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STATS PREVIEW: Charlotte FC vs Orlando City SC – 19.06.2024

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In 2024, Orlando City SC continue to be a team that leaves you craving much, much more – especially at home in front of our own supporters at Inter&Co Stadium. Just when you thought our season couldn’t get more painful, it just did on Saturday when Los Angeles FC defeated the Lions 1-3 in Central Florida.

You have to laugh, otherwise you’ll cry, such is the dramatic nature of our 2024 demise. With our hopes of reaching the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs fading fast, there are no crumbs of comfort at the minute – and it hurts. At the end of the day, when you’re struggling to score goals, it’s pretty darn hard to win games of soccer!

With nowhere to hide right now, our inability to score is hurting us over and over again. Now winless in six games at Inter&Co Stadium with LAFC’s 1-3 win marking our fifth defeat in nine at home, Saturday’s result was a miserable way to mark the midway point of our sorry Major League Soccer season.

We now officially share the joint-worst home record this 2024 MLS regular season, matching Philadelphia Union’s tally of one win, three draws, and five defeats. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Los Angeles FC – 15.06.2024

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The melancholy feeling of disappointment lingers on and on for Orlando City SC who suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against New York Red Bulls back on June 1.

Frankly speaking, the small flickers of hope for sneaking into the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs continue to dwindle week by week.

Having had a whole fortnight to stew over our disappointing 1-0 defeat at New York Red Bulls, the Lions now return to Inter&Co Stadium for a cross-conference meeting with in form Los Angeles FC who have won five MLS games in a row, conceding ZERO goals in the process!

Things could certainly get worse before they get better for Oscar Pareja and his side. Seeing our five-game unbeaten road streak snapped at Red Bull Arena, we could’ve played until midnight and still not scored! Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Chicago Fire vs Orlando City SC – 29.05.2024

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After a disappointing 0-2 defeat to Columbus Crew, Oscar Pareja’s Orlando City SC hit the road to take on Chicago Fire for the first time this MLS season.

Eager to quickly erase our memories of the Crew loss, the Lions visit Soldier Field this Wednesday encouraged by the fact that Chicago Fire are winless in their last eight MLS fixtures.

On Saturday, Frank Klopas’ side rescued a 1-1 draw at D.C. United after trailing in the first-half. They currently sit fourteenth in the Eastern Conference with just 11 points from 15 games. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: San Jose Earthquakes vs Orlando City SC – 18.05.2024

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Battling hard to a 0-0 draw against Inter Miami on Wednesday, Oscar Pareja’s Orlando City SC now fly northwest to contest their furthest MLS away game of 2024 – San Jose Earthquakes at PayPal Park.

Our first MLS visit to Northern California since August 2019, Quakes have been resurgent in recent weeks, showing character to defeat Los Angeles FC (3-1) and Colorado Rapids (2-3) to arrest their horror start to the year in the Western Conference.

Nevertheless, Luchi Gonzalez’s side come into this game gutted and downbeat after painfully throwing away a 0-2 lead at Portland Timbers on Wednesday. Losing 4-2 in the end, the entire momentum of the game switched after Quakes centre back Bruno Wilson received a red card for a goal-line handball in his own box on 72 minutes, conceding an untimely penalty in turn.

From here, Timbers ruthlessly made their one-man advantage count with Evander’s resulting penalty (74), Jonathan Rodríguez (80), a Felipe Mora penalty (90), and a second goal of the night from Jonathan Rodríguez (90+10) stealing away all three points for Phil Neville’s men, breaking Quakes hearts in the process. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Inter Miami – 15.05.2024

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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

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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 Austin FC – 23.03.2024

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After losing 2-0 at fierce rivals Atlanta United, Oscar Pareja‘s Orlando City SC now return to Central Florida to welcome Austin FC to Inter&Co Stadium for the very first time in MLS.

Down in the dumps right now, the Lions are winless in four MLS games, scoreless in three, and currently second bottom in the Eastern Conference in what has truly been a nightmare start to 2024. Continue reading →

STATS PREVIEW: Orlando City SC vs Flamengo – 27.01.2024

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In a new calendar year, we get to witness our beloved Orlando City SC take the field earlier than ever before with the Lions hosting Brazilian giants Flamengo at our newly renamed Inter&Co Stadium in a friendly match as part of the FC Series 2024.

A friendly announced back on December 7 and originally scheduled to take place at Camping World Stadium, the fixture marks City’s first friendly in preparation for the 2024 season and Flamengo’s final game of their weeklong pre-season tour of Florida. Continue reading →

Twitter reacts to… Orlando City SC’s crushing 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs defeat to Columbus Crew

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Warning; this blog comes with a disclaimer. Before you read any further, we’d like to warn you that there is a high probability that you risk upsetting yourself all over again as we delve deep into Orlando City SC‘s crushing 0-2 home defeat to Columbus Crew last night in the Eastern Conference Semi-Final stage of the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.

With #HuntingSeason now officially over, our crushing defeat stings on so many levels and not just for the simple fact that we had Crew’s number during the regular season, yet fell to the Ohio side in the post-season when it truly mattered most. 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 →