STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs New England Revolution – 14.09.2024

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Before the international break, Orlando City SC bounced back from a disappointing performance at Sporting Kansas City with a decisive 3-0 victory over Nashville SC at Inter&Co Stadium. Iván Angulo opened the scoring, followed by a Facundo Torres brace, as the Lions secured their fifth consecutive shutout against Nashville SC – a team we’ve quite simply owned in recent times!

Now, with New England Revolution visiting Central Florida, Orlando City SC face the second of three consecutive home fixtures. At this late stage of the MLS regular season, this stretch is crucial, and we need to capitalise on our home advantage to secure as many points as possible.

Right now, the Lions are quietly going under the radar when it comes to climbing the Eastern Conference standings. As MLSsoccer.com’s Matt Doyle wrote recently, “the Lions and Oscar Pareja are doing that thing again” and “no one above them seems interested in doing much about it”. Indeed, Orlando City SC are currently just one point below sixth, two points below fifth, and six points below fourth. “There’s a world here where Orlando somehow end up hosting in Round One”, Doyle continued with City “salvaging a season that felt rough for a while”.

As for Saturday’s opponents, New England Revolution, Caleb Porter’s side currently sit twelfth in the Eastern Conference (27 points), only a point above joint-bottom sides Chicago Fire and Nashville SC (26 points). It’s been a challenging first season in charge for Porter, with the team coming off a 2-2 draw against St. Louis CITY SC last weekend during the international break. Porter will serve a one-match touchline ban at Inter&Co Stadium this Saturday after he called referee Timothy Ford “a complete coward” for consulting VAR but failing to award a penalty to the Revs in last weekend’s game against St. Louis CITY SC.

With just over 10 minutes left, the ball clearly struck Kyle Hiebert’s right arm as he contested a header with Nacho Gil, but referee Ford deemed his arm to be in a “justifiable position”, and play continued with the match tied 2-2. For what it’s worth, Timothy Ford is the same referee who had a mare of a performance during Orlando City SC’s 2-3 win at Philadelphia Union back on May 11. With Revs having only won one of their last seven MLS matches (1-2-4), this game is another big opportunity for City to pick up all three points. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Santos Laguna vs Orlando City SC – 29.07.2023

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After defeating Houston Dynamo 5-4 on penalties (1-1 at full-time) in our first “South 2” group game of the 2023 Leagues Cup, Orlando City SC now face Liga MX side Santos Laguna at Exploria Stadium, requiring at least two points to guarantee a spot in the Round of 32 knockout stage.

Previously facing Guerreros back in the 2021 Leagues Cup, Miguel Gallardo‘s boyhood club Santos Laguna were victorious on that occasion (0-1) with Oscar Pareja‘s side hoping for a better outcome this time around. Continue reading

Calculating Orlando City SC’s LIVE UK televised fixtures in 2022

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Since establishing Orlando City UK back in November 2015, we’ve watched Major League Soccer become more popular than ever before in the United Kingdom.

A huge part of this has been LIVE televised games. Now Orlando City SC‘s 2022 MLS campaign is over, we took this moment to reflect on just how many City fixtures were televised live in Great Britain this year. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Columbus Crew – 09.10.2022

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Win and we’re in! The permutations couldn’t be simpler for Orlando City SC heading into 2022 MLS Decision Day with so much riding on our final home fixture of the regular season against Columbus Crew.

Embarrassed and humiliated in a 4-1 defeat at Florida rivals Inter Miami on Wednesday, a capitulation of four defeats in five MLS games means our hopes of qualifying for the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs have come down to this agonising, nail-biting finale. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Santos Laguna – 12.08.2021

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This Thursday sees a break from MLS play with Orlando City SC facing Liga MX’s Santos Laguna in the quarter-final stage of the 2021 Leagues Cup.

Facing a non-MLS opponent for the first time within a regular campaign, it’s a huge occasion and a big opportunity to underline Orlando City SC on the global soccer map. Continue reading

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs New England Revolution – 29.11.2020

(Credit: Orlando City SC)

After defeating New York City FC in the craziest, most incredible penalty shootout you’re ever likely to see, Orlando City SC must keep their feet on the ground for the next and most important game in Lions club history.

Now facing a home tie against New England Revolution in the Eastern Conference semi-final stage of the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs, Oscar Pareja‘s side are just 270+ minutes away from lifting the MLS Cup trophy. Continue reading

INTERVIEW: Orlando City UK chats to Orlando City SC’s Kay Rawlins

Having witnessed it all, from the club’s 2010 founding as Austin Aztex to present day, Orlando City UK caught up with the queen of Orlando City SC, Kay Rawlins.

Co-founder and co-owner of the club, plus Orlando City Foundation President, we spoke to Kay about that incredible MLS Cup Playoffs win over New York City FC, about community, plus her answers to a series of miscellaneous Lions questions covering the past 10 years. Continue reading

Orlando City UK celebrates our fifth birthday: 2020 round-up

Orlando City UK celebrates our second birthday

Time flies when you’re having fun, right? Today, we’re celebrating our fifth birthday here at Orlando City UK with our Official International Fan Club of Orlando City SC established five years ago.

Following five disappointing seasons in MLS, 2020 has refreshingly been all change. Oscar Pareja finally led Orlando City SC to the MLS Cup Playoffs with our loyal UK supporters still passionately supporting from the United Kingdom. Continue reading

#NYCvORL #MLSisBack live watchalong with Calen Carr, The Cooligans, Miguel Gallardo & Rox Fontaine

We joined Calen Carr, The Cooligans, Miguel Gallardo and Rox Fontaine LIVE on Major League Soccer’s official Twitter account for a watchalong of New York City FC vs Orlando City SC.

See how we watched the 90+ minutes unfold as Oscar Pareja‘s side defeated NYCFC 1-3 to help seal qualification to the #MLSisBack Tournament Round-of-16. Continue reading

INTERVIEW: Orlando City UK chats to former Orlando City SC player Luke Boden

Four years on from his final game as an Orlando City SC player, Orlando City UK caught up with longtime Lion Luke Boden.

Still Orlando City SC‘s record all-time appearance holder with 87 appearances in USL and 45 in MLS (132 overall), the Englishman spoke about life in Florida, making the transition to MLS, and his memories following his time at the club. Continue reading