Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Seattle Sounders FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Orlando City has a knack for dramatic last-minute goals to turn losses into draws. On this night it was Scott Sutter’s first goal as a Lion as he used his head to knock in the equalizer in the 94th minute at Seattle, one game after Jonathan Spector did the same exact thing against Montreal.
The Lions didn’t play a great game but they also didn’t play that poorly. There was a noticeable lack of quality in the final third but Seattle is a good defensive club at home and they can do that to teams. The important thing is that Orlando hung around all night and can move on to Chicago with another point.
Let’s get to our grades:
Starters
GK, Joe Bendik, 8 (MotM) — Terrific night for Joe, who kept the Lions in the game long enough for Sutter’s goal to matter. He finished with five saves and few of those were easy. He was alone against Will Bruin on the 19th-minute goal and the shot had too much power for him to stop. He read the game well and was quick off his line a few times to keep shots from happening, taking the ball off Jordan Morris’ foot in the 57th on one such occasion. His back-to-back stops of Clint Dempsey and Osvaldo Alonso in the 59th minute will likely be up for MLS Save of the Week and he denied Deuce again on a break in the 62nd minute. Great bounce-back game for Bendik.
D, Donny Toia, 6 — Spent much of the night blocking crosses and was unable to get forward much with Cristian Roldan and Nicolas Lodeiro working his side of the field. Finished with a tackle, two interceptions, and four clearances but he did get beat wide once by Morris on a play that led to the back-to-back Bendik saves. Passed at only a 75% clip, which was lowest on the back line. Made way for PC in the 85th minute.
D, Jonathan Spector, 7 — His step in the 19th minute nearly prevented the first goal but unfortunately he missed the ball and it fell perfectly for Bruin to score the opener. Other than that, Specs had the usual outing you’d expect, for the most part. He led the back line with a 91.2% passing accuracy and three of his four long balls were accurate. Tallied two tackles, three interceptions, a blocked shot, and a team-high eight clearances. His repeated sliding challenges prevented even more danger from Seattle.
D, Tommy Redding, 7.5 — Tommy may literally have only put one foot wrong all night and that was on the Morris run in the 57th minute, when he tried to stab at the ball and whiffed. Other than that, it was quite a solid night from the U.S. youth international. He even won a few aerial balls, which isn’t always his strongest skill. Finished with two tackles, a team-high six interceptions, a blocked shot, and three clearances. His passing was a robust 81.6% and he even got a shot on target with a glancing header in the second half.
D, Scott Sutter, 7.5 — Even before scoring the game-tying goal on the last touch of the ball, it was a good night for Sutter. He had two key passes and six crosses, one of which nearly found Will Johnson late. He was accurate passing (82.9%), and defensively held his ground well, finishing with a pair of interceptions and two clearances. He tried to set up Kaká in the 54th minute with a nice pass but the captain had his shot blocked. His first goal as a Lion was a memorable one.
MF, Kaká, 6.5 — It was another mixed night for the captain, who did a lot well, but also had some curiously bad turnovers and a few poor decisions. His delivery on the game-tying goal was superb, though. Sent Carlos Rivas in 1-v-1 with a great through ball early. Was set up at the top of the box by Rivas in the 37th minute but opted not to shoot and that decision led to a Seattle break. He picked out the wrong pass in the 41st minute, ignoring Giles Barnes and lifting a cross that was cut out by the defense. He passed at a 77.6% clip and notched two key passes, leading the team in touches (73) and finishing second in pass attempts (58).
MF, Antonio Nocerino, 6 — The Italian had a quietly solid night (again) but added several runs forward, getting into the box more than we’ve seen much of lately. Unfortunately, he went largely ignored by his teammates when he did so, but those runs did open up some space at the top of the box for others at times. He was the most accurate passer of all Lions with a minimum of 10 attempts (96.3%) and was often able to move the ball quickly to avoid Seattle’s pressure. Because Seattle played mainly down the wings and on balls over the top, he didn’t rack up any real defensive stats, but he was accurate on four of five long balls and his lone cross.
MF, Cristian Higuita, 4 — The Colombian lacked sharpness on this night, turning the ball over needlessly and carelessly far too many times. He started the night with a 14th-minute shot that was well off target from a good spot juts above the box. He had three bad turnovers in the first half. The first at 27’ broke up an offensive buildup; the second in the 30th led to a Seattle counter attack that eventually broke down; and the third forced Toia to clear it out for a throw. In the 43rd minute he worked a nice attack with MPG up the right but then didn’t pick his head up and crossed blindly to the back post where no one was. His passing turnovers continued through the second half, igniting a pair of Seattle counter attacks. Neither of his two shots threatened goal. Defensively, he did provide five tackles, an interception and a clearance. His overall passing accuracy was good (85.3%) on a team-high 61 passes but most of his success came on square or backward balls and much of his attacking play was poor.
MF, Matias Perez Garcia, 5.5 — MPG lacked the sharpness we saw on Saturday but it wasn’t a bad performance, so much as he just kind of got lost at times. He had a shot on target in the 56th minute on a pretty decent rip. His passing accuracy was good (81.6%) with one key pass but he was dispossessed a team-high five times. His set piece service was also lacking, with none of his four crosses finding its target. Contributed two interceptions and a clearance on defense. Subbed off in the 64th minute for Luis Gil.
F, Carlos Rivas, 5.5 — Not the best of nights for the Colombian, who had Orlando’s two best scoring chances but failed to bury either, but also not the worst. Had a chance to start the game off perfectly with a 1-v-1 against Stefan Frei five minutes in, but his right-footed shot was too close to the keeper, who made the save. His 35th-minute turnover led to a Nicolas Lodeiro shot on goal. Did well to find Kaká two minutes later but the chance went awry when the captain didn’t pull the trigger. He was fairly active defensively, with a tackle and four interceptions. His passing was accurate (88.2%) but only on 17 attempts. At least both of his shots were on target — no sky shots in this game.
F, Giles Barnes, 5.5 — The Jamaican worked hard as usual but not much came from his efforts in the final third. His one shot was off target. Passing accuracy was good (80%) but like Rivas, had few attempts (20) and didn’t create any chances off of them. He did draw a couple of fouls, earning an early set piece in a good spot. Finished with one tackle and an interception defensively. He came off in the 74th minute for Will Johnson.
Substitutes
MF, Luis Gil (64’), 6 — It was quietly a good game for Gil, who helped set up the late free kick that ended up tying the game. His interplay down the left with PC sent the Brazilian left back forward and down the Seattle flank. His passing was spot-on (94.4%) and he tallied one blocked shot and an interception.
MF, Will Johnson (74’), 6 — I thought Will’s night was kind of a mixed bag. He seemed to struggle to find his footing in the game but he nearly got onto Sutter’s late cross just ahead of Stefan Frei, and he also lashed a shot on target that forced a diving save. He managed to help provide some late energy and notched one interception but also picked up a yellow card for dissent.
D, PC (85’), N/A — Victor “PC” Giro came on late for Toia and his last-second run up the left side set up the game-tying goal. It’s probably unfair to give him a grade for about eight minutes of work, so I’ll give him an “N/A” but his actions definitely impacted the game and he completed all eight of his passes.
That’s the way I saw the individual performances from the match. What did you think? Let me know in the comments below and vote for your OCSC Man of the Match in our poll.
Polling Closed
| Player | Votes |
| Tommy Redding | 22 |
| Jonathan Spector | 12 |
| Scott Sutter | 20 |
| Joe Bendik | 107 |
| Other | 10 |
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Five Takeaways
What did we learn from a goal-heavy win at the purple palace on Saturday night?
Orlando City rebounded from a disappointing midweek draw in style on Saturday night, as the team put four goals past D.C. United at home in a 4-1 win. The result means the Lions maintain five points of distance between themselves and the playoff line, while another five points separate them and the Philadelphia Union in sixth place. Here are my takeaways from the goalfest.
Makeshift Back Line Holds
Orlando was missing three starters on the back line for this one, with Robin Jansson out for the season, Griffin Dorsey still battling a back injury (for long enough that it’s starting to get legitimately concerning), and Vinicius Nogueira out with a shoulder issue he picked up on Friday. Add in the fact that Bernardo Rhein picked up a late knock, and the back line became a patchwork combination of Zakaria Taifi, Iago, David Brekalo, and Ivan Angulo. Thankfully, the defense got the job done, although there were some shaky moments at the beginning of both halves, which probably isn’t a coincidence. Once they got into a rhythm and settled down, they largely managed to limit D.C.’s danger, and it was quite refreshing to not watch OCSC ship multiple goals.
Neat Interplay Pays Dividends
For the most part, the Lions did well connecting and exchanging passes in tight spaces, particularly in the first half. There were moments of miscommunication, but Orlando’s movement and interplay in the final third gave D.C. some serious fits in the first half. Daryl Dike, Martin Ojeda, and Antoine Griezmann combined beautifully for the Frenchman’s first goal of the night, and if the visitors looked like they were chasing shadows, it’s because they were. At times, Orlando is guilty of trying to play too many passes once it gets to the edge of the box or even inside it, but the Lions did well to play through D.C., and got their just rewards for doing so. Speaking of…
Magic from Martin
My god. It would be a felony to not devote a full section to Martin Ojeda’s goal. The team’s all-time leading scorer has perhaps never bagged a better one for the Lions. A flying, half-scorpion kick backheel: it sounds ludicrous even typing those words out in the same sentence. This scored a goal:
First, the vision and execution from Griezmann to dink the ball over the top of the defense, and then the audacity and invention from Ojeda to flick his foot at it while moving the other direction and falling away. The ball actually started outside the far post, with the spin taking it just inside and into the side netting. I had quite literally a perfect view of the sequence from my spot behind the goal in The Wall, and still can’t believe it. Transcendent.
A Needless Penalty
The first half ended on a sour note, as D.C. was awarded a penalty kick, which Tai Baribo converted with aplomb. It was an extremely deserved penalty too, because Wilder Cartagena decided to bear hug his man during a corner for some reason, even after referee Pierre Luc-Lauziere looked to have given him a warning about doing so before the set piece was taken. It was a mind-boggling decision from one of OCSC’s usually reliable veterans, and it gave D.C. a foothold in the game right before halftime. On another night, against a better team, it could have proved much more costly, and hopefully that’s the last we see of those sorts of decisions this season.
Subs Slam the Door
I wasn’t happy with Martin Perelman’s substitution choices during Wednesday’s draw, but I’m happy to give credit where it’s due, and his changes were effective during this game. For one thing, he actually used all five subs (praise be), and the changes made sense within the flow of the game. Joran Gerbet entered for Cartagena at halftime and provided more vertical passing and creativity in the midfield as the Lions looked for another goal. Adrian Marin and Braian Ojeda provided extra security in midfield and the back line, respectively, while Justin Ellis made sure things didn’t get too defensive, and Marco Pasalic gave Martin Ojeda some much-needed rest. That’s not all either, because Ellis and Pasalic linked up supremely well to grab a fourth goal and put the game on ice for Orlando. It was especially good to see Marco back among the goals in a season that hasn’t been the easiest for him, and the Lions are going to need him if they’re want to hang onto a playoff place, much less make a run.
All in all, you couldn’t have asked for much more after a disappointing midweek result. It didn’t come against the strongest opposition, but you can only beat who’s in front of you, and at the end of the day, the Lions secured a valuable three points. They now get a precious week of rest before trying to avenge the 5-0 hammering New York City FC gave them on the baseball diamond earlier this year. What were your thoughts on this game? Be sure to let us know down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Final Score 4-1 as Griezmann Leads Lions to Win
Antoine Griezmann scored two goals and assisted on another as the Lions picked up three valuable points at home.
Antoine Griezmann was transcendant scoring two goals and setting up a goal-of-the-year candidate for Martin Ojeda as Orlando City defeated D.C. United 4-1 tonight at Inter.co Stadium. Marco Pasalic added a late insurance goal as the Lions (12-13-5, 41 points) responded well to conceding late in Wednesday’s 3-3 draw at Toronto by avenging their loss earlier in the year to D.C. (7-10-12, 33 points).
Designated Players scored all four goals in the match. It was the first time all three Orlando City DPs scored in the same game since Orlando’s home win over Inter Miami on Aug. 10, 2025 — also a 4-1 victory. Tai Baribo scored from the spot late in the first half for D.C. United’s only goal.
“Today was a tough game,” Orlando City interim coach Martin Perelman said after the game. “We had to to battle, to fight, and play when we could. Fortunately, we won, which is very important at home. And now thinking (about) the next one.”
Perelman started Maxime Crepeau in goal behind a back line of Zakaria Taifi, Iago, David Brekalo, and Ivan Angulo. Wilder Cartagena and Luis Otavio started in central midfield between Martin Ojeda and Eduard Atuesta, with Daryl Dike and Antoine Griezmann up top.
The Lions looked to get into the flow early and created a shot for Ojeda outside the area just 30 seconds in. Ojeda had a good look and hit his shot hard, but it fizzed over the crossbar. Three minutes later, Angulo got an open look on the right from the top of the box but hit it right at D.C. goalkeeper Sean Johnson.
D.C. started to settle into the match a bit after that, beating Iago over the top with a long ball in the seventh minute. Tai Baribo tried to shoot on the half volley but couldn’t direct his shot near the target. A minute later, Crepeau was called on to make a pair of huge saves to deny Joao Peglow from point-blank range and Silvan Hefti’s follow-up from near the top of the box on a play that started with a long throw-in by United. D.C. coudn’t pay off a couple of corner kicks in quick succession, with Kye Rowles sending a header wide on the second.
Orlando won a free kick from long range in the 12th minute and tried something off the training ground but it didn’t come off as Brekalo tried an overhead kick that came off his own arm.
Griezmann put the Lions ahead in the 15th minute, finishing a brilliant team goal that started with Cartagena heading down an aerial ball on a D.C. clearance attempt. Griezmann got there first and knocked it to Dike, who gave it right back to the Frenchman, who sent it toward Ojeda in the middle. Ojeda knocked it right back into Griezmann’s path and he slotted home to make it 1-0 in the 15th minute.
D.C. tried to get right back in the game by attacking immediately and winning a set piece, but Rowles again headed off target in the 19th minute.
If Orlando’s first team goal was beautiful, the second put it to shame. The play started on Orlando City’s attacking right and found Atuesta in the middle. Atuesta picked out Ojeda, who found Taifi near the right corner of the box. Taifi sent it to Griezmann, who sent a first-touch cross into the middle. It was behind Ojeda, so he backheeled it just inside the left post to make it 2-0 in the 22nd minute.
“I think Grizi, Martín, they have a big talent, and they make everybody better,” Perelman said. “So, I think for us it’s about help them, work to support them, and they do what they do because they are top players. My reaction (to Ojeda’s goal) was ‘Que golazo!'”
“”It was a crazy goal,” Pasalic added. “I have to say to Tincho congratulations, it was nice. But yeah, these goals you don’t see every weekend or every game, so I think this is something you have to watch like 100 times, maybe not like 10 times like my goal. (laughs)”
D.C. again tried to come right back down to pull the goal back, moving quickly and winning a corner off an Iago turnover. Moments later, a cross into the area found Baribo, but his header skipped wide.
Otavio picked up a yellow card in the 38th minute and will miss the next game due to accumulation.
The Lions got sloppy down the final stretch of the first half and it was costly. The warning shot came in the 40th minute when Baribo was left alone in front, but he mistimed his volley attempt and missed the ball completely as the cross came in.
Four minutes later, Atuesta blocked a cross but conceded a corner and it threw D.C. a lifeline. Cartagena wrapped up his man as the cross came in and was immediately called for a foul in the box, conceding a D.C. penalty. Baribo took the kick and fired toward the left post. Crepeau guessed correctly and had a shot of stopping it but couldn’t keep it out. He was visibly frustrated with it after the shot.
That was it for the scoring chances in the first half and the Lions took a one-goal edge into halftime.
At the break, Orlando City held the advantage in possession (58.7%-41.3%), and passing accuracy (85.7%-80.4%). D.C. led in shots (10-5) and corners (5-0), with both teams putting three shots on target.
D.C. put the ball in the net moments after the restart but the play was obviously offside. Despite that, there was a lengthy video review before the call was confirmed and play resumed.
Three minutes later, Orlando nearly scored in transition, but Dike hit his shot poorly, sending it wide. Ojeda started the play with a gorgeous curling long ball to send Griezmann down the left. He sent it into the area, where Angulo got a flicked touch that may have thrown Dike off. Regardless, the Lions added a goal seconds later.
Rowles sent a poor ball out of the back straight at Griezmann, who slotted it just inside the right post to make it 3-1 in the 50th minute with his third goal contribution of the night.
United kept coming, and when no one closed down Jackson Hopkins in transition in the 54th minute, he fired from distance but hit his shot badly wide to the right.
Two minutes later, Dike got down the right channel but couldn’t get around his cross attempt and hit it into the outside nettting. The Lions could have put it to bed in the 59th minute when a great Atuesta ball across set up Angulo, but his shot was blocked. The ensuing corner was sent between Iago and Brekalo who came together and sent it wide off one of them.
Griezmann’s best attempt to complete a hat trick came in the 77th minute. Second-half sub Justin Ellis picked out the Frenchman, who inside-outed his shot, which was heading toward the top left corner, but it didn’t have enough power on it to beat Johnson from the top of the area.
United threw numbers into the attack to try to climb back into the game, while Orlando looked dangerous on the counter but struggled to create a clear-cut chance. Angulo was pulled back in transition, leading to Kimito Nono picking up a yellow card. Ojeda was a bit too selfless in the final third and tried to set up a teammate on another opportunity. Ellis got his shirt pulled for a good 10 yards after a D.C. corner in the 81st minute, and just as he released a pass that would have sent sub Braian Ojeda in alone on goal, the referee blew the whistle and booked Hopkins for the foul, despite Orlando having a clear advantage.
United kept creating set pieces in the final minutes, but the Lions continued to defend them. D.C.’s best chance came on a Baribo shot from the top of the area after Joran Gerbet’s clearance attempt hit a D.C. player out top. The striker sent his effort over the crossbar in the third minute of stoppage.
Moments later, Pasalic put the game away. Brekalo knocked the ball forward to Ellis, who sent a great diagonal ball to put the Croatian behind the defense on the left. Pasalic approached the net in the clear and blasted a shot past Johnson and in to make it 4-1 with nearly the last kick of the game.
“I’m happy that the guys did well today, and even happier that I could help the team and did my part when I came in and scored the goal,” Pasalic said. “And I think it’s really important for the team now. It’s a nice feeling.”
At full time, Orlando City held the edge in possession (58.6%-41.4%), passing accuracy (87.7%-83.1%), and shots on target (7-4). D.C. attempted more total shots (16-14) and won more corners (8-1).
“It was important,” Pasalic said about the result. “We saw that we struggled in the last game with the draw, and it was unfortunate that we don’t win the game (Wednesday). And the game before, the Columbus game, was important, so I think every win now is important in this period of time in the qualification for the playoffs. So, I think we can be happy about the three points.”
The Lions have a week to prepare for New York City FC, which visits Orlando a week from tonight.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Lions find themselves shorthanded at the back again as D.C. United visits in a critical home match for Orlando.
Welcome to your match thread for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (11-13-5, 38 points) and D.C. United (7-9-12, 33 points) at Inter.co Stadium (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the second of the two scheduled MLS matches this season between the Lions and the Black and Red.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.
History
The Lions are 9-10-3 against D.C. in the all-time league series since the club joined MLS, and 9-10-4 in all competitions. Orlando is 6-4-1 at home in MLS games against D.C. and 3-5-3 away in all competitions against United.
The most recent meeting between the sides took place on D.C. United’s home grounds back on April 25, when the hosts beat the Lions 3-2. Jackson Hopkins’ early goal put D.C. up 1-0 at the break, but Justin Ellis and Tyrese Spicer scored after halftime to put the Lions out front. However, the team’s leaky defense couldn’t hold the advantage, giving up goals to Louis Munteanu and Kye Rowles in the final six minutes of normal time to hand D.C. the win.
The final meeting of last season also took place at Audi Field on Sept. 13, 2025. Hopkins and Alex Freeman exchanged goals on either side of halftime but the Lions could not take advantage of 33 minutes with a man advantage after Lukas MacNaughton was sent off and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
The other meeting last season took place in Orlando on March 22. All three of Orlando City’s Designated Players — Luis Muriel, Martin Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic — scored goals, as did Freeman, and Javier Otero won 4-1 in his first MLS start. However, a MacNaughton goal in stoppage time spoiled Otero’s shutout bid.
Orlando City swept the season series in 2024. The teams met on July 6 in Orlando, with the Lions running roughshod over visiting United in a 5-0 win on the night when Kaká became the first player inducted into the Legends Terrace at Inter&Co Stadium. Ojeda, Robin Jansson, Ivan Angulo, Facundo Torres, and Ramiro Enrique all got on the scoresheet, with three of those goals coming before United center back Lucas Bartlett was sent off for denying Angulo a goal-scoring opportunity late in the first half.
The Lions visited Audi Field on April 13, 2024. United went ahead twice in the match on goals by Christian Benteke and Gabriel Pirani and led the game late. Dagur Dan Thorhallsson equalized in the first half, and David Brekalo made it 2-2. Duncan McGuire’s well-timed breakaway goal in stoppage time lifted Orlando to a 3-2 road win.
Prior to Orlando’s 2024 sweep, the Black and Red had managed four consecutive results in the series (3-0-1). The last meeting in 2023 took place in Orlando on April 22, 2023, with D.C. scoring twice in the second half to snap a 1-1 deadlock and win, 3-1. Taxiarchis Fountas, Donovan Pines, and Benteke scored for D.C. to more than offset McGuire’s strike.
These teams squared off just a few weeks before that in D.C., splitting the points in a 1-1 draw on March 11. McGuire scored his first MLS goal but Chis Durkin leveled things late in a match that was sandwiched between Orlando City’s two legs of Concacaf Champions League play against Tigres UANL.
D.C. swept the season series in 2022, despite being a terrible team that “won” the league’s Wooden Spoon by no small margin. The meeting in D.C. that year took place July 31 and saw Orlando City dominate the first half but miss multiple chances to put the game away early. The Lions were wasteful, taking only a 1-0 lead into stoppage time thanks to Junior Urso’s first-half goal, only to fall 2-1 on stoppage-time strikes by Durkin and Fountas.
The teams also met on Independence Day at Exploria Stadium that season, with D.C. putting together a performance out of nowhere in a 5-3 road win. Fountas netted his first MLS hat trick and Kimarni Smith and Nigel Robertha added their first goals. Torres, Ercan Kara, and Alexandre Pato scored for Orlando, threatening to bring the Lions back, but Orlando could never get on level terms.
The teams met twice in 2021, including Oct. 2 at Exploria Stadium. Daryl Dike scored deep in stoppage to lift the Lions to a 2-1 home victory. Jansson scored a first-half goal off a corner kick scramble to offset an early Julian Gressel strike. The first match of 2021 took place on May 16 in D.C., with the Lions winning 1-0 on an early Mauricio Pereyra goal. That win snapped United’s 3-0-1 streak in the series in league play and 3-0-2 in all competitions dating back to City’s previous most recent win over D.C. back in 2017.
The teams did not meet in what was an odd 2020 season.
D.C. United swept the season series in 2019, winning 1-0 at Audi Field back on June 26, 2019. Wayne Rooney’s wondergoal from his own half of the pitch caught Brian Rowe napping. The Lions fell 2-1 at home on March 31, 2019, with set pieces ruining the night for Orlando. You might recall the controversy that surrounded the winning goal, with then-coach James O’Connor visibly upset after the match. Steve Birnbaum scored the first on a set piece and Rooney scored the second on a free kick that he took from wherever the hell he wanted rather than where the foul occurred. Frederic Brillant bulldozed Rowe on the play as the ball sailed into the net.
D.C. was 1-0-2 in three total meetings (two in league play) in 2018. Orlando swept the two league meetings in 2017, the teams split two lopsided games in 2016 — with each team winning at home — and the Black and Red went 2-1-0 in the first three meetings back in 2015.
Overview
Orlando City is coming off a disappointing 3-3 road draw at Toronto FC on Wednesday. A win was moments away after the Lions came back from two deficits on goals by Martin Ojeda (from the spot) and Antoine Griezmann, and a late goal by Dike seemed like it might lift the Lions to a rare road win. However, Orlando conceded late, as it has done so many times, allowing Matheus Pereira an easy rebound goal on the cusp of stoppage time. It was a costly two dropped points, as the Lions had a chance to further distance themselves from the teams below the line and didn’t use all available subs despite playing the second of three games in eight days.
Orlando is 8-4-2 at home, having won its last four in the purple palace, and the Lions will need the home crowd support tonight as they try to go eight points clear of 12th-place D.C. and keep pace with the teams chasing them for the last spot in the top seven — the playoff places that avoid the MLS Wild Card play-in game.
D.C. enters tonight off a 2-1 home win over the New York Red Bulls on Wednesday despite playing the final 22 minutes down a man after Lucas Bartlett picked up his second yellow card. Tai Baribo scored early from the spot and Silvan Hefti struck deep in first-half stoppage time to snap D.C.’s four-game winless skid (0-2-2). United enters just 2-4-7 on the road and 0-3-4 in the last seven matches away from home. However, the lack of wins on the road draws attention away from the fact that teams have often been held to a single point in their own building against tonight’s opponent.
Baribo is by far D.C.’s biggest weapon with 15 goals and an assist on the season, and he’s had success previously against Orlando while with the Philadelphia Union. Orlando will have to do a better job of tracking runners than it has in several recent games or Baribo will eat alive a back line that will be missing Jansson (foot surgery), Griffin Dorsey (back), and Vinicius Nogueira (shoulder). Whoever plays at the back will need to be calm and decisive on the ball and pass accurately against D.C.’s press and must transition to defensive responsibilities quickly if the ball turns over.
The Lions will be without the aforementioned Jansson (foot), Dorsey (back), and Nogueira (shoulder) in addition to Spicer (foot). D.C. will be without Bartlett (suspension), Munteanu (lower body), Hosei Kijima (lower body), and Gabe Segal (lower body).
Match Content
- Our most recent episode of The Mane Land PawedCast includes our match preview, key matchups, and predictions for the game.
Official Lineups
Orlando City (4-4-2)
Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.
Defenders: Zakaria Taifi, Iago, David Brekalo, Ivan Angulo.
Midfielders: Martin Ojeda, Wilder Cartagena, Luis Otavio, Eduard Atuesta.
Forwards: Antoine Griezmann, Daryl Dike.
Bench: Javier Otero, Adrian Marin, Nolan Miller, Braian Ojeda, Joran Gerbet, Tiago, Harvey Sarajian, Marco Pasalic, Justin Ellis.
D.C. United (4-4-2)
Goalkeeper: Sean Johnson.
Defenders: Keisuke Kurokawa, Kye Rowles, Sean Nealis, Silvan Hefti.
Midfielders: Joao Peglow, Andre Dozzell, Kimito Nono, Jared Stroud.
Forwards: Tai Baribo, Brandon Servania.
Bench: Alex Bono, Matti Peltola, Nikola Markovic, Kamil Castillo, Gavin Turner, Conner Antley, Nathan Ordaz, Jackson Hopkins, Oscar Avilez.
Referees
REF: Pierre-Luc Lauziere.
AR1: Jeremy Kieso.
AR2: Justin Howard.
4TH: Chris Penso.
VAR: Younes Marrakchi.
AVAR: Kathryn Nesbitt.
How to Watch
Match Time: 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.
TV/Streaming: 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 along at our Bluesky Social account (@themaneland.bsky.social), as well as Orlando City’s official Twitter feed (@OrlandoCitySC).
Enjoy the match. Go City!
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