
This brought Atlanta players to their knees, seemingly knocking them out of playoff contention as well.
However, the joy of effectively eliminating our fierce rivals was cruelly snatched away.
In a highly suspect decision, one that I believe was incredibly harsh, referee Rubiel Vazquez controversially ruled that Duncan McGuire committed a handball before scoring, following VAR review.
A furious reaction followed, especially since replays showed McGuire’s left arm tucked tightly by his side before he scored.
Don’t get me wrong; I understand the current rules.
Even if a handball is accidental and you haven’t made yourself bigger or handled the ball on purpose, if it touches your arm and you score right after, it will still be called a handball.
THIS angle, in particular, really highlights how minimal the contact was with Duncan McGuire’s arm.
Since the game, I’ve watched the replays over and over.
My Orlando City SC bias aside, I find it ridiculous that we’re striking off goals for accidental handballs like these.
If you ask me, the current ‘letter of the law’ needs changing!
For me, most telling of all is the fact that not a single Atlanta United player raised their arms to cry ‘handball’ when Duncan McGuire’s shot rippled Brad Guzan’s net.
It was an enraging decision, especially given that it was anything but a ‘clear and obvious’ on-field error.
This moment, along with favourable results elsewhere, allowed Atlanta United to jammily qualify for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs in the final MLS Wild Card match slot (ninth place) with 40 points.
And the rest is history, as they say.
Atlanta United are now set to face Orlando City SC in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals following their 2-2 (4-5 on penalties) Wild Card win over CF Montréal and their headline-grabbing elimination of Inter Miami in Round One.
Orlando City SC lost both regular-season matchups (2-0, 1-2) against The Five Stripes, so payback is definitely on the minds of City supporters.
What’s at stake this time?
Surprise, surprise!
No Messi and no Miami, so let’s make the most of this opportunity!
Against all odds, Eastern Conference top seeds Inter Miami (first), Columbus Crew (second), and FC Cincinnati (third) all exited the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs in Round One.
It’s the first-ever time in MLS that the top three sides in a conference haven’t made the Conference Semi-Finals.
As fourth seed in the East, Orlando City SC now have home advantage over ninth seed Atlanta United in this Eastern Conference Semi-Final.
Plus, the possibility of a mouthwatering Eastern Conference Final at Inter&Co Stadium against either sixth seed New York City FC or seventh seed New York Red Bulls who contest the other Eastern Conference Semi-Final.
Not only are City and Atlanta meeting in the post-season for the first time.
It’s also the first-ever time that a Hudson River Derby will take place in the playoffs!
With MLS Cup favourites and media darlings Inter Miami now eliminated, it’s Orlando City SC’s best-ever chance to reach and hopefully lift the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy.
After all, the Eastern side of the playoff bracket is now wide open!
Should we make it all the way to 2024 MLS Cup on December 7, the hosting priority means we’d likely play away against one of the top Western Conference seeds.
Indeed, Los Angeles FC (first), LA Galaxy (second) or Seattle Sounders (third) all ended the 2024 MLS regular season with more points than us.
The only way Orlando City SC could end up hosting 2024 MLS Cup at Inter&Co Stadium is if we make it that far and the Western Conference’s sixth seed, Minnesota United, also reach the final.
The Loons finished one spot behind Orlando City SC in the final 2024 Supporters’ Shield standings, coming in tenth with the same number of points (52) as us in ninth place.
The two teams were tied on both ‘total number of wins’ (15) and ‘goal differential’ (+9), but City claimed the higher spot by just a single goal in the third tiebreaker – ‘goals for’ (59 to Minnesota United’s 58).
At the beginning of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, the likelihood of Orlando City SC hosting an Eastern Conference Semi-Final looked slim, yet here we are.
It’s a reminder that anything is possible in Major League Soccer, so keep on daydreaming, City fans!
But before we can think that far, we have to handle business with Atlanta United first.
And I want revenge, especially after our two 2024 MLS regular season defeats (2-0, 1-2) to The Five Stripes.
I hate to admit it, but Atlanta United deserve immense credit for their Round One Best-of-3 Series win over Inter Miami.
They earned it, completely fair and square.
At the ripe old age of 40, Brad Guzan was a brick wall across all three games.
He made multiple clutch saves and rattled Inter Miami’s superstars in the process.
After Lionel Messi’s equaliser (2-2) in the deciding game three, Leonardo Campana acrimoniously shoved Guzan into the net.
Right after, an irritated Luis Suárez demanded that Guzan get back up – showing just how much he got under their skin.
Considering Brad Guzan is two years older than Atlanta United interim head coach Rob Valentino, Guzan is The Five Stripes’ experienced, inspirational leader on the field.
He will certainly have the bit between his teeth following his heroics against Inter Miami.
As will Winter Park, Orlando native Dax McCarty.
He keeps on delaying his retirement with each passing game that Atlanta United remain in the 2024 post-season.
As the lowest-ranked team remaining in the playoffs (ninth seed in the East), Atlanta United pulled off arguably the greatest upset in MLS Cup Playoffs history.
Bartosz Slisz’s series clinching goal (2-3) secured Atlanta United’s stunning Round One Best-of-3 Series triumph over Inter Miami, with scores of 1-2, 2-1, and 2-3.
And they’ve been a thorn in The Herons’ side all year, going undefeated in four of their five head-to-heads with the 2024 Supporters’ Shield winners (1-3, 2-2, 2-1, 2-1, 2-3).
Following The Herons’ elimination, Antonio ‘Eddie’ Cruz of Orlando Lions Den Podcast tweeted: “I speak on behalf of all ⚽️ fans who aren’t employees of @MLS or supporters of @InterMiamiCF, or people who’s entirely personality is being a Messi fan. We are happy and tired of the sycophantic coverage & just want our sport back.”
Perfectly capturing how many Orlando City SC supporters and MLS fans feel, there’s little sympathy for Inter Miami, who most believe have received extra special treatment since joining the league in 2020.
Ever since 2024 MLS Decision Day, Rob Valentino’s Atlanta United have shown tremendous grit and heart.
They’ve proved that they won’t back down from any team, no matter how big the challenge might be.
Ultimately, after dumping out Inter Miami, Atlanta United will fear no one.
With their ordinary regular season now forgotten, it’s all about the present for The Five Stripes, who are brimming with belief.
Orlando City SC probably would’ve preferred no recent international break.
Especially with Atlanta United’s emotional high and the intense physical demands of their Best-of-3 series with Inter Miami.
Heck, our own Round One win over Charlotte FC was nerve-wracking enough.
But ours felt more like a chess match than the all-out war that Inter Miami vs Atlanta United became.
But single-elimination games are a different beast and there’s no safety nets here.
Unlike Round One, if this game is tied after 90 minutes, we will go to 30 minutes of extra time, followed by penalties if needed.
As Atlanta United showed by eliminating Lionel Messi – the greatest footballer of all-time – playoff soccer is all about who shows up on the day.
The stakes couldn’t be higher in this playoff rivalry fixture.
With the roar of The Wall behind us, let’s prove that we belong at the very top of Major League Soccer!
Opposition danger men
Midway through 2024, Atlanta United not only fired head coach Gonzalo Pineda.
They also sanctioned the mid-season sales of Giorgos Giakoumakis, Thiago Almada, and Caleb Wiley.
Yet here they are in an Eastern Conference Semi-Final under interim head coach Rob Valentino.
I hate Atlanta United with a passion, but this tells you everything you need to know about the true spirit and competitiveness of Major League Soccer.
Take notes, Inter Miami!
Of the personnel that remains, 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 Orlando City SC back on March 17 (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 nine goals and seven assists (regular season + playoffs) this year.
Elsewhere, Atlanta United signed Portuguese left back Pedro Amador from Moreirense back on July 1.
As demonstrated at Inter&Co Stadium on 2024 MLS Decision Day, Amador is a very dangerous crosser of the ball.
We’ll need to be wary of his quality delivery from deep.
With Arthur Blank’s piggy bank full after the sales of Giakoumakis, Almada, and Wiley, The Five Stripes then splashed 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.
In the Round One Best-of-3 series against Inter Miami, Alexey Miranchuk started all three games.
Deployed as a number 10 in game one, he then played more advanced beside Jamal Thiaré in games two and three.
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 four assists (regular season + playoffs) in MLS.
Last but not least, we can’t forget Jamal Thiaré too.
The Senegalese striker was the man at the centre of Inter Miami’s downfall with his quick-fire brace at Chase Stadium in the deciding game three (2-3).
Renowned for his physicality, hold-up play, and clinical finishing, Thiaré ended the MLS regular season with six goals.
He’s since taken his 2024 MLS tally to eight, courtesy of his famous brace in Fort Lauderdale.
Considering Jamal Thiaré also scored at Orlando City SC on 2024 MLS Decision Day, he’s another big threat.
Injuries, international returnees, and suspensions
Heading into this game, Mason Stajduhar (right lower leg) is definitely out for the Lions.
But every other member of Oscar Pareja’s 2024 Orlando City SC roster is fit and ready to contribute.
Even Duncan McGuire, who has spent the recent international break recovering from his dislocated shoulder.
Fortunately, after performing in recent 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, the UEFA Nations League or U-20 international friendlies, these six Lions have all returned to Central Florida unscathed – phew!
| PLAYER | APPEARANCES | MINUTES |
| David Brekalo 🇸🇮 |
vs. Norway @ Austria |
21 mins + 95 mins |
| Wilder Cartagena 🇵🇪 |
vs. Chile @ Argentina |
100 mins + 0 mins |
| Pedro Gallese 🇵🇪 |
vs. Chile @ Argentina |
Suspended + 94 mins |
| Favian Loyola 🇨🇱 |
vs. Norway U-20 |
89 mins |
| Dagur Dan Thórhallsson 🇮🇸 |
@ Montenegro @ Wales |
0 mins + 19 mins |
| Facundo Torres 🇺🇾 |
vs. Colombia @ Brazil |
0 mins + 0 mins |
It’s brutal when key players get injured during this FIFA international window inconveniently scheduled right before the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Crucially, Wilder Cartagena also walked his tightrope well against Charlotte FC in Round One (game three).
Cartagena managed to avoid a third successive yellow card that would’ve seen him suspended from this huge Eastern Conference Semi-Final.
Given how critical both César Araújo and Wilder Cartagena are to our success as our dynamic midfield double pivot, this could be the key area where this Eastern Conference Semi-Final is won or lost.
As for Atlanta United, Brooks Lennon (shoulder), Edwin Mosquera (knee), and Quentin Westberg (concussion protocol) are all definitely out for Rob Valentino’s side.
Additionally, during the recent international break, The Five Stripes had four players away representing their countries.
Luis Abram (Peru) remained unused, Bartosz Slisz (Poland) played 50 minutes, Saba Lobjanidze (Georgia) featured for 17 minutes, and Alexey Miranchuk (Russia) clocked 75 minutes.
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Orlando City SC vs Atlanta United
Last 3 head-to-heads
- July 15, 2023: Atlanta United 1 Orlando City SC 2 (MLS)
- March 17, 2024: Atlanta United 2 Orlando City SC 0 (MLS)
- October 19, 2024: Orlando City SC 1 Atlanta United 2 (2024 MLS Decision Day)
2017/24 head-to-head stats
- It was 1-2 to Atlanta the last time the sides met (October 2024)
- Played Atlanta 21 times in MLS – Orlando 4, Draws 7, Atlanta 10
- Orlando have gone 4-5-4 against Atlanta with Oscar Pareja as head coach
- In MLS Cup Playoffs history, Orlando City SC have a 3-4 (W-L) record since 2020*^^
- In MLS Cup Playoffs history, Atlanta United have a 5-4 (W-L) record since 2017**^†
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Key
* Orlando City SC’s MLS Cup Playoffs Best-of-3 series triumph over Nashville SC (2023) has been counted as one win
^^ Orlando City SC’s MLS Cup Playoffs Best-of-3 series triumph over Charlotte FC (2024) has been counted as one win
** Atlanta United’s two-legged Eastern Conference Semi-Final triumph over New York City FC (2018) has been counted as one win
^ Atlanta United’s two-legged Eastern Conference Final triumph over New York Red Bulls (2018) has been counted as one win
† Atlanta United’s MLS Cup Playoffs Best-of-3 series triumph over Inter Miami (2024) has been counted as one win
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Watching the game
Orlando City SC vs Atlanta United will be shown live on Apple TV at 20:30 (GMT) on Sunday, November 24.
Remember, UK supporters can watch this game and all of Orlando City SC’s fixtures in the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs by subscribing to Apple TV’s “MLS Season Pass”.
Subscribe now by clicking here.
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