MLS Cup Playoffs

Duncan McGuire to return to Orlando City SC as Blackburn Rovers loan collapses

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(Credit: Blackburn Rovers)

After an EFL Board meeting today, Duncan McGuire’s six-month loan move to Blackburn Rovers has now officially collapsed due to an ‘administrative error’ by the EFL Championship side. In other words, the move has fallen through because McGuire’s registration paperwork was submitted after England’s January transfer window deadline of 11pm back on Thursday, February 1. On Tuesday, Tom Bogert even went as far to tweet that Rovers only clicked “save” and not “submit paperwork” before the deadline in what is truly a farcical clerical error. Turning 23 on Monday, this has been no way to spend a birthday with McGuire now having to return to Orlando City SC with immediate effect.

This dramatic transfer saga peaked last Wednesday when McGuire took a flight to England, only for Rovers to call Orlando City SC and our striker’s agent to inform us that they were pulling out of a deal. McGuire then remained grounded in England as fellow suitors Sheffield Wednesday re-entered the race, only for Rovers to then remarkably re-enter negotiations themselves, finally announcing Duncan McGuire’s six-month loan arrival on social media at 23:02, minutes after the January transfer window deadline had passed.

Orlando City UK now understands that Blackburn will fly over to the United States over the coming weeks to try to conclude a pre-contract agreement with Orlando City SC, so that Duncan McGuire can officially become a Rovers player in the summer. Continue reading →

Orlando City SC’s complete 2024 MLS schedule revealed

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(Credit: Orlando City SC)

Orlando City SC supporters have today learned when each of their thirty-four 2024 Major League Soccer regular season fixtures will be played.

With all MLS franchises’ complete regular season schedules released today, away days can be planned, rivalry games can be circled, and Lions supporters can now start mapping out Orlando City SC‘s quest to reach the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. Continue reading →

Twitter reacts to… Oscar Pareja’s new Orlando City SC contract through 2025

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“It’s done” as Frodo Baggins famously said in the Lord of the Rings! After guiding Orlando City SC to the MLS Cup Playoffs for four consecutive seasons, the hugely popular Oscar Pareja has now signed a new two-year deal, keeping our winningest head coach in club history at Exploria Stadium until at least the end of 2025.

During his four-year tenure in Central Florida, the 55-year-old Colombian has successfully turned around the Lions’ losing culture in Major League Soccer, so much so that City broke their own regular season records this year to finish runners-up to FC Cincinnati in the 2023 Supporters’ Shield despite having the lowest salary spend of all – a hugely impressive feat.

So far, the man affectionately known as Papi has built a genuine brotherhood in the City locker room, one that yielded silverware last year when Orlando City SC defeated Sacramento Republic 3-0 to win the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final at Exploria Stadium – our first major title as an MLS club. Continue reading →

Votes now open in Orlando City UK’s 2023 end-of-season awards

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Reaching the MLS Cup Playoffs for a fourth consecutive season and qualifying for the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup too, Orlando City SC have come a long way since our disappointing early years in Major League Soccer.

In a year that saw the Lions 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 – our latest public vote is designed to recognise the standout players in the Lions’ 2023 season. Continue reading →

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: Nashville SC vs Orlando City SC – 07.11.2023

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After defeating Nashville SC 1-0 in game one of the Round One Best-of-3 series in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now visit GEODIS Park to take on the Music City side in game two – quite simply the Lions’ biggest game of the season so far.

Recording our first ever playoffs win in regulation time on Monday, the Lions now visit Tennessee with a chance to punch our ticket to the Eastern Conference Semi-Final stage. To progress, Orlando City SC will need to play with the same confidence, maturity, and strong game management they impressively showcased in game one. 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: 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 →