Toronto FC

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 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 →

STATS PREVIEW: Real Salt Lake vs Orlando City SC – 08.07.2023

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Even before the post-match Exploria Stadium fireworks show to commemorate July 4, Orlando City SC celebrated Independence Day with a bang by emphatically defeating Toronto FC 4-0.

Registering two home victories in a row and only losing one of our last eleven MLS fixtures, Oscar Pareja‘s upwardly mobile Lions now face a tough three-game road streak in MLS, sandwiched by at least two ties in the 2023 Leagues Cup. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Toronto FC – 04.07.2023

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After beating Chicago Fire 3-1, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC stay at Exploria Stadium for a July 4 Independence Day showdown with Toronto FC.

Recently relieving Bob Bradley of his duties on June 26, Terry Dunfield is now interim head coach of TFC who face a Lions side placed seventh in the Eastern Conference, currently just three points behind fourth-placed Columbus Crew. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Chicago Fire – 01.07.2023

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Drawing 0-0 at Seattle Sounders on a long-haul cross-country road trip, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now return to Central Florida to contest two consecutive home fixtures at Exploria Stadium – starting with Chicago Fire.

The Lions are currently seventh in the Eastern Conference on 28 points. They sit two points above both the red and Wild Card match lines, and look much steadier, if not spectacular, in pursuit of clinching a place in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Colorado Rapids – 10.06.2023

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With the soccer world digesting Wednesday’s seismic and historic news that Lionel Messi is joining Inter Miami, Florida rivals Orlando City SC are back at Exploria Stadium to face a cross-conference opponent in Colorado Rapids.

After emphatically defeating New York Red Bulls 0-3 at Red Bull Arena, City have now gone five MLS games unbeaten. They now face Robin Fraser’s struggling Rapids side who failed to reach the 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs, and this year, currently languish thirteenth in the Western Conference. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: D.C. United vs Orlando City SC – 11.03.2023

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Just four days after visiting Mexico for our CONCACAF Champions League debut against Tigres UANL, Orlando City SC are back in Major League Soccer action for our first domestic road trip of 2023.

Visiting Audi Field to take on D.C. United, Oscar Pareja‘s Lions will attempt to banish the Wayne Rooney curse, with the Englishman enjoying much personal success against City as a player and now head coach. Continue reading →

Orlando City SC’s complete 2023 MLS schedule revealed

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(Credit: Orlando City SC)

Orlando City SC supporters have today learned when each of their thirty-four 2023 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 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs. Continue reading →

Twitter reacts to… Orlando City SC’s 2022 end-of-season roster update

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Today, Orlando City SC officially announced their updated first team roster following the end of the 2022 Major League Soccer campaign.

The first comprehensive evidence as to who is staying, potentially remaining and departing Exploria Stadium before 2023, just two players were named in the ‘option declined’ column. Continue reading →

Who is Orlando City SC’s new signing Luca Petrasso?

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Orlando City SC‘s 2023 recruitment drive is already underway with the Lions announcing the signing of Toronto FC defender Luca Petrasso yesterday.

Trading $300,000 in 2023 General Allocation Money to TFC, Luca Petrasso joins City as a Homegrown Player and is automatically protected in Friday’s 2022 MLS Expansion Draft. Continue reading →