Felipe Martins

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Columbus Crew – 25.11.2023

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Impressively only requiring two games, not three, to overcome Nashville SC in the Round One Best-of-3 series in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC are now set to contest their second ever Eastern Conference Semi-Final. Now reverting back to a single elimination format, just two games separate the Lions from 2023 MLS Cup itself, the holy grail fixture that may yet be hosted at Exploria Stadium, barring overall number one seed FC Cincinnati reaching this stage of course.

Now hosting overall number three seed Columbus Crew, qualifying from their own Best-of-3 series after a game three win (4-2) over Atlanta United on November 12, Orlando City SC drew 1-1 and won 4-3 against Wilfried Nancy’s Crew side in the MLS regular season. Considering the Ohio side had to contest a third game in Round One compared to the Lions, City have enjoyed more rest regardless of the recent international break, something that we hope provides us some form of advantage in our biggest MLS game since our Eastern Conference Semi-Final defeat to New England Revolution (1-3) back in November 2020. Continue reading →

Orlando City UK celebrates our eighth birthday: 2023 round-up

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Today, we’re celebrating our eighth birthday here at Orlando City UK with our Official International Fan Club of Orlando City SC established eight years ago.

A season on from our victorious 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title, Oscar Pareja has Orlando City SC in their second-ever Eastern Conference Semi-Final with our loyal UK supporters watching every kick live on Apple TV this side of the Atlantic. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Nashville SC – 30.10.2023

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After all the thrills and spills of a MLS regular season that saw Orlando City SC win more games than ever before (18) and achieve their highest all-time single-season points tally (63) – finishing a mightily impressive second in the 2023 Supporters’ Shield despite having the lowest salary spend of all – it’s now time for the agony and the ecstasy of the post-season.

City now face the side that finished seventh in the East, Nashville SC, at Exploria Stadium in game one of the newly revamped Round One Best-of-3 series of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. The Lions have crucially secured home field advantage in this round courtesy of our Eastern Conference top four seeding (number two overall in MLS). Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs New England Revolution – 07.10.2023

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Defeating one bogey opponent – Nashville SC (0-1) – in another statement road win last night, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now face another – New England Revolution – in our final home fixture of the 2023 MLS regular season. Just our second win over the Music City side in nine league meetings, yesterday’s victory means City are now the outright best team on their travels in MLS. Indeed, we’ve earned eight wins and four draws (28 points) across 16 away fixtures this season – a mightily impressive tally that is just one point fewer than the 29 points we’ve collected at Exploria Stadium.

Also conceding the joint second fewest amount of goals (37) in the Eastern Conference, the Lions are full of hope, optimism, and belief ahead of the post-season, and are hitting form at exactly the right time. While the wind is firmly in City’s sails, a top four seed isn’t clinched just yet. Despite Atlanta United losing 3-2 at Philadelphia Union, Columbus Crew’s late 1-2 victory at New England Revolution means we are still patiently waiting to lock in the hosting of two home games in the Round One Best-of-3 series of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: New York City FC vs Orlando City SC – 20.09.2023

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After defeating Columbus Crew 4-3 in a quite remarkable three-goal comeback victory, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now visit Queens, not The Bronx, for a Wednesday night showdown with 2015 MLS expansion rivals New York City FC at Citi Field.

With City players and supporters running on adrenaline after Ramiro Enrique‘s buzzer beater against Crew, the Lions left everything on the field against quality opposition in undoubtedly one of the craziest and most exciting games of the entire Major League Soccer season so far – a game that’ll live long in the memory. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Philadelphia Union – 21.06.2023

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Defeated 3-1 at New England Revolution, the hectic mid-season schedule heats up with Orlando City SC returning home to face Philadelphia Union at Exploria Stadium this Wednesday.

Comfortably beaten by the better side in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the Revs are now undefeated in their last 10 MLS head-to-heads with City who saw their six-game unbeaten streak ended by well-taken Emmanuel Boateng, Gustavo Bou and Carles Gil second-half goals. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs New York Red Bulls – 25.02.2023

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After a critically acclaimed off-season of refreshment, anticipation fills the air as Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC kick off the 2023 Major League Soccer campaign.

Starting at home for a ninth consecutive MLS season, City face New York Red Bulls after our 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs heartache at CF Montréal in October. Continue reading →

Who is Orlando City SC’s incoming signing Ramiro Enrique?

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Orlando City SC certainly aren’t wasting time this off-season! Yesterday, journalists César Luis Merlo and Tom Bogert confirmed that City are close to signing Ramiro Enrique from Banfield for around $2 million plus add-ons.

So far, Michael Petrasso, Felipe Martins, Rafael Santos and Martín Ojeda have been recruited this winter. With news of Enrique now too, it’s shaping up to be a super exciting transfer window for Lions supporters. Continue reading →

Who is Orlando City SC’s new signing Rafael Santos?

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Make that not one, but two new left backs to arrive at Orlando City SC this off-season with the Lions announcing the signing of Brazilian defender Rafael Santos yesterday.

Signing a two-year contract at Exploria Stadium, Rafael Santos joins City from Cruzeiro and becomes the Lions’ third major winter arrival after Luca Petrasso and Felipe Martins. Continue reading →