Alex Freeman

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs FC Cincinnati – 28.06.2025

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Orlando City SC are starting to click into gear again! A blistering first-half at St. Louis CITY SC set the tone for a 2-4 road win, with Ramiro Enrique and Marco Pašalić each striking twice in a big performance. That’s now back-to-back away victories for the Lions – and with confidence building fast, the focus shifts to another huge test.

FC Cincinnati roll into Inter&Co Stadium sitting just three points above us in the Eastern Conference. This showdown has all the ingredients for a mid-season classic – but with barely any recovery time since Wednesday’s win, and Central Florida’s summer heat in full swing, we’ll need grit and resilience. The East is tightening up, and this is a golden opportunity to climb the standings and crash the top three. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: St. Louis CITY SC vs Orlando City SC – 25.06.2025

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Orlando City SC ground out a gutsy 0-1 win at Colorado Rapids last time out, halting a mini slide and reminding the league that we’re not going away. Pedro Gallese was immense between the sticks, while Martín Ojeda’s strike proved the difference in a game that tested every ounce of our resilience.

With a well-earned breather since June 14, the Lions head west again to face St. Louis CITY SC. It’s our first-ever visit to Energizer Park, where over 22,000 fans pack the venue week in, week out. St. Louis currently sit fourteenth in the West, so this is another big opportunity to grab all three points. The race at the top of the East is tight, and we’re right in the mix. So let’s keep that pressure on! Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Colorado Rapids vs Orlando City SC – 14.06.2025

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Chicago Fire burned us real bad, right? 🔥🥵 A relentless but promising May ended on a sour note for Orlando City SC, with back-to-back MLS defeats halting our momentum. After a gruelling nine-game stretch, the Lions have had a much-needed fortnight to rest, reset, and refocus.

Now begins a tough two-game Western road swing, starting with Colorado Rapids at altitude in Commerce City. Oscar Pareja will return to the touchline following his one-game suspension, as City look to get back on track. We were within touching distance of the Eastern Conference summit just weeks ago. Now, we’re firmly in the mix of a fiercely contested top-seven battle. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Chicago Fire – 31.05.2025

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Nobody to blame but ourselves! 😡 Referee Filip Dujic may have made headlines in our 3-2 loss to Atlanta United. But César Araújo gave him a decision to make. Grabbing Mateusz Klich by the throat while leading 1-2 on the road? It was stupid, costly, and avoidable against a team we despise.

Oscar Pareja said after the match that he had challenged Araújo’s red card before the referee sent him off. While the club plans to address Dujic’s officiating internally, I can’t say I have much sympathy. We’ve been here before – hot-headed, undisciplined, and beaten. We didn’t learn! In a game that mattered this much, in enemy territory, we handed Atlanta the upper hand. We imploded, plain and simple. Now, we must finish May with a win over Chicago Fire. It’s crucial that we head into the international break still in the hunt at the top of the East. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Atlanta United vs Orlando City SC – 28.05.2025

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Portland Timbers? Successfully chopped down! 🌲🪓🪵 Grinding out an important 1-0 win over Phil Neville’s side on Saturday, Duncan McGuire’s first goal of 2025 proved the difference. Now, the Lions fly north above Interstate 75 to face Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Despite just two wins in nine visits, Orlando City SC will head to Georgia full of belief, eager to take down our bitter rivals after matching our longest-ever MLS unbeaten streak (12 games).

Atlanta United’s 4-2 win over FC Cincinnati gives them hope. But if we bring our A-game in the A, we’re the better side. The biggest compliment Orlando can be paid right now? We’ve shown we can win in different ways! Our last two league matches prove it – a dominant 0-3 derby win in Fort Lauderdale, followed by a gritty home victory over a Portland side that had lost just once in 11 MLS games. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Portland Timbers – 24.05.2025

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Orlando City SC host Portland Timbers this Saturday in our second cross-conference MLS fixture of 2025. While we’ve faced Phil Neville before – going 4-2-1 against his Inter Miami side – this is our first meeting with him as Timbers boss.

Riding high off our stunning 0-3 win at Inter Miami, our momentum just took a big hit! Eliminated from the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup last night, losing 2-3 to Nashville SC in the Round of 16, fatigue and tired legs told. With Orlando squeezing NINE fixtures into May, this gruelling month is a real test of our fitness, mentality, and squad depth. Now, we must regroup and dig deep against talented opposition. Continue reading →

Twitter reacts to… Zakaria Taifi signing a first team contract with Orlando City SC

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After progressing through our development pathway, Academy and Orlando City B product Zakaria Taifi has today signed a first team contract with Orlando City SC.

The 19-year-old defender has penned a deal through 2026, with club options for 2027, 2028, and 2029. Born and raised in Orlando, the American defender of Moroccan heritage is the latest in a long line of players to rise through the ranks at Orlando City SC.

A standout in MLS NEXT Pro, Taifi not only becomes our latest Homegrown Player. He’s also our eighth first team signing this year after Colin Guske, Nicolás Rodríguez, Carlos Mercado, Marco Pašalić, Eduard Atuesta, Joran Gerbet, and Gustavo Caraballo. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Chicago Fire vs Orlando City SC – 03.05.2025

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Orlando, we’re coming to c̶o̶n̶q̶u̶e̶r̶ roll over! 😜 After a tough few weeks, Orlando City SC returned to winning ways with a commanding 3-0 derby victory over Atlanta United at Inter&Co Stadium. Piling the pressure on Ronny Deila, the result extended the Lions’ unbeaten run to seven games and restored some much-needed momentum heading into a busy stretch. Now, Oscar Pareja’s side will look to climb the Eastern Conference standings against Chicago Fire, who were just thumped 7-2 at Nashville SC. It was an embarrassing loss for Gregg Berhalter against his former USMNT assistant, B.J. Callaghan.

With confidence growing and key players finding form, City will now look to build on their fourth consecutive clean sheet. Another positive result on the road would keep the pressure on the teams above and further underline the Lions’ growing belief as the campaign hits its stride. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: LA Galaxy vs Orlando City SC – 29.03.2025

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Are you not entertained? Recency bias aside, I think we just witnessed one of Orlando City SC’s most complete MLS performances, dismantling an unbeaten D.C. United side (1-3-0) with a dominant 4-1 victory at Inter&Co Stadium. On Javier Otero’s first MLS career start, the Lions were ruthless in attack, with Luis Muriel, Martín Ojeda, and Marco Pašalić continuing their fine form. For the first time in club history, all three of our Designated Players scored in the same game – making Facundo Torres’ absence feel surprisingly manageable. What is this sorcery? Am I dreaming?

Having scored the most goals (13), yet conceded the second-most goals (11) across MLS this season, City now head cross-country to face defending MLS champions LA Galaxy in Carson, California. This is a matchup that could have been the 2024 MLS Cup Final! But Greg Vanney’s side are experiencing a shocking title defence. Galaxy are winless (0-2-3) this season, holding the worst-ever record for a defending MLS champion through five games. Most recently, they salvaged a late 2-2 draw at Minnesota United, but the Lions will be looking to capitalise on their shaky form. Continue reading →

Orlando City UK member Josh Keeble’s experience as Orlando City SC fall 2-1 at New York City FC

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Follow City Away!
By Orlando City UK member, Josh Keeble

On Saturday, March 8, I travelled Stateside to watch Orlando City SC suffer another Yankee Stadium defeat against New York City FC. The result did little to ease concerns about another slow start to the Major League Soccer season.

A fine counter-attack involving Alex Freeman, Marco Pašalić, and goalscorer Luis Muriel was ultimately overshadowed by goals from Alonso Martínez and Hannes Wolf. Both New York City FC strikes were aided by some questionable goalkeeping from Pedro Gallese. Still, those who follow the Lions know that away days aren’t really about the result – they’re about having a great time. And what better place than the Big Apple? Continue reading →