Papi

STATS PREVIEW: Nashville SC vs Orlando City SC – 17.07.2024

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

Embed from Getty Images

Our Gillette Stadium curse is over! Failing to win any of our previous eight MLS games in Foxborough, Orlando City SC have now finally defeated New England Revolution away after securing a 1-3 comeback victory on Saturday night. Our fourth win in five MLS games and the first time we’ve achieved three consecutive victories since September / October 2023, the Lions appear to be coming good when it matters!

After a lacklustre first-half performance at Revs, whatever Oscar Pareja said at half-time had the desired effect! With Orlando City SC coming out re-energised, refocused, and determined to leave Massachusetts with all three points, we laughed in the face of the artificial turf and hit back three times after entering the break 1-0 down.

Staying on the road, City now visit Tennessee for a Wednesday night showdown with Nashville SC at GEODIS Park. The clubs’ first MLS meeting since the Lions dumped Nashville SC out of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, the Music City side will be out for revenge. That said, Nashville SC are on the slide having lost their last four consecutive MLS fixtures, including a 2-1 defeat at D.C. United on Saturday night.

As for Orlando City SC, we’re not only craving a fourth straight victory. We’re now looking for as much momentum as possible as we look to reel in sixth-placed Charlotte FC while solidifying our place in the automatic qualification spots for the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. Continue reading →

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

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

Embed from Getty Images

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 →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Chicago Fire – 22.06.2024

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

Embed from Getty Images

Orlando City SC could only manage a 2-2 draw at Charlotte FC on Wednesday despite playing a man up for 57 minutes after Scott Arfield’s first-half red card. The Lions were even facing the prospect of a disastrous defeat when Brandt Bronico put Dean Smith’s 10-man side 2-1 ahead in the second-half. However, Facundo Torres‘ 81st minute equaliser saved Oscar Pareja’s Lions further embarrassment in what is turning out to be an awful outlier season.

Right now, City need wins, not draws to climb up from second bottom in the Eastern Conference. However, scoring two goals in a single game is a positive sign, something we haven’t accomplished since our 2-3 win against Philadelphia Union on May 11. Now contesting a must-win game against thirteenth-placed Chicago Fire at Inter&Co Stadium, we have a crucial opportunity to leapfrog the team directly ahead of us.

Speaking of Chicago Fire, they defeated Toronto FC 1-4 last Saturday, achieving back-to-back victories for the first time this season after a terrible nine-game winless streak. Entering this game fresher than Orlando City SC having not played in midweek, Frank Klopas’ side will be encouraged by the Lions’ poor home record (1-3-5) which is currently the joint-worst in Major League Soccer.

In Saturday’s game, City will be wearing rainbow jersey numbers instead of gold to commemorate Pride In Our City Night at Inter&Co Stadium. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Columbus Crew – 25.05.2024

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

Embed from Getty Images

After substitute Jack Lynn scored very late on to help Orlando City SC secure a precious 0-1 win at San Jose Earthquakes, Oscar Pareja’s Lions now return to Inter&Co Stadium to take on 2023 MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew.

The clubs’ first meeting since Crew painfully eliminated the Lions from the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, Wilfried Nancy’s side are currently placed seventh in the Eastern Conference with 21 points from 13 games played.

The 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup finalists come into this game upbeat after securing two back-to-back 1-3 MLS victories on the road, most recently at traditional rivals Chicago Fire last Saturday.

By the banks of Lake Michigan at Soldier Field, goals from Diego Rossi, Christian Ramirez, and Jacen Russell-Rowe sealed another away day victory for Crew after their 1-3 win at CF Montréal a game prior. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Inter Miami – 15.05.2024

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

Embed from Getty Images

After defeating Philadelphia Union 2-3 in a wild game on Saturday, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now contest one of the biggest fixtures on this year’s schedule – a grudge match at home against Florida rivals Inter Miami in MLS Rivalry Week.

A midweek game, potentially marking Lionel Messi’s first-ever visit to Inter&Co Stadium if he’s fit, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and his team-mates travel up Florida’s Turnpike in rampant mood. Winning their last five consecutive MLS games and having scored 35 goals this season, Inter Miami currently lead the Eastern Conference on 27 points – a bitter pill for Florida’s better half to swallow.

With The Herons defying the odds to rescue a 2-0 deficit and win 2-3 at CF Montréal on Saturday, Inter Miami will be the big favourites on Wednesday but Orlando City SC should feel buoyed after just clinching our third victory of the 2024 MLS season, taking us to double figures (12 points) in the process. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Philadelphia Union vs Orlando City SC – 11.05.2024

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

Embed from Getty Images

Pain. Misery. Embarrassment. These are all words that unfortunately sum up Orlando City SC’s current plight. After Oscar Pareja’s side suffered a 0-1 loss to FC Cincinnati last Saturday, the pressure is mounting in a 2024 season that is quickly spiralling into a nightmare.

Conceding in just 17 seconds in FC Cincinnati’s very first attack of the game, the 0-1 result marked our fifth defeat of the MLS season, our third loss at home already, and our second home defeat in as many weeks.

To make matters ten times worse, Rodrigo Schlegel‘s colossal error and subsequent red card on 20 minutes left Orlando City SC supporters teetering between laughter and tears – such was the ridiculousness of Schlegel’s latest kamikaze error.

Now visiting Chester, Pennsylvania to take on Philadelphia Union, Jim Curtin’s side rescued a 2-2 draw at D.C. United last Saturday, fighting back from 2-0 down to salvage a point through veteran Alejandro Bedoya and a MLS goal of the season contender from Jack McGlynn. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs FC Cincinnati – 04.05.2024

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

Embed from Getty Images

May the fourth be with Orlando City SC this Saturday (Star Wars™ Night) because we’re going to need it!

After collapsing late on to somehow throw away all three points in a gutting 1-2 loss to Toronto FC, Oscar Pareja’s Lions now contest a second successive home game at Inter&Co Stadium, this time against high-flying FC Cincinnati.

Currently second in the Eastern Conference on 18 points, 2023 MLS Supporters’ Shield winners FC Cincinnati come into this game buoyed by a 2-1 home victory against Colorado Rapids last Saturday plus a 1-2 comeback win at Atlanta United the weekend prior. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: CF Montréal vs Orlando City SC – 20.04.2024

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

Embed from Getty Images

The Cardiac Cats are back, baby! Banishing Audi Field ghosts of the past, David Brekalo‘s first ever City goal and Duncan McGuire‘s 91st minute game winner dramatically sealed a morale-boosting and much-needed 2-3 comeback win at D.C. United in stoppage time.

After experiencing this high in the nation’s capital, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now fly north to face CF Montréal in our second Canadian road trip of the year.

Currently eighth in the Eastern Conference on 10 points, Laurent Courtois’ CF Montréal side come into this game re-energised after a 2-1 victory against FC Cincinnati last weekend. A game that was actually CF Montréal’s 2024 home opener following six road fixtures, this win ended their streak of three consecutive MLS defeats. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: D.C. United vs Orlando City SC – 13.04.2024

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

Embed from Getty Images

After lots of bye week deliberation time following our 1-1 draw with New York Red Bulls on March 30, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now visit the nation’s capital to take on D.C. United at Audi Field in our third away fixture of the 2024 MLS regular season.

Currently eighth in the Eastern Conference on 10 points, Troy Lesesne’s D.C. United come into this game somewhat disappointed after a late Aidan Morris equaliser (1-1) prevented them from a noteworthy victory at Columbus Crew last Saturday. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Atlanta United vs Orlando City SC – 17.03.2024

/ Taylor Williams / Leave a comment

Embed from Getty Images

The MLS schedule makers certainly haven’t made it easy on Orlando City SC with Oscar Pareja‘s Lions now flying north above Interstate 75 to visit rivals Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in only our second away league fixture of 2024.

Embarrassingly humbled 5-0 at fellow rivals Inter Miami in our last MLS away fixture, City supporters are demanding a much more professional, committed, and gutsy performance this time around. But this will be anything but straightforward, not just because of The Five Stripes’ packed 40,000+ home crowd but because of our current state of mind.

City not only lost 2-3 to Minnesota United in MLS last Saturday but also got eliminated from the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup on Tuesday. Defeated 4-2 on aggregate by Tigres UANL in the Round of 16 stage, it’s truly been a miserable start to the year for Orlando City SC, whom much more was expected of, albeit facing a tough and unforgiving schedule to kick off our 2024 campaign. Continue reading →