Earl Edwards Jr.

STATS PREVIEW: New England Revolution vs Orlando City SC – 13.07.2024

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Could the tide finally be turning? Maybe, just maybe after Orlando City SC emphatically thrashed D.C. United 5-0 at Inter&Co Stadium last Saturday. Just our seventh MLS victory of 2024, it was crucially the first time we’ve achieved back-to-back wins all season.

Completing a 2024 sweep over D.C. United, Orlando City SC ruthlessly punished Troy Lesesne’s poor side and climbed three places into seventh in the East – the coveted final automatic qualification spot for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Form and consistency is what will earn us a place in the post-season and having now achieved crucial must-win victories over Toronto FC and D.C. United, the Lions must now continue in this vein to put some distance between ourselves and the chasing pack in a tight and congested Eastern Conference.

As for Saturday’s opponents New England Revolution, Orlando City SC have NEVER won in eight MLS visits to Gillette Stadium and its artificial turf! However, Caleb Porter’s side come into this game scarred by a 2-0 long-haul defeat at Seattle Sounders last weekend. With Jordan Morris and Albert Rusnák grabbing the goals at Lumen Field, this was only the second defeat Revs have suffered in seven having won four straight MLS games in June. Right now, Revs are twelfth in the East, five points adrift of Orlando City SC. Continue reading →

2024 MLS SuperDraft preview: Reviewing Orlando City SC’s 31 draft picks since 2015

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The MLS SuperDraft is the most exciting event in the lives of every young North American college soccer player.

With Rounds 1, 2 and 3 of the 2024 MLS SuperDraft getting underway tomorrow, Orlando City UK took this moment to reflect on how Orlando City SC‘s annual picks have fared since our inaugural 2015 season. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Toronto FC vs Orlando City SC – 21.10.2023

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A TOP TWO seed for the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, subsequent home field advantage in the post-season, and 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup qualification have now all been clinched! Indeed, the Lions achieved these fantastic feats after defeating New England Revolution 3-2 in our final home game of the 2023 MLS regular season. With City’s victory and a 0-0 tie between Philadelphia Union and Nashville SC sealing our top two status, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now visit BMO Field to face Eastern Conference whipping boys Toronto FC on 2023 MLS Decision Day.

Sealing our ninth home victory of the MLS season back on October 7, a result that saw us reach 60 points in the East, a first-half Mauricio Pereyra masterclass helped the Lions on their way to another morale-boosting win – our first MLS victory over bogey opponent Revs in 11 league meetings.

In all my years watching the team, the last month or so has seen Orlando City SC produce the most convincing and consistent soccer we’ve ever played in MLS. Already clinching our spot in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs back on September 20 – earlier than ever before with five games to spare – this MLS Decision Day is refreshingly stress-free for City supporters.

Indeed, on MLS Decision Day in both 2021 and 2022, Orlando City SC agonisingly went into the final day of the regular season knowing that by full-time, they could be in or out of the post-season. Fortunately making it on both occasions, 2023 MLS Decision Day is excitingly all about extending our fine form into the post-season. Successfully securing our top two seeding prior to the international break, City can now look forward to hosting two home games in the newly revamped Round One Best-of-3 series of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. The icing on the cake, the Lions can also look forward to appearing in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup too, qualifying for the tournament for a second successive season courtesy of having secured a top two Eastern Conference finish.

All that’s left for Orlando City SC to find out on 2023 MLS Decision Day is whether they will be facing Atlanta United, Nashville SC or New England Revolution in Round One of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. Continue reading →

2021 MLS SuperDraft preview: Orlando City SC’s draft picks since 2015

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

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The MLS SuperDraft is the most exciting event in the lives of every young North American college soccer player.

With Rounds 1, 2 and 3 of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft getting underway tomorrow, Orlando City UK took this moment to reflect on how Orlando City SC‘s annual picks have fared since our inaugural 2015 season. Continue reading →

Reviewing Orlando City SC’s MLS SuperDraft picks since 2015

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

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The MLS SuperDraft is the most exciting event in the lives of every young North American college soccer player.

With rounds one and two of the 2020 MLS SuperDraft getting underway tomorrow, Orlando City UK took this moment to review how Orlando City SC‘s annual picks have fared since our inaugural 2015 season. Continue reading →

Twitter reacts to… Orlando City SC’s 2018 end-of-season roster update

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This evening (UK time), Orlando City SC officially announced their updated first team roster following the end of the 2018 Major League Soccer campaign.

The first comprehensive evidence as to who is staying, potentially remaining and departing Orlando City Stadium before 2019, there were a few surprise names in the ‘option not exercised’ column. Continue reading →

Five Orlando City SC takeaways from the 2018 MLS Players Salary Guide

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This week the MLS Players Association published an updated version of the 2018 player salaries, the first since the close secondary transfer window and final roster freeze in September.

Headlines included high-profile D.C. United acquisition Wayne Rooney becoming the league’s ninth highest paid player at $2.78m, one of a record 53 millionaires now plying their trade in North America. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: D.C. United vs Orlando City SC – 12.08.2018

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After a breathless 3-3 draw against New England Revolution last weekend, Orlando City SC visit Audi Field for the very first time as they take on D.C. United, now buoyed by Wayne Rooney’s arrival.

Ben Olsen’s D.C. United currently sit bottom of the Eastern Conference on 18 points but boast four games in hand on Orlando City SC who sit five points above the Black and Red. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Columbus Crew vs Orlando City SC – 21.07.2018

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How good did it feel to get back to winning ways? After the pain of 68 long days without a single MLS victory, our 2-1 win over Toronto FC ended a desperate streak of nine consecutive league defeats.

With James O’Connor‘s side earning all three points in the Irishman’s first home game in charge, everybody connected with Orlando City SC is hoping this is the turning point in our season. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Miami United FC vs Orlando City SC – 06.06.2018

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There’s a break from league play this Wednesday night as Orlando City SC take on fellow Floridian side Miami United FC in the fourth round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Travelling to The Magic City to take on the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) side, Jason Kreis‘ Lions will hope to fare better than they did at this stage last season. Continue reading →