Los Angeles FC

STATS PREVIEW: Charlotte FC vs Orlando City SC – 19.06.2024

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In 2024, Orlando City SC continue to be a team that leaves you craving much, much more – especially at home in front of our own supporters at Inter&Co Stadium. Just when you thought our season couldn’t get more painful, it just did on Saturday when Los Angeles FC defeated the Lions 1-3 in Central Florida.

You have to laugh, otherwise you’ll cry, such is the dramatic nature of our 2024 demise. With our hopes of reaching the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs fading fast, there are no crumbs of comfort at the minute – and it hurts. At the end of the day, when you’re struggling to score goals, it’s pretty darn hard to win games of soccer!

With nowhere to hide right now, our inability to score is hurting us over and over again. Now winless in six games at Inter&Co Stadium with LAFC’s 1-3 win marking our fifth defeat in nine at home, Saturday’s result was a miserable way to mark the midway point of our sorry Major League Soccer season.

We now officially share the joint-worst home record this 2024 MLS regular season, matching Philadelphia Union’s tally of one win, three draws, and five defeats. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Los Angeles FC – 15.06.2024

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The melancholy feeling of disappointment lingers on and on for Orlando City SC who suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against New York Red Bulls back on June 1.

Frankly speaking, the small flickers of hope for sneaking into the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs continue to dwindle week by week.

Having had a whole fortnight to stew over our disappointing 1-0 defeat at New York Red Bulls, the Lions now return to Inter&Co Stadium for a cross-conference meeting with in form Los Angeles FC who have won five MLS games in a row, conceding ZERO goals in the process!

Things could certainly get worse before they get better for Oscar Pareja and his side. Seeing our five-game unbeaten road streak snapped at Red Bull Arena, we could’ve played until midnight and still not scored! Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Chicago Fire vs Orlando City SC – 29.05.2024

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After a disappointing 0-2 defeat to Columbus Crew, Oscar Pareja’s Orlando City SC hit the road to take on Chicago Fire for the first time this MLS season.

Eager to quickly erase our memories of the Crew loss, the Lions visit Soldier Field this Wednesday encouraged by the fact that Chicago Fire are winless in their last eight MLS fixtures.

On Saturday, Frank Klopas’ side rescued a 1-1 draw at D.C. United after trailing in the first-half. They currently sit fourteenth in the Eastern Conference with just 11 points from 15 games. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: San Jose Earthquakes vs Orlando City SC – 18.05.2024

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Battling hard to a 0-0 draw against Inter Miami on Wednesday, Oscar Pareja’s Orlando City SC now fly northwest to contest their furthest MLS away game of 2024 – San Jose Earthquakes at PayPal Park.

Our first MLS visit to Northern California since August 2019, Quakes have been resurgent in recent weeks, showing character to defeat Los Angeles FC (3-1) and Colorado Rapids (2-3) to arrest their horror start to the year in the Western Conference.

Nevertheless, Luchi Gonzalez’s side come into this game gutted and downbeat after painfully throwing away a 0-2 lead at Portland Timbers on Wednesday. Losing 4-2 in the end, the entire momentum of the game switched after Quakes centre back Bruno Wilson received a red card for a goal-line handball in his own box on 72 minutes, conceding an untimely penalty in turn.

From here, Timbers ruthlessly made their one-man advantage count with Evander’s resulting penalty (74), Jonathan Rodríguez (80), a Felipe Mora penalty (90), and a second goal of the night from Jonathan Rodríguez (90+10) stealing away all three points for Phil Neville’s men, breaking Quakes hearts in the process. 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 →

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: FC Cincinnati vs Orlando City SC – 02.09.2023

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Rescuing a 1-1 draw at Charlotte FC on Wednesday, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now visit TQL Stadium to complete a quick-fire two-game streak against runaway Supporters’ Shield contenders FC Cincinnati.

Unrecognisable from being former wooden spoon whipping boys, Pat Noonan’s formidable side have lost just three regular season fixtures so far. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Charlotte FC vs Orlando City SC – 30.08.2023

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After a statement 2-1 victory over St. Louis CITY SC, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC hit the road for a quick-fire two-game road streak, starting with a visit to North Carolina to face Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium.

With just nine MLS regular season fixtures remaining, the Lions currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference, five points clear of seventh place and eleven points clear of ninth place. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs St. Louis CITY SC – 26.08.2023

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Having had 17 days to stew on our disappointing 3-1 loss at Inter Miami in the 2023 Leagues Cup, Orlando City SC returned to MLS action the best way possible, defeating Chicago Fire 1-3 away to extend our fantastic form on the road.

Now rising to fourth in the Eastern Conference, City currently sit within the coveted home seeding spots for the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs – the positions we hope to end up in once our 10 remaining regular season fixtures are complete. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Houston Dynamo – 21.07.2023

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This Friday sees a break from MLS play with Orlando City SC hosting Houston Dynamo in the three-team group stage of the 2023 Leagues Cup.

With the regular season on hiatus, City take now compete in the Leagues Cup for the first time since 2021. In that second edition of the tournament, the Lions were ironically eliminated 0-1 by Santos Laguna – the other side making up our “South 2” group this year. Continue reading →