EMBARRASSED, HUMILIATED, CRESTFALLEN!! All words that describe Orlando City SC’s pathetic 4-2 collapse at Toronto FC on 2025 MLS Decision Day. At the start of the night, a win would have sealed a playoff spot proper – in the top seven of the Eastern Conference. Instead, the Lions limped to another defeat, ending the season in 9th place – a staggering decline from our top four finishes of recent years. We started the season with a 2-4 loss to Philadelphia Union, and we ended it the same way against Toronto. Symmetry, right? Over the year, Orlando have surrendered 13 points after the 80th minute alone. Had we held on in these games, we’d be sitting on 66 points, likely contending for the Supporters’ Shield. Instead, we’re now heading to SeatGeek Stadium (not Soldier Field) to contest the Wild Card play-in game. It’s a far cry from the home playoff ambitions this roster promised.
And what a roster it was supposed to be. Martín Ojeda producing at MVP level, Alex Freeman enjoying a meteoric rise, and Marco Pašalić becoming Facundo Torres’ perfect replacement. Despite scoring more regular season goals (63) than ever before, we have failed to make our firepower count. A spare U22 Initiative slot sat vacant all season, and Ramiro Enrique was sold after the Secondary Transfer Window closed. Mismanagement, wasted talent, and poor execution on and off the pitch have defined Orlando City SC’s disappointing 2025 regular season. The collapse in decision-making and consistency has been breathtaking, leaving fans, staff, and owners with every right to feel frustrated and betrayed.
This isn’t just disappointing – it’s regression. From legitimate MLS Cup contenders to 9th in the East, Orlando City SC have taken a massive step backwards. Wednesday’s trip to Chicago Fire isn’t just another match. It’s the final chance to salvage some pride from a season of squandered opportunities, soft goals, wasted leads, and unfulfilled potential. The squad, the coaching staff, and the club as a whole must take a long, hard look at themselves before 2026, because this year has been nothing short of disastrous. If you ask me, major changes are needed this off-season – both on the touchline and in the squad.
Last time out
On Saturday, Orlando City SC ended the regular season with a pathetic 4-2 loss at Toronto FC, collapsing against MLS’s second-worst attack on 2025 MLS Decision Day. It truly was an inexcusable performance from the Lions. Despite dominating possession (56%) and racking up 31 shots, we somehow conspired to mess up a totally winnable fixture. Jonathan Osorio’s impressive opener came from a cheap giveaway (1-0). Then, after Fotis Bazakos wrongly penalised Marco Pašalić for handball while shielding his face, Djordje Mihailovic curled a free-kick past a slow-to-react Pedro Gallese, who REALLY should’ve saved it. With Martín Ojeda anonymous all game, Pašalić was on a one-man mission to haul us back into the contest. But a super-determined TFC side blocked EVERYTHING! After Adrián Marín was hauled off at half-time following YET ANOTHER poor display, the second-half only got uglier. Mihailovic made it 3-0 as Gallese was caught flat-footed AGAIN, and though David Brekalo briefly offered hope from a corner (3-1), more defensive chaos handed Deandre Kerr an easy fourth (4-1). Scoring his first goal since September 20, Duncan McGuire’s late strike (4-2) was nothing more than consolation, barely papering over the cracks of a terrible final day. Oscar Pareja admitted the team was “not good at all”, which was putting it mildly. We were a shambles in every department!
Last head-to-head
On May 31, Orlando City SC suffered a second straight MLS defeat, losing 1-3 to Chicago Fire at Inter&Co Stadium. A dreadful first-half proved costly, as the visitors scored three times in the opening 32 minutes – including two inside a minute – to put the game out of reach. Pedro Gallese embarrassingly fumbled the opener before Hugo Cuypers punished defensive lapses with a quick-fire brace. Alex Freeman pulled one back with a glancing header on 39 minutes – his fourth of the season – but despite 26 shots, the Lions could only find the target five times. Luis Muriel hit the bar, and Ramiro Enrique saw two close-range efforts saved, as frustration mounted. With Oscar Pareja suspended, Diego Torres led a rotated side that saw Joran Gerbet step in for the banned César Araújo. Orlando dominated possession (57%) and corners (13-1) but lacked composure in both boxes. After our 12-game unbeaten run ended a game prior at Atlanta United, this latest setback was a tough one to take.
What’s at stake this time?
Erm, ACTUALLY qualifying for the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs! The Wild Card match is literally called the “play-in” game, and that’s exactly what it is. So it was misleading for Orlando City SC to proudly tweet last month that we’ve made the MLS Cup Playoffs for six straight seasons – the longest active streak in the league. MLS might technically count the Wild Card match as part of the post-season, but real ones know it doesn’t count. Because of Columbus Crew’s 3-1 win over New York Red Bulls on Decision Day, they leapfrogged us into seventh. Meanwhile Chicago Fire’s 2-2 draw at New England Revolution kept them eighth. That means Fire will host us in the Windy City on Wednesday – another embarrassment in itself, that we couldn’t even earn home advantage! Honestly, it already feels like our season is over. With Chicago’s attacking quality and a 0-1-1 record against them this season, it’s hard to see this ending well. Sure, Atlanta United used last year’s Wild Card as a springboard for knocking out Inter Miami. But we look nothing like that. We’re playing wounded, lifeless, and completely devoid of belief. And now, the fanbase is turning. Oscar Pareja is a club legend. That goes without saying. But many Orlando supporters are now calling for Papi’s head. Frankly, it’s hard to argue. After back-to-back top four finishes, we’ve now slumped to ninth – with supposedly our strongest-ever MLS roster too! It’s utterly unacceptable. This team has gone from contenders to pretenders in record time.
Opposition danger men
🇧🇪 Hugo Cuypers (17 goals, 3 assists – 2025 MLS)
🇩🇰 Philip Zinckernagel (15 goals, 15 assists – 2025 MLS)
🇺🇸 Brian Gutiérrez (9 goals, 6 assists – 2025 MLS)
🇨🇮 Jonathan Bamba (5 goals, 10 assists – 2025 MLS)
New opposition faces
🇵🇹 André Franco (on loan from FC Porto)
🇨🇦 Joel Waterman (CF Montréal)
🇷🇸 Viktor Radojević (FK TSC Bačka Topola)
Injuries
🇵🇹 Leonardo Barroso (lower body) – out
🇵🇹 André Franco (lower body) – out
🇺🇸 Chris Mueller (not due to injury) – SEI
🇷🇸 Viktor Radojević (lower body) – out
🇵🇪 Wilder Cartagena (right leg) – SEI
🇫🇷 Joran Gerbet (knee) – out
🇸🇪 Robin Jansson (knee) – questionable
🇬🇭 Shakur Mohammed (thigh) – out
🇺🇸 Tahir Reid-Brown (thigh) – out
🇯🇵 Yutaro Tsukada (knee) – SEI
*SEI – Season-Ending Injury List (Unavailable)
Suspensions
None
International call-ups
🇻🇪 Gustavo Caraballo (Venezuela U-17 Camp)
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Chicago Fire vs Orlando City SC
Last 3 head-to-heads
- June 22, 2024: Orlando City SC 4 Chicago Fire 2 (MLS)
- May 3, 2025: Chicago Fire 0 Orlando City SC 0 (MLS)
- May 31, 2025: Orlando City SC 1 Chicago Fire 3 (MLS)
2015/25 head-to-head stats
- It was 1-3 to Fire the last time the sides met (May 2025)
- Played Fire 22 times in MLS – Fire 6, Draws 8, Orlando 8
- Hugo Cuypers has scored in 3 of the last 4 MLS head-to-heads (4 goals)
- Fire are unbeaten in their last 5 MLS fixtures, going 3-2-0
- Orlando have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 16 MLS fixtures
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Watching the game
Chicago Fire vs Orlando City SC will be shown live on Apple TV at 01:30 (GMT) on Thursday, October 23.
Remember, UK supporters can watch all of Orlando City SC’s fixtures in the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs by subscribing to Apple TV’s “MLS Season Pass”.
Subscribe now by clicking here.
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