THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED, DIDN’T THEY? 🤬😤 Orlando City SC were kicked to the curb in Fort Lauderdale on Wednesday. Ultimately, we were robbed of a Leagues Cup Final berth by decisions that only went one way. Just two games ago, we had a chance to reach third place in the East and the 2025 Leagues Cup Final. With both chances missed, we’re now clinging on to salvage at least a 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup spot in the Third Place Match. The game can be cruel and unrelenting, but we need to keep going. As Ricardo Moreira tweeted after our semi-final heartbreak: “Tomorrow is day one again.”
It’s a brutal turnaround, too. Having flown cross-country to Los Angeles on August 20, we’re back in Carson for the third time in 2025. This time not for silverware, but survival of sorts. A third place finish still gets us into continental football, and that has to be the focus. LA Galaxy may be a mess in MLS – rock bottom, with the worst title defence in league history. But don’t think for a second they won’t throw everything at this!
Last time out
On Wednesday, Orlando City SC suffered a bitter exit from the 2025 Leagues Cup at the semi-final stage, falling 3-1 to Florida rivals Inter Miami at Chase Stadium. The Lions led through Marco Pašalić’s composed strike on the stroke of half-time and looked well placed to spring another big result, only for controversial officiating to turn the tie on its head. Surprise, surprise! 😡😴 On 56 minutes, Iván Angulo was CLEARLY fouled by Sergio Busquets in the box at 0-1. But somehow, this stonewall penalty was ignored by referee Walter López and incorrectly not overturned by video assistant referee Armando Villarreal. Then, on 75 minutes, David Brekalo was shown a second yellow (and red) for a FAR softer tangle with Tadeo Allende. This allowed Lionel Messi to equalise from the penalty spot (1-1). Down to 10 men, Orlando chased shadows as Messi struck again on 89 minutes (2-1) before Telasco Segovia added insult to injury in stoppage time (3-1). It was a maddening defeat in the latest instalment of the Sunshine Clásico rivalry. Oscar Pareja’s side had largely matched Miami but were ultimately undone by decisions beyond their control. After the game, Papi summed up our frustration, saying: “The yellow card to Brekalo was unbelievable”. For me, it felt like déjà vu. It was a painful reminder of August 2023, when Iván Barton’s officiating favoured The Herons in a 3-1 defeat that knocked us out of the 2023 Leagues Cup Round of 32. What can you do? 🤷🏽
Last head-to-head
On March 29, Orlando City SC staged a dramatic late comeback to secure their first road win of 2025, defeating LA Galaxy 1-2 at Dignity Health Sports Park. Trailing to a first-half Christian Ramirez goal that was clearly offside, the Lions turned the game on its head in the final quarter-hour. Eduard Atuesta won a penalty that Martín Ojeda calmly converted on 76 minutes, before Luis Muriel’s long-range free kick on 90 minutes comically slipped through John McCarthy’s hands for the winner. The victory not only marked Oscar Pareja’s 200th match in charge across all competitions. It was also Orlando City SC’s second successive victory at Dignity Health Sports Park, following a 0-1 win there in March 2022.
What’s at stake this time?
Now it’s simple – win and we’re in! While missing out on the 2025 Leagues Cup Final stings, Orlando City SC can still secure a spot in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup in this Third Place Match against LA Galaxy. A win in Carson – in regulation or on penalties after 90 minutes – would mark our third qualification in four seasons. Remarkably, this is our third trip to Dignity Health Sports Park in 2025. We earned our first away win of the season there on March 29 (1-2 at Galaxy) and edged Toluca 5-6 on penalties in our August 20 Leagues Cup quarter-final. Duncan McGuire also made a brief return against Inter Miami on Wednesday – his first minutes since May 28 following shoulder surgery. Galaxy, by contrast, have endured a disastrous MLS campaign under Greg Vanney. The reigning 2024 MLS Cup champions sit rock bottom of the Western Conference on 19 points (4-7-16) – officially the worst title defence in league history. With playoff hopes gone, this game is their chance to salvage pride following their 0-2 semi-final loss to Seattle Sounders. Orlando may be running on empty, having flown cross-country just two games ago before defeats at Nashville SC (5-1) and Inter Miami (3-1). But the prize is clear – 90 minutes for a place on the continental stage!
Opposition danger men
🇩🇪 Marco Reus (5 goals, 9 assists – 2025 MLS)
🇧🇷 Gabriel Pec (5 goals, 5 assists – 2025 MLS)
🇬🇭 Joseph Paintsil (5 goals, 2 assists – 2025 MLS)
New opposition faces
🇺🇸 Chris Rindov (short-term agreement from Ventura County FC)
Injuries
🇧🇷 Matheus Nascimento (groin) – out
🇪🇸 Riqui Puig (knee) – out
🇵🇪 Wilder Cartagena (right leg) – SEI
🇯🇵 Yutaro Tsukada (knee) – SEI
*SEI – Season-Ending Injury List (Unavailable)
Suspensions
🇸🇮 David Brekalo – one game (red card at Inter Miami)
🇸🇪 Robin Jansson – one game (red card at Inter Miami)
International call-ups
🇻🇪 Gustavo Caraballo (Venezuela U-17) – U-17 International Friendlies
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LA Galaxy vs Orlando City SC
Last 3 head-to-heads
- March 19, 2022: LA Galaxy 0 Orlando City SC 1 (MLS)
- April 29, 2023: Orlando City SC 2 LA Galaxy 0 (MLS)
- March 29, 2025: LA Galaxy 1 Orlando City SC 2 (MLS)
2015/25 head-to-head stats
- It was 1-2 to Orlando the last time the sides met (March 2025)
- Played Galaxy 8 times in MLS – Galaxy 3, Draws 0, Orlando 5
- 5 of the last 6 MLS head-to-heads have been separated by one goal
- Galaxy have gone 4-2-7 at home this 2025 MLS regular season
- Orlando have won 24 and lost 19 knockout fixtures since 2015*^†~+
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Key
* We counted our two-legged defeat to Tigres UANL (0-0 and 1-1) in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League Round of 16 as one loss
^ We counted our MLS Cup Playoffs Best-of-3 series triumph over Nashville SC (2023) as one win
† We counted our two victories (0-3 and 3-1) over Cavalry FC in Round One of the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup as one win
~ We counted our two-legged defeat to Tigres UANL (0-0 and 4-2) in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 as one loss
+ We counted our MLS Cup Playoffs Best-of-3 series triumph over Charlotte FC (2024) as one win
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Watching the game
LA Galaxy vs Orlando City SC will be shown live on Apple TV at 22:00 (GMT) on Sunday, August 31.
Remember, UK supporters can watch all of Orlando City SC’s 2025 MLS regular season fixtures by subscribing to Apple TV’s “MLS Season Pass”.
Subscribe now by clicking here.
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