Sunshine Clásico

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Minnesota United – 09.03.2024

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Suffering the embarrassment of a 5-0 defeat to Florida rivals Inter Miami last Saturday, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC return to Inter&Co Stadium to face Minnesota United in their first cross-conference fixture of 2024. Currently on just one point after two MLS games, the Lions are desperate to register not only their first league victory of the year but their first goal too.

This home game against Minnesota United is also the Lions’ 10 Year Anniversary Match, celebrating the 10th anniversary of Orlando City SC‘s first match in Major League Soccer. Instead of our home purple, City will suit up in The Legacy Kit to honour the occasion.

At this embryonic stage of 2024, we’ve had to juggle MLS exploits with our participation in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup – something that has posed many MLS sides difficulties in the past. On Tuesday night, Orlando City SC drew 0-0 with Mexican giants Tigres UANL in the first leg of our Round of 16 tie with the crucial second leg taking place next Tuesday. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Tigres UANL – 05.03.2024

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February 27 was a historic night for Orlando City SC as we sealed our first ever two-legged victory in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Making light work of defeating Cavalry FC 6-1 on aggregate across two Round One legs in the 2024 edition of the tournament, Orlando City SC now face a much tougher proposition in the Round of 16.

As fate would have it, the Lions now face two legs against Mexican giants Tigres UANL in exactly the same matchup as we saw at this stage of the competition last year. On that occasion, tournament favourites Tigres UANL narrowly progressed past City via the away goals rule having drawn 0-0 in Monterrey and 1-1 in Central Florida.

Out to avenge the pain we felt in our March 2023 tournament debut, one major difference this time is that Orlando City SC are hosting this first leg at Inter&Co Stadium with the crucial return leg taking place at Estadio Universitario on March 12. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Inter Miami vs Orlando City SC – 02.03.2024

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After a frustrating 0-0 draw against CF Montréal in our 2024 MLS home opener last Saturday, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now contest one of the biggest games on this year’s schedule – an away trip to Fort Lauderdale to face fierce Florida rivals Inter Miami.

This year’s Sunshine Clásico falls earlier than ever before with the Lions hoping to achieve the mouthwatering prospect of defeating Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and co in The Herons’ own backyard at Chase Stadium. 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 →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs CF Montréal – 30.09.2023

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Rescuing a one-goal deficit to draw 1-1 with Florida rivals Inter Miami, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now face CF Montréal in our penultimate home fixture of the 2023 MLS regular season.

In a passionate Sunshine Clásico full of aggression and needle, a scrappy derby had flashes of promise but ultimately ended even. Admittedly a fair result on the balance of play, the Lions were very wasteful in front of goal despite Duncan McGuire‘s 66th minute equaliser – a goal that ensured Inter Miami have still never won at Exploria Stadium. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Inter Miami – 24.09.2023

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Mission accomplished! Despite suffering a 2-0 defeat at New York City FC last night, a favourable 1-1 draw between D.C. United and Atlanta United elsewhere saw Orlando City SC clinch their spot in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs with five games to spare. Reaching the promised land of the MLS post-season earlier than ever before, Oscar Pareja has now impressively steered the City ship into the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.

In a mouth-watering prospect, Orlando City SC and Inter Miami now meet in MLS for the first time since the Lions’ highly controversial 2023 Leagues Cup Round of 32 defeat (3-1) at DRV PNK Stadium back on August 2.

With Lionel Messi’s brace helping steer The Herons towards what proved to be their first major title in club history, the injustice of several incidences against City has undoubtedly lit the touch paper for this eagerly anticipated rematch. Revenge will most certainly be on the minds of Orlando City SC players and supporters as the Lions aim to derail Inter Miami’s late push to reach the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.

In huge news, seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi WILL NOT visit Exploria Stadium for the very first time however. After The Herons’ 4-0 win over Toronto FC yesterday, Tata Martino ruled both Messi and Jordi Alba out of Sunday’s Sunshine Clásico after they were both subbed off with suspected first-half injuries in that game. Whether this is managerial mind games or not remains to be seen. Continue reading →

A quick word on *that* Inter Miami defeat before we all move on…

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Before we begin, Orlando City SC‘s 3-1 defeat to Inter Miami in the 2023 Leagues Cup on Wednesday evening was bitterly disappointing for players and supporters alike. Disappointing because ever since our 2011 founding, the club have long enjoyed a love affair with cup competitions, none greater than last season’s victorious 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup triumph – our first title in our MLS era.

A rivalry fixture – with state bragging rights at stake – it’s always gutting losing , especially in knockout competition in enemy territory, but genuine supporters accept these highs and lows as part and parcel of The Beautiful Game.

What I must admit though – and I reiterate that these opinions are the thoughts of Orlando City UK (Taylor Williams), not Orlando City SC – is that I had cynical feelings that our Inter Miami defeat would play out the way it did – and so it proved on a controversial night at DRV PNK Stadium. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Inter Miami vs Orlando City SC – 02.08.2023

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Orlando City SC will face the world’s greatest ever player Lionel Messi in their next club fixture. A wild sentence that seemed implausible a few years ago, that is the reality with City now visiting Florida rivals Inter Miami in the 2023 Leagues Cup Round of 32.

Qualifying from our “South 2” group to the knockout stage courtesy of home triumphs over Houston Dynamo (1-1 at full-time, 5-4 on penalties) and Santos Laguna (3-2), Orlando City SC probably couldn’t have faced a tougher MLS opponent right now – such has been the relentless nature of Messi’s start to life in South Florida. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Inter Miami vs Orlando City SC – 20.05.2023

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Ifs, buts, and maybes. Unfortunately that was the tale of Wednesday evening after Orlando City SC conceded an 89th minute equaliser to draw 1-1 with New York City FC at Exploria Stadium.

Now twelve MLS regular season games into 2023, our disappointing and inconsistent campaign shows no signs of truly turning a corner. Oscar Pareja‘s Lions now visit Florida rivals Inter Miami who will no doubt be fired up for the first Sunshine Clásico of the year. Continue reading →