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Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Match Preview
Between two Canadian opponents and the Dynamo out of the Western Conference, Orlando City hasn’t faced much in the way of a rivalry game since the opening match against New York City FC.
That changes on Friday, when the Lions' closest geographic rivals will make the trip down from the nation's capital.
Must Reads
D.C. United is one of the most storied franchises in Major League Soccer, and they’re also the defending Eastern Conference champions. They flamed out in the playoffs last year against the New York Red Bulls, but almost the entire core of players from last years’ table-topping side are back this season.
There will be a couple very notable exceptions on Friday though, including striker Fabian Espindola (suspension) and center back Steve Birnbaum, who suffered an ankle injury last weekend against the Galaxy. In their stead, the oft-injured Chris Pontius and young winger Nick DeLeon seem to have regained the form that carried D.C. to the top of the league back in 2012.
In the back, shot-stopper Bill Hamid was perhaps the best keeper in MLS last year, and he’ll be looking to make an impression on Jurgen Klinsmann prior to the next round of USMNT friendlies. In the midfield, Perry Kitchen, a player very similar to Orlando’s Amobi Okugo, will have the primary responsibility for marking Kaká.
The Lions, for their part, should have most of their lineup back from international duty, though it’s unclear who will be match-ready after the midweek friendlies. Brek Shea scored a beauty of a goal from a free kick for the U.S. on Tuesday, and backup striker Cyle Larin netted for Canada on Monday as well.
I would expect Luke Boden to start in place of Shea, who will have flown back from Europe after his Tuesday friendly. I do think that Kevin Molino to be back in the starting lineup though, and Larin should also be available off the bench.
Formation and Starting XI:
Orlando City SC: The Lions may well go back to the 5-2-2-1 formation which showed some promise against Montreal, but the return of Molino may mean they’ll be back in Heath’s preferred 4-2-3-1. While striker has been a carousel so far for Orlando, it’s hard to believe that Pedro Ribeiro would be out of the starting lineup after his man of the match performance against Montreal, so we’re penciling him in.
Orlando will look to return to the Molino/Kaká interplay that created most of their chances through the first three weeks. This should be particularly effective with the Birnbaum injury, as communication will be a concern for United's backline. If Ribeiro is able to get involved as well, it could spell trouble for D.C.
Chris Pontius is a player who can hurt you in a lot of ways and isn’t afraid to shoot from distance, but Aurelien Collin’s aggressive attitude should come in handy here. DeLeon is a true winger in D.C’s 4-4-2, and will certainly test Luke Boden’s defensive merit. Look for a potential return by Rafael Ramos who reportedly returned early from the Portugal U-20 team, but if he’s deemed to not be ready, Seb Hines will likely play right back.
D.C. United: The Black and Red are missing Espindola up front, but the attacking prowess of a healthy Chris Pontius shouldn't be ignored. They've tended to move the ball forward up the wing this season, and particularly through Nick DeLeon on the right.
D.C.’s biggest issue so far has been a lack of play-making in the center of the pitch. Kitchen is a defensive-minded midfielder, and Davy Arnaud simply hasn’t shown the creativity to drive their offense. If Orlando can keep things under control on the wings, they can exploit United’s weakness in the middle and force them to rely on long balls out of the back.
What to Watch:
Kaká/Molino/Ribeiro Connection: We saw some incredible passing between Molino and Kaká in the first three weeks, though they had some trouble actually finding the back of the net. In week four, Kaká and Ribeiro combined for two magnificent goals. Can Orlando get all three working together at the same time? While Kofi Opare is a capable replacement, Birnbaum's absence certainly won't hurt Orlando's chances of success attacking up the middle of the pitch.
"X" Factor:
Orlando Bench: Will Brek Shea be or Darwin Ceren be available off the bench coming off their international duty? Perhaps we see Shea as a super-sub on the wing? Head Coach Adrian Heath has been incredibly stingy with his substitutes so far, but perhaps this is the match where he finally uses all three.
Prediction:
D.C. should be a playoff team this year, and they’re coming off a big home win against the LA Galaxy. However, they haven’t traveled particularly well over the last few years, and the Birnbaum injury is a major blow.
Orlando seemed to have found their scoring touch against Montreal, and the return of Kevin Molino to the lineup should only boost that. I think Orlando puts together a solid 90-minute performance at home and gets the W on Friday.
Final Result: 2-1 Orlando City
What are your thoughts headed into Orlando's fifth match? Let us know in the comment section. Be sure to join in on our Match Day Open Thread 90 minutes (or so) prior to kickoff!
The match is scheduled for Friday, April 3, at 7:00 p.m. It will be televised nationally on UniMas, with English commentary available via the SAP feature.
Podcasts
SkoPurp Soccer Episode 144: Gotham Rewind, Seattle Preview, and More
The Pride finished their home schedule with a loss to Gotham and hope to finish their road schedule with a win in Seattle.
The Orlando Pride tried to send their fans home happy in their regular-season home finale, but despite an impressive overall performance against the league leaders, the Pride wasted numerous chances in front of goal and paid for two big mistakes at the back in what ultimately ended as a 2-1 loss in a season filled with far too many defeats. Solai Washington did so many things well, but despite a month’s worth of chances, she could only muster one goal. Still, it was a promising outing albeit in a developing story that won’t continue much longer this year.
We discuss the key plays, players, and moments, look back at our score predictions from last week, and select our Player of the Match.
This week’s mailbagbox asked us about Marta, the reasons for the Pride’s struggles in 2026, and more. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. You can use that same hashtag and hit @TheManeLand.bsky.social up on Bluesky. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We’d also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we’ll find them easily and read them on the show.
Finally, we look ahead to Sunday’s season finale at the Seattle Reign. The Pride opened their 2026 season with a home loss to the Reign but would like to close it with a road win over Seattle to enter the off-season on a positive note. It won’t be easy, as the Reign are clinging to the last playoff spot and trying to catch rival Portland as multiple teams are trying to catch them. We look at Orlando’s attempt to play spoiler, check back on the series history, compare the teams’ positions in the table, provide our key matchups, and more.
Here’s how Episode 144 went down:
0:15 – The Pride finished their home schedule with a good performance but another poor result against the league’s top team.
20:07 – Our mailbagbox has questions about the GOAT.
38:26 – Seattle was the first 2026 opponent and will be the last 2026 opponent. We preview for the last time this season.
Podcasts
SkoPurp Soccer Episode 140: Bay FC Rewind, San Diego Preview, and More
The Pride keep their playoff hopes alive by eliminating Bay FC but things get tougher with San Diego visiting Friday.
The Orlando Pride remained perfect on the road against Bay FC with a 3-1 win on Sunday. Deuces were wild, as Haley McCutcheon, who wears jersey No. 2, scored in the second minute of both halves, and her two goals in California gave the midfielder her second brace of both the 2026 NWSL season and her career. Barbra Banda figured heavily in pulling defenders out of position on two of the three Orlando goals and assisted on Jacquie Ovalle’s right-footed thunderbolt in stoppage time to put the game away. But make no mistake, it’s not as if the Pride played well, turning the ball over often and conceding 28 shot attempts to the hosts.
We break down a road win that may have been more exhausting to watch than to play in (although I wouldn’t bet on it), check back on our score predictions, and make our selections for Player of the Match.
This week’s mailbagbox asked us about Haley McCutcheon, where to most strongly place the blame for the Pride’s disappointing season, and more. Remember, you can ask us anything by hitting us up on Twitter at either @TheManeLand or @SkoPurpSoccer and using the hashtag #AskSkoPurp. You can use that same hashtag and hit @TheManeLand.bsky.social up on Bluesky. Or you can visit our show page, scroll down, and fill out the handy form. We’d also appreciate any ratings or reviews you can leave wherever you get your podcasts, and if you do that on Apple Podcasts, we’ll find them easily and read them on the show.
Finally, we looked ahead to Friday, when Orlando will host San Diego Wave FC, looking to both complete a season sweep and to keep its faint playoff hopes alive. We look at the series history, provide our key matchups for the contest, and make our predictions for the final score.
Here’s how Episode 140 went down:
0:15 – The Pride improved to 2-1-1 under Yolanda Thomas, but a lot of good Cosette Morche saves were required to get that second win.
20:00- The mailbagbox asks us to play the blame game.
33:36 – The Pride continue to face California-based competition, but Friday’s opponent is much higher in the table than Sunday’s was.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. San Jose Earthquakes: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
Orlando City restarts its 2026 MLS campaign late tonight out west at San Jose.
Welcome to your match thread for a late night midweek matchup tonight between Orlando City (4-9-2, 14 points) and the San Jose Earthquakes (10-3-2, 32 points) at PayPal Park (10:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the only scheduled meeting between the teams in 2026 and the first time the teams have met since 2024.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of tonight’s match.
History
Orlando City is 3-1-3 in the previous seven MLS meetings with the Quakes since the club joined Major League Soccer in 2015. The Lions got their only away win in the series in the last meeting and enter tonight 1-1-2 on the road against San Jose.
The teams last met on May 18, 2024, with Jack Lynn coming off the bench to score the game’s only goal. Lynn’s strike in the 89th minute broke the scoreless deadlock and lifted the Lions to a 1-0 victory.
The teams met in Orlando most recently way back on June 22, 2021, with the Lions beating the Quakes down, 5-0. Orlando got things started with an early penalty kick goal by Nani, followed by braces from Benji Michel and Daryl Dike to easily put the game away. The lasting memory from the game is Michel’s celebratory dance wearing a cowboy hat that came out of the stands.
Prior to that Orlando City romp, the last time the teams met was on Aug. 31, 2019 when the Lions got freight trained 3-0 at Avaya Stadium, giving the Quakes their first win in the series. San Jose’s offense came via a Chris Wondolowski brace and an early opening goal by Magnus Eriksson. Orlando looked flat and weary out of the gate.
The Lions were victorious in Exploria Stadium in the 2018 meeting on April 21, a 3-2 Orlando win. It was the first win in the series for either side after three straight draws. Chris Mueller, Sacha Kljestan, and Dom Dwyer gave the Lions a 3-0 lead before Florian Jungwirth pulled two back in the game’s late stages.
The Lions led all of the first three matches in the second half only to see San Jose pull level, with two of those tying goals coming late. In the 2017 meeting, Carlos Rivas finally broke the scoreless tie and gave Orlando City the lead in the 81st minute, but Wondolowski spoiled the Lions’ night with an equalizer two minutes later as the teams drew at Avaya Stadium, 1-1.
In 2016, the Lions were gut-punched in the 94th minute in an emotional match that ended in a 2-2 draw. It was the first home match following the Pulse nightclub tragedy and what appeared to be a storybook ending to a cathartic win turned sour on a last-gasp equalizer by Shea Salinas. Seb Hines — now the Orlando Pride’s head coach — opened the scoring for Orlando, only to see Chad Barrett tie it up. Julio Baptista restored the lead in stoppage time, but Salinas ruined everything.
The two teams also drew in the first meeting, a 1-1 affair at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, with the Lions down to 10 men after Brek Shea was sent off in the first half. Kaká and Wondolowski each scored from the penalty spot four minutes apart in that initial meeting.
Overview
The teams meet tonight to get their post-World Cup portion of the season started. Orlando City has been terrible on the road all season long, keeping only one MLS opponent under two goals all year away from home and allowing five goals twice (at New York City FC and Nashville) and six goals twice (at LAFC and in the team’s most recent match away at FC Cincinnati just before the break).
Orlando City is a putrid 1-6-1 on the road this season, and now the Lions must face the Western Conference co-leaders tonight before coming home to face Supporters’ Shield-leading Nashville SC at home on Saturday. They’ll have to play at least tonight’s game without Martin Ojeda, who is out with a thigh injury sustained some time between his first-half goal a week ago in a friendly against FC Dallas and the time the availability report dropped on Tuesday.
But it isn’t all bad news for the Lions, who should have both Antoine Griezmann and Dike in the lineup. Griezmann was the club’s highly prized and widely publicized summer Designated Player signing, while Dike’s return to Orlando came together more recently, following his departure from West Bromwich Albion. They’ll help the club’s offense, but the attack hasn’t been the issue in 2026 — it’s been the historically porous defense, which is on pace to shatter the MLS record for goals conceded.
Meanwhile, San Jose is one of the first half of the season’s biggest surprises, as the Quakes have been outstanding in 2026. Scoring 34 goals while conceding just 15, San Jose is among the league leaders in goals scored (tied for third), goals conceded (third), and goal differential (+19, third).
The Earthquakes are 4-2-1 at home and are coming off a 3-1 road win at Portland in their last game prior to the World Cup break. San Jose boasts Golden Boot challenger Preston Judd, who leads the Quakes with 11 goals, adding two assists in his 15 appearances. Ousseni Bouda has chipped in five goals and three assists. Niko Tsakiris leads the team with seven assists to go along with his two goals, but he’s still recovering from a lower body injury and is not available tonight. However, the arrival of Timo Werner (four goals and five assists in just seven games) has truly elevated Bruce Arena’s Quakes, and he’ll need to be one of the main focal points for the Orlando defense.
To have any shot at taking something from this game, the Lions will need to play better road defense than they have all season. Orlando can score goals, but with Ojeda out, Griezmann will need to adapt quickly, and someone other than the team’s leading scorer will need to find the net.
The Lions will play without Ojeda (thigh), Joran Gerbet (knee), Nolan Miller (knee), Colin Guske (international duty), and Clovis Archage (international duty). In addition, Marco Pasalic may or may not have returned to the team after the World Cup. He was not in training Monday, although interim head coach Martin Perelman said he expected the Croatian back soon. The Earthquakes will be without Nonso Adimabua (lower body), former Lion Earl Edwards Jr. (lower body), DeJuan Jones (lower body), and Tsakiris (you guessed it, lower body…come on, San Jose).
Match Content
- Our most recent PawedCast includes our key matchups and score predictions for tonight’s match.
Official Lineups:
Orlando City (4-4-2)
Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.
Defenders: Adrian Marin, David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Griffin Dorsey.
Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Braian Ojeda, Eduard Atuesta, Tiago.
Forwards: Justin Ellis, Antoine Griezmann.
Bench: Javier Otero, Bernardo Rhein, Tahir Reid-Brown, Zakaria Taifi, Iago, Wilder Cartagena, Luis Otavio, Harvey Sarajian, Tyrese Spicer
San Jose Earthquakes (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Angus Gunn.
Defenders: Jamar Ricketts, Reid Roberts, Daniel Munie, Benjamin Kikanovic.
Defensive Midfielders: Beau Lerouox, Ronaldo Vieira.
Attacking Midfielders: Timo Werner, Nick Fernandez, Ousseni Bouda.
Forwards: Preston Judd.
Bench: Jonathan Gonzalez, Dave Romney, Paul Marie, Jack Skahan, Jack Jasinski, Ian Harkes, Francesco Montali, Max Floriani, Darius Johnson.
Referees
REF: Elijio Arreguin.
AR1: Adam Wienckowski.
AR2: Mike Nickerson.
4TH: Timothy Ford.
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero.
AVAR: TJ Zablocki.
How to Watch
Match Time: 10:30 p.m.
Venue: PayPal Park — San Jose, CA.
TV/Live Stream: Apple TV.
Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).
Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.
Enjoy the match. Go City!
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