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Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Final Score 0-0 as Nine-Man Lions Hold for a Draw

Ted Unkel sent off Rafael Ramos early and Antonio Nocerino later, but Orlando City still managed to earn a point.

Published

8 years ago

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Nick Leyva, The Mane Land

Orlando City (7-5-3, 24 points) earned its second straight clean sheet, but it’s safe to say the Lions will probably never earn a more satisfying single point in a match. Referee Ted Unkel put his fingerprints all over this match, sending two Lions off early but Orlando City’s players rallied around one another for a hard-fought 0-0 draw in front of 24,469 at Orlando City Stadium.

Rafael Ramos and Antonio Nocerino both hit the showers while the game was still going on but the Lions still held off league-leading goal scorer Nemanja Nikolic and the high-flying Chicago Fire (7-3-4, 25 points), who entered the game on a four-game winning streak.

“I don’t want to talk about the [referee’s] decisions,” Head Coach Jason Kreis said after the match. “I don’t think it’s fair to the players to bring up a negative point of view. For me, the point of view should only be positive because the work that those guys put in tonight, the togetherness that those guys showed tonight, the commitment level that those guys showed tonight — what they were willing to do for each other, for themselves, and for the fans — was second to none. I just want to say, ‘hats off to our boys.’”

After the game, the referee’s liaison said Unkel refused to respond to questions asked by the pool reporter, who submitted three questions after conferring with the game’s assembled media during the match. This level of petulance isn’t surprising considering the track record of this particular game official.

The game was only 26 minutes old when Ramos was sent off without either side having yet really settled into the match.

Ramos, tracking a ball hit high into the air, stuck out a foot to clear it but did it just as Brandon Vincent arrived. Ramos was tracking the ball’s flight path and it was unlikely he even knew Vincent was bearing down on him, but Unkel judged his play to be “violent conduct” and sent Ramos to the showers early in his first MLS match this season.

“I feel for the referees because they’re asked to interpret things on a second’s notice and they’re asked to interpret so many things,” Johnson said. “I’m sure you could poll a bunch of people and some say it’s a red, some not. I thought we dealt with them well and I think that’s the story we’re taking from it.

“He feels hard done by,” Johnson said of Ramos. “You feel for the kid. He works for three months getting himself fit and healthy and then a call like that comes your way and it’s tough to swallow.”

Johnson took over at right back for the remainder of the first half as Kreis kept his attacking players on the field to try to hit Chicago on the counter. After halftime, Giles Barnes was withdrawn and Scott Sutter took over at right back.

“Asking him to switch positions — which, he hasn’t played right back for a very long time now — he just went in there and did anything and everything that it took tonight to lead this team to a result. He wasn’t the only one. I think everybody that played in this match tonight showed what they’re willing to give to this team, to this community, and to this club.”

Kreis started a young back line, with Ramos giving Sutter a breather — for 45 minutes, anyway — and Leo Pereira and PC spelling Jose Aja and Donny Toia, respectively. The midfield featured Cristian Higuita, Nocerino, Johnson, and Barnes, with Carlos Rivas and Cyle Larin up top in a 4-4-2 that later became a 4-4-1 and then a 4-4-0 as game conditions changed.

Not much happened prior to Ramos’ red card. Johnson had a shot at the top of the box blocked and Rivas sent a free kick over the Heineken sign and into the upper deck from 30 yards out. David Accam, who has torched Orlando in the past, saw Bendik block his shot in the 14th minute. Bastian Schweinsteiger hit a shot over the bar at the 20-minute mark. Rivas hit a rocket in the 24th that forced Matt Lampson to parry it away but then the Colombian fired well wide off a layoff from Nocerino on a short corner that could have worked if he hit it on frame.

Two minutes later, the game was ruined and Orlando City was forced into settling for sporadic counter attacks as the sole source of offense.

Schweinsteiger took the free kick just above the box after Ramos departed but hit his shot over the net. Larin had Orlando’s best scoring opportunity in the 33rd minute, catching Lampson off his line, but the Canadian hit his shot straight at the Chicago keeper rather than chipping him.

A minute after that chance, Johnson made a sliding block to knock a cross out for a corner with a Fire player lurking at the back post for a tap-in. The last dangerous chances of the first half came Chicago’s way. The first happened in the 42nd minute, when Vincent hit a shot that took a deflection and just missed the back post. In stoppage time, Nikolic failed to beat Bendik with a pair of chances.

After the break, Orlando looked to play more defensively, and Chicago became far too deliberate in trying to patiently break down the Lions. The Fire possessed the ball for 70% of the second period but had trouble fashioning good scoring chances. Orlando players dove and slid in front of passes and shots, giving their bodies to the cause in front of Bendik’s goal.

“It helped us in a way, because they have some speed and their guys didn’t adjust well to not having much time and space,” Johnson said of parking the bus.

Meanwhile, on the other end, Orlando City created no shots in the second half.

Michael de Leeuw got a head to a cross in the 56th minute but Bendik was there to collect.

Three minutes later, Kreis sacrificed Rivas for Kaká, making his return from a calf injury. Unfortunately, the captain wasn’t able to have any effect on the offense as the Lions parked the bus in front of Bendik’s net.

In the 67th minute, disaster struck again. An onrushing Nocerino, who hadn’t even committed a foul in the match, stuck out a boot to meet an oncoming airborne ball. Matt Polster moved into his path at the last second and the Italian’s studs found Polster’s rear end instead of the ball. Unkel went straight to the red card again and the Lions were down to eight field players with still 23 minutes plus stoppage to go.

“When you go down to nine, you’re certainly just playing for the draw,” Kreis said. “But when we were down to 10, as you saw, we didn’t bring in Sutter right away. We wanted to shift Will over to the right back. We wanted to keep attacking-minded players out there to see if we could hit them on the break. We weren’t throwing in the towel by any means. At halftime, I’m talking to the coaching staff about how we were going to win the game, not about how we were going to draw the game. So, all of our decisions were bending that way until we get the second ejection and then it’s just like ‘how are we going to hold on?’”

But Chicago continued to be complacent in the attack, although Veljko Paunović tried to instill life in his club by bringing on Arturo Alvarez, Djordje Mihailovic, and David Arshakyan. But most of Chicago’s efforts continued to be from distance above the box or through hopeful crosses into the box that were met time and time again by Spector and Pereira or caught by Bendik. In a last-ditch desperate effort, the Fire sent everyone into the attack and ended up finding the crossbar twice in stoppage time — first Polster, then Arshakyan.

“We needed a little bit of luck there,” Bendik said after the game.

Finally, the whistle mercifully blew and a shattered Orlando City team had earned the hardest point of the season.

“To be down a man for — what were we down a man, at least 60 minutes? — and then two men for as long as we were tonight…it was incredible. Nothing short of fantastic,” Kreis said. “Chicago for me is a very, very, very good team right now, so to be able to get a shutout with 11 players says something, but with nine, says a completely other thing.”

“When you feel like everything’s against you, it kind of rallies you in a way and unites you,” Johnson said. “Our group understood. We have worked in training with numbers down. We were well prepared. We feel united and the support of the fans was also special.”

Orlando City now has kept two straight clean sheets to rebound from a six-game winless streak.

“We’re getting back to who we were,” said Johnson. “We lost our identity, if you will, for a little bit there. We started trying to get a little clever. Now we’re back to who we are and so the shutouts feel good. On a night like tonight, I think the best case scenario was 0-0. You’re never happy not to win at home, but on a night when you have nine guys against 11 at this level, it’s pretty difficult to do any better than a point.”

Orlando City gets a bit of a breather with the international break. The Lions’ next game will be Wednesday, June 14 against Miami FC in U.S. Open Cup fourth round action. The next MLS match for City will be Saturday, June 17 when the Montreal Impact visit Orlando City Stadium.

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Lion Links: 5/22/25

Orlando City ousted from U.S. Open Cup, OCB’s Justin Ellis named Player of the Matchweek, Tottenham wins Europa League, and more.

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2 hours ago

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May 22, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Well, that could have gone better. It’s understandable to feel a bit deflated after Wednesday night’s game, especially after so many positive Orlando City results as of late. The good news though is that we’re another day closer to a holiday weekend that should include some good times or at least rest and relaxation. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando City Eliminated from U.S. Open Cup

The Lions lost 3-2 at home to Nashville SC in the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 16, ending the team’s run in the tournament. Orlando struck first in a rollercoaster of a match, and Ramiro Enrique pulled the Lions level after they fell behind, but rookie Wyatt Meyer scored the winner for the visitors. The loss snapped Orlando’s 12-game unbeaten streak across all competitions and Orlando looked like a team that played five other matches already this month. Orlando will need to shake off this loss as it prepares to host the Portland Timbers on Saturday.

Justin Ellis Named MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek

Orlando City B midfielder Justin Ellis was selected as MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek for his role in the team’s 3-0 win over Inter Miami II. Ellis, who turned 18 years old last week, assisted on both of OCB’s first two goals before scoring from the penalty spot himself. It’s been quite the year so far for Ellis, as he also scored six goals in the Generation Adidas Cup to help Orlando win the U-18 title in April. The Young Lions are back in action Friday with a road match against rival Atlanta United 2.

U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 Results

Comebacks were a theme throughout the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 16. Minnesota United took the lead, gave it up, and ultimately advanced thanks to defender Anthony Markanich scoring two late goals to beat St. Louis City 3-2 at Allianz Arena. Markanich was traded from St. Louis to Minnesota last year, adding a little salt in the wound for the visitors. D.C. United and Charlotte FC battled in a back-and-forth match that ended up with D.C. winning the penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw. The match between the New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas also went the distance, with the Red Bulls winning the shootout. The Philadelphia Union won 4-1 against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds to eliminate the last team from outside MLS. The draw for the quarterfinals will take place this morning.

Tottenham Hotspur Wins Europa League Final

Tottenham prevailed in this year’s Europa league final, winning 1-0 against Manchester United in Spain. Brennan Johnson’s goal was enough for Tottenham to end its 17-year wait for a major trophy. It was a bit of an underwhelming finish to what was a fairly exciting knockout stage, and this was United’s only loss in this year’s tournament. Tottenham has now qualified for next season’s Champions League despite currently being 17th in the English Premier League standings.

Free Kicks

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Orlando City vs. Nashville SC, U.S. Open Cup: Final Score 3-2 as Lions Crash Out of the Cup

The Lions are out of the 2025 U.S. Open Cup after just two matches, looking leggy and tired against a fresher Nashville side.

Published

10 hours ago

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May 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City took an early lead, gave up a couple of poor first-half goals, and then conceded a late game winner in a 3-2 loss to Nashville SC in U.S. Open Cup play at Inter&Co Stadium. Head Coach Oscar Pareja fielded a strong lineup while the visitors rotated heavily, and the fresher legs won despite the travel.

Marco Pasalic provided an early lead before an own goal on Rodrigo Schlegel and an Ahmed Qasem goal put Nashville ahead at the break. Ramiro Enrique equalized in the second half, but a blast from fullback Wyatt Meyer ultimately knocked Orlando out of the competition. Nashville did it without star forwards Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge or starting goalkeeper Joe Willis.

“I think it was a good match for two teams who have an offensive proposal or initiative,” Pareja said after the match. “I think early in the game we found a team that wanted to use the spaces offensively, and we didn’t find a team who wants to drop, and I have to say they did a good job on that part. So, we ended up playing the first half lower than we wanted, and despite our goal, our offensive was not as frequent as we wanted.”

Pareja fielded nearly a complete first-choice lineup for this Round of 16 matchup, with Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Schlegel, and Alex Freeman. Cesar Araujo and Joran Gerbet started in central midfield with attacking midfielders Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Martin Ojeda, and Pasalic, with Enrique up top.

At the start of the game, it was easy to tell which was the fresher team. Nashville rotated its lineup heavily and had more jump in the opening minutes. Orlando nevertheless was able to create some transition opportunities and earned a couple of early corners, but the Lions could not do anything with them. The closest opportunity was a header well over the bar from Schlegel on the second such opportunity.

Nashville had a warning shot in the 16th minute as a corner kick cross was deflected out in front of Gallese’s goal and floated off the right post.

Orlando opened the scoring a minute later. Pasalic cut in from the right side and smashed a shot from 30 yards out that gave Brian Schwake no chance to stop it, putting the Lions up 1-0 in the 17th minute. It was the Croatian’s first U.S. Open Cup goal in his first appearance in the competition.

“Sometimes it’s better to shoot faster, because maybe the goalkeeper is not prepared,” Pasalic said of his long-range bomb. “So, today was was my chance.”

The celebration was short-lived, as Nashville tied the game just six minutes later. Ahmed Qasem got down the left past Brekalo and Jansson and centered a ball for Bunbury, who was tangling in front with Schlegel. The ball, which may have gone over the end line before the cross (there is no video review in the U.S. Open Cup), deflected just over the line off Schlegel for an own goal, tying the game in the 23rd minute.

“We started good in the game, played really good. The tactic was also really good, and then came the first goal,” Pasalic said. “Then we conceded the goal of Nashville really fast, and this was a big problem.”

Freeman had a chance to mimic Pasalic’s goal in the 30th minute, only from a bit closer to goal at the top of the box. The right back didn’t get his hips turned enough on the shot and sent it wide to the left of goal.

The visitors took the lead on an embarrassing goal in the 40th minute. Qasem wasn’t in a particularly threatening position 25 yards out from goal off to the left, but when Araujo ignored him and left him in space, he sent a shot from distance that didn’t have a ton of pace on it, and Schlegel opted not to try to block it. The shot somehow just found its way through the box diagonally and inside the right post to make it 2-1.

Schlegel had a late opportunity to make up for some defensive lapses late in the half when Orlando won a corner. The defender did well to get across his mark, but he headed his shot wide in the 45the minute.

Enrique sent another header wide off a corner in stoppage time and the Lions went to the break trailing on two of the more preventable goals they’ve conceded all season.

Nashville held the halftime edge in possession (57.5%-42.5%), and passing accuracy (88%-85%), while Orlando led in shots (8-4) and corners (6-2). Each team put one shot on frame.

Orlando tried to tie the match right out of the break, sending Freeman a ball over the top. The fullback tracked it down and fired, but his shot was wide of the right post in the 46th minute. The Lions scored on their next shot. Freeman opened the play up in the middle of the pitch and made a nice pass to Pasalic, who slipped in a perfect ball for Enrique to run onto. Enrique finished his shot through Schwake in the 58th minute to tie the game at 2-2.

Orlando had a chance to take the lead just two minutes later when Brekalo made a fantastic pass to send Pasalic down the right. The Croatian tried to cut a pass back into the middle, where Thorhallsson and Enrique were making runs, but the attempt was just behind both, and Nashville cleared the danger.

Pasalic went for his brace in the 63rd minute, firing a shot inside the box that fizzed over the crossbar.

Ten minutes later, the Lions — vehemently — felt they should have had a penalty. What appeared to be a clear handball in the box was let go by referee Joshua Encarnacion. Orlando City players protested to no avail, and it was a play that weighed heavily on Pareja’s mind after the match, as the play could have been a huge difference maker in a tie game.

“I hate to say this, but the (lack of a) PK was incredible,” Pareja said. “We reviewed it, and it’s impossible that a referee cannot see that handball. This is a tournament where we’re investing. This is a tournament that we’re (taking) serious. It’s a tournament that our club wanted to be well represented. It’s incredible for me that a referee of this category cannot see that PK. It is impossible because I know that he saw it. Obviously we take our part, but the (no call on) the PK was incredible — not conceding something that is so clear.”

Five minutes after the no-call in Orlando’s attacking end, there was a no-call in the Lions’ defensive end, as Freeman appeared to be fouled just outside his defensive penalty area. Encarnacion allowed play to go on as Nashville recovered the loose ball in the left corner and sent it across the face of goal. Qasem picked it up in the right corner, muscled his way free of second-half sub Ivan Angulo, and passed to Patrick Yazbek just inside the top of the box. Yazbek had traffic in front of him, so he sent a backheel drop pass to Meyer, who fired a laser just inside the right post for what turned out to be the game winner.

“I think we had the game under control,” Pasalic said. “One moment we are not paying attention. (Nashville gets) the goal and the luck. We missed the luck at the end. And I think it hurts a lot.”

“Today, the game showed us that we have to be on our toes all the time,” Pareja said. “When you see that something is fixed, and something is good, and the game comes and exposes you in this manner. It just tells us that we have to keep going.”

Substitute Luis Muriel blasted a shot just wide of the left post in the 84th minute as Nashville dropped its block low to protect the lead. The effort was a good one, but Schwake had it covered if it had been on frame.

Pareja sent Duncan McGuire and Rafael Santos on to add more attacking players. Moments later, Angulo sent a cross into the box for a visibly tiring Freeman. The cross was a little behind the fullback, who still managed to get his head to it but couldn’t generate enough power on the shot to beat Schwake in the 86th minute. Two minutes later, Pasalic put the ball on his left foot again and blasted another shot over the bar.

Orlando City had seven minutes of stoppage time to score a goal to stay in the tournament, but the Lions couldn’t even generate a scoring chance.

The Lions ended up with the advantage in possession (51.5%-48.5%), shots (15-7), corners (8-4), and passing accuracy (86.5%-85%). Both teams put three shots on target, and the lack of precision was one of the reasons Orlando City is out of the tournament.

Despite having traveled, Nashville looked fresher, especially down the stretch. Araujo and Ojeda looked tired before the first half ended, and Freeman looked shattered down the stretch. But Pareja and Pasalic did not use tired legs as an excuse. Pareja said he wanted to keep the defensive solidity of the most recent games while rotating a bit in the attack. He also said that some injuries prevented him from rotating more, as Eduard Atuesta was still unavailable despite being back in training.

“I think along the game we played well,” Pareja said. “We should have more energy at the beginning of the second half. I thought the boys started with that energy, but we didn’t keep it.”

It’ll be another short turnaround for Orlando City, as the team’s regular season resumes Saturday at home against the Portland Timbers.

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Orlando City vs. Nashville SC, U.S. Open Cup: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions host Nashville in the Round of 16 as a busy May schedule continues.

Published

22 hours ago

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May 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread for a Wednesday night U.S. Open Cup matchup between Orlando City and Nashville SC at Inter&Co Stadium (7:30 p.m., Paramount+) in the Round of 16. It’s the second match for both clubs in the competition.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

The Lions are 4-2-4 against Nashville in MLS regular-season matches and 6-3-5 in all competitions. Orlando is 2-2-1 at home in the series in league play and 3-2-2 at home in all competitions. That includes a draw in the only previous U.S. Open Cup matchup between the sides in 2022. The Lions won the postgame penalty shootout to advance, ultimately winning the tournament that year.

The two teams last met on Aug. 31 of last season, with the Lions blasting Nashville 3-0. Facundo Torres’ brace and an opening goal by Ivan Angulo led Orlando City to the season sweep.

Orlando City visited Nashville SC at Geodis Park on July 17, with the Lions cruising to a 3-0 road win. Goals by Cesar Araujo and Ramiro Enrique sandwiched an Alex Muyl own goal as Orlando City got its fourth consecutive shutout victory over Nashville.

The teams met at the end of the previous season on Nov. 7, 2023 in the best-of-three, first-round playoff series. The Lions got an early goal from Angulo in a 1-0 win to sweep the series. Orlando City drew first blood in the series by beating Nashville 1-0 on Oct. 30, 2023 at Exploria Stadium. Wilder Cartagena’s blast from outside the area hit the underside of the crossbar near the right corner and bounced in for the game’s only score.

The teams met in the regular season on Oct. 4, 2023 with Orlando City stealing a 1-0 win in Music City on Duncan McGuire’s goal just before halftime. That was one of only two shot attempts by the Lions all night and the only one on target. Orlando played well defensively and Pedro Gallese didn’t have to make a save as the hosts didn’t put any shots on frame.

Nashville visited Orlando back on April 1 of 2023 at Exploria Stadium and it was the visitors who made fools of the Lions, as Nashville won, 2-0. Fafa Picault and Hany Mukhtar did the damage for Nashville.

The teams did not face each other in regular-season play the year before, meeting only in the U.S. Open Cup in Orlando on June 29, 2022. Mukhtar scored in the second half, and that looked like it would be enough until Rodrigo Schlegel equalized deep in stoppage time. After a scoreless 30 minutes of extra time, the Lions won the ensuing penalty shootout, 6-4.

These sides met in the 2021 postseason in Tennessee, with Orlando scoring first through Daryl Dike’s early goal, but Nashville won 3-1 on Nov. 23, 2021 to knock the Lions out of the playoffs. Mukhtar tied it up before halftime on a fluky deflected goal off of Antonio Carlos and then put his team up in the 74th minute on a counterattack. Jhonder Cadiz put things away deep in stoppage time.

The teams met in Orlando on Oct. 31, 2021 and ended in a 1-1 draw after referee Allen Chapman’s Halloween Heist chalked off Andres Perea’s apparent stoppage-time winner. The referee’s excuse for overturning the goal was an imagined foul on Dike, who, if anything, was the fouled party. The decision cost the Lions a valuable home playoff match, which instead sent Orlando to Nashville. Mukhtar scored for Nashville to equalize in the second half after Dike’s first-half goal.

The teams met in Nashville on Sept. 29, 2021 with a late rally by the Lions earning the team a 2-2 road draw at Nissan Stadium. The hosts had taken a 2-0 lead on goals by Mukhtar — scoring off the rebound of his own saved penalty — and Randall Leal, but a penalty by Dike and a stoppage-time own goal by Brian Anunga turned the game around. On Aug. 18 of that season, the teams finished in another 1-1 draw. C.J. Sapong put the hosts ahead in the first half and Carlos leveled the score in the second half. The Lions, who played poorly in the opening 45, were the better team throughout the second half and Tesho Akindele’s shot off the crossbar was inches from providing a winner for Orlando.

The teams met on Decision Day of 2020 at Exploria Stadium, with Orlando melting down late, allowing two goals from the 88th minute on, and falling 3-2 at home on Nov. 8, 2020 — the team’s only home loss on the season. Dike and Nani goals sandwiched a strike by Daniel Lovitz, giving the Lions a lead until late. Headers by Mukhtar (in the 88th minute) and Cadiz (in the 93rd minute) turned the game on its head.

In the Lions’ first trip to Nissan Stadium, the teams played to a 1-1 draw on Sept. 2, 2020. Benji Michel put the Lions ahead with a stunner of a goal, but Leal knotted things up and that’s the way the match ended.

That 1-1 draw came a week after a 3-1 Orlando City win on Aug. 26 at Exploria Stadium. Dave Romney had opened the scoring for Nashville with a header off a free kick but Orlando scored the last three. Dike took a star turn for Orlando City, scoring a brace, and Chris Mueller also scored for the Lions.

Overview

The Lions are coming off a 3-0 road win over Inter Miami on Sunday. Luis Muriel, Marco Pasalic, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson scored the goals and Pedro Gallese made four saves in the victory over Lionel Messi and company. Orlando is riding a streak of 12 straight matches in all competitions without a loss (6-0-6), which includes the Lions’ 5-0 road win against the Tampa Bay Rowdies to kick off their 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign.

Tonight’s visitors are level on points with Orlando City in the Eastern Conference standings, but Nashville has more wins, so it currently occupies fourth place. Nashville had an extra day of rest after playing D.C. United to a scoreless draw at home on Saturday. The Tennessee-based club is also on a hot streak at the moment, entering tonight on a six-game unbeaten run ( 4-0-2). That includes the team’s 1-0 home win over Chattanooga Red Wolves SC in the U.S. Open Cup two weeks ago.

B.J. Callaghan is in his second season as Nashville’s head coach, and the former USMNT interim head coach has his team headed the right direction. He’s got Mukhtar producing again and Sam Surridge has also been productive for Nashville. But the team is also playing well defensively, having not conceded more than one goal in any of the last five games.

Expect a tightly contested game, as is common when these teams meet. The Lions must play defense at the level they have the past two games, while taking their chances against a stingy defense and standout goalkeeper in Joe Willis (although rotation isn’t out of the question).

“There are still things we need to do to get better. We’re not going to think that everything is rosy,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said ahead of the game. “We know who we are, and we know where we’re going. This team is consciously understanding what we need to improve as well, so that makes me feel very optimistic. Now we have to be preparing for the next game that is around the corner [tonight] against Nashville SC and then Portland Timbers over the weekend.”

The Lions will be without Eduard Atuesta (neck), Nico Rodriguez (thigh), Wilder Cartagena (Achilles), and Yutaro Tsukada (knee), while Gustavo Caraballo (lower leg) is questionable.

Match Content

Official Lineups:

Orlando City (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.

Defenders: David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Alex Freeman.

Defensive Midfielders: Cesar Araujo, Joran Gerbet.

Attacking Midfielders: Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Martin Ojeda, Marco Pasalic.

Forward: Ramiro Enrique.

Bench: Javier Otero, Kyle Smith, Rafael Santos, Colin Guske, Ivan Angulo, Luis Muriel, Duncan McGuire.

Nashville SC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Brian Schwake.

Defenders: Wyatt Meyer, Chris Applewhite, Jeisson Palacios, Andy Najar.

Midfielders: Patrick Yazbek, Bryan Acosta, Matthew Corcoran.

Forwards: Ahmed Qasem, Teal Bunbury, Jonathan Perez.

Bench: Xavier Valdez, Jack Maher, Josh Bauer, Ethan O’Brien, Alex Muyl, Jacob Schaffelberg, Christian Koffi.

Referees

REF: Joshua Encarnacion.
AR1: Rhett Hammi.
AR2: Ben Rigel.
4TH: Alejo Calume.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: Paramount+.

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 game. Go City!

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