Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Austin FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match
Orlando City went on the road to take on Austin FC for the first time and ultimately walked away with a point after a 2-2 draw. Goals from Ercan Kara and Ruan gave the Lions a lead in the first half, but they were reduced to nine men and had to hold on for a result.
Despite poor officiating and missed chances, Orlando showed plenty of resilience on the road in a packed Q2 Stadium. Let’s dive into how each Lion individually performed in the draw.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — El Pulpo was able to get a tentacle to Sebastian Driussi’s penalty kick, but not enough to keep it from going in goal as he still hunts for his first penalty save of the season. His first save of the match came in the 25th minute as he snatched a header from Driussi out of the air. His other two saves in the match came from diving efforts as he denied Nick Lima from a tight angle and then made a huge stop by shifting direction to slap away a low effort from Alex Ring. There wasn’t much he could’ve done about the late equalizer as Moussa Djitte scored from the far post on a short corner kick that shouldn’t have been given. His distribution could have been a bit better as he was accurate on just 45% of his 22 passes and six of his 18 long balls, but the team wasn’t exactly trying to build out of the back while down two players and trying to hold on for a win. The Peruvian goalkeeper also did a great job managing the clock over the last 30 minutes of the match to help ensure Orlando didn’t leave Austin empty-handed.
D, Joao Moutinho, 6.5 — The left back ended up leading the Lions with six clearances as he shifted to a central position once Orlando was reduced to nine men. With Rodrigo Schlegel out of the game due to a second yellow card, Moutinho did well to fortify the defense and clear the danger. He likely would have come up with the clearance on Austin’s equalizer if not for the unfortunate deflection the ball took off of Kyle Smith’s head. Moutinho also had a tackle, an interception, and a blocked shot in the match. He could’ve been a bit more accurate as he completed a subpar 63% of his 30 passes and only two of his eight long balls found their mark. He did have a key pass though and was accurate on one of his two crosses during a night in which he wasn’t often able to surge forward and provide service.
D, Robin Jansson, 6 — It’s never easy trying to defend a lead while down two players, but Jansson was a leader for Orlando’s defense. The Beefy Swede had five clearances and blocked two shots in a solid defensive effort to help Orlando get a result. He understandably didn’t have much of an impact on offense, but four of his nine long balls were accurate and he completed 69% of his 29 passes. He picked up his seventh yellow card of the season, tied for the most in MLS, for Diego Fagundez walking into him and falling over. Another strong defensive effort like last night will be needed from him next Saturday against FC Dallas.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 5.5 — His night will be overshadowed by receiving two yellow cards for handballs in the span of a couple of minutes. Schlegel was booked for a handball just outside the penalty kick and then again on the ensuing free kick as part of Orlando’s wall. Referee Joe Dickerson sent him off in the 61st minute without going over to the monitor and the center back finished with four clearances and an interception. He was accurate on 89% of just 18 passes and his lone long ball found its target. Schlegel will miss Saturday’s game, giving him plenty of rest to come back stronger in league play in June.
D, Ruan, 6.5 — The right back scored his second goal of the season by pouncing on a loose ball in the box after a save from Brad Stuver. It was a nice first-time shot from the Brazilian to double Orlando’s lead in the first half. He had a chance to increase Orlando’s lead even further later in the first half on a breakaway but was offside due to a mistimed run and missed the shot regardless. It was a missed opportunity that will be looked at a little harsher considering how the game played out in the second half. Still, Ruan is showing plenty of life offensively in recent games and his speed works well with Facundo Torres to provide options during counter attacks. He didn’t have any crosses but was successful on one of his two long balls and completed 88% of his 16 passes. Defensively, he had a tackle and a clearance and was subbed out in stoppage time to kill off some of the clock and get fresher legs out there.
MF, Cesar Araujo, 4.5 — It was Araujo’s roughest performance of the season. Although he had 16 passes at a great 94% success rate, he had three unstable touches in the match and made costly mistakes. The biggest was his red card in the 69th minute as he needlessly kicked out at Ring, who milked the minimal contact as much as he could. It was a frustrating mistake from a player who’s been levelheaded in recent weeks. That wasn’t his only mistake in the match, as he whiffed on an attempt to send the ball up the field, giving Austin a counter-attacking opportunity in the first half. It wasn’t all terrible, as Araujo led the Lions with three tackles while also chipping in defensively with two interceptions and two clearances. However, his ejection while Orlando was already down a player may have been the difference between a draw and a win and he’ll miss Saturday’s game against Dallas.
MF, Andres Perea, 6 — Playing in the center of the field, Perea quietly led the Lions with four interceptions as he capitalized on the pressure created by teammates to then pick off passes. He wasn’t necessarily dynamic in the match, sending his only shot of the match off target despite a good look, but he was solid and played his part in the team’s efforts to hold on for a result. Along with those interceptions, Perea had three clearances, a tackle, and also blocked a shot. His passing could have been better, as he completed 70% of 23 passes, but that’s not horrific, and he was accurate on one of his two long balls. It was the 21-year-old’s third straight start as he continues to earn minutes in Orlando’s crowded midfield.
MF, Facundo Torres, 5.5 — Torres did well on Orlando’s second goal, sprinting down the left side of the pitch to whip in a cross that wasn’t cleared cleanly and fell to Mauricio Pereyra and then Ruan. The 22-year-old had other opportunities in the match to score, but instead laid the ball off for teammates to take the chance. It was unselfish of Torres, but he could have afforded to be a bit more ruthless, as he finished with no shots or key passes. The unsuccessful cross that led to a goal was his only one of the game and his lone long ball didn’t find its target. He completed 74% of his 19 passes and helped out defensively with two tackles and plenty of pressure before being subbed out in the 71st minute. Torres’ speed makes him an asset for Orlando’s offense, but he lacked a killer instinct that could have helped put the game away before the second half.
MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6.5 — The captain’s only shot of the game was a strong effort that forced a tough save from Stuver, with Ruan putting away the ensuing rebound. The captain had a few miscues, including a great opportunity to send Kara in on goal in the first half, but was adept at delivering quick balls forward to find Lions in open space as he was accurate on five of his six long balls. Both of his crosses were unsuccessful though, and he completed 83% of his 23 passes. His night ended in the 71st minute as he exited the game along with Orlando’s other offensive players once the Lions were reduced to nine men. It will be a sore trip back to Orlando for Pereyra, who was fouled four times in the match as Austin broke up plays without being booked for it.
MF, Junior Urso, 6.5 — The Bear played out wide in this match and intercepted a bad pass from Stuver to then find Kara in front of goal for an easy assist. Urso led the Lions with five shots, putting three of them on target. He had a great chance to score in the final moments of the first half, putting a header on frame and then beating his defender to the ensuing rebound after Stuver’s save. But the shot missed the open net and soared into the Austin sky. He didn’t have any crosses and his only attempted long ball was inaccurate while he also completed 70% of his 23 passes. Urso supplied great defensive pressure throughout the match, made two tackles, and stopped Jon Gallagher in the box after Schlegel was beaten. Like Pereyra, he was fouled four times in the match and all were in Orlando’s own half.
F, Ercan Kara, 7 (MotM) — The Austrian was in the right place at the right time in front of goal after Stuver’s mistake allowed him to score in the second minute of the match. The goal was one of two shots he put on target, the other coming in the 43rd minute when he fired from distance and was stopped by a diving save from Stuver. Kara led the Lions with three key passes, creating great opportunities for Urso and Perea. He was physical throughout the match, winning two of his four aerial duels and battling to take the ball from Austin players in dangerous areas. He had 24 touches and completed all but one of his 10 passes for a 90% success rate. Kara is our Man of the Match for scoring and creating plenty of chances in a productive outing despite few crosses from the wings and being substituted in the 71st minute.
Substitutes
MF, Jake Mulraney (71’), 5.5 — The Irishman was brought on to give the Lions some fresh legs while down two players. He had a chance to shift the momentum back in Orlando’s favor as he dribbled his way through Austin’s defense, but his shot was a tough one to pull off and sent wide of goal. He didn’t see much of the ball after that, finishing with only three touches and no passes. Mulraney did have a clearance though, doing his part on the defensive end as Orlando desperately tried to hang on.
F, Tesho Akindele, (71’), 5.5 — Akindele’s role after coming on was to contest the team’s long balls and clearances heaved up the field in an effort to win the ball or at least stall Austin from pushing forward. The Canadian won two of his three aerial duels and had 11 touches while completing two of his four passes. While he did a decent job holding up play, he had an opportunity to find Ruan making an uncontested run down the field but either didn’t see him or just didn’t have a way to get him the ball as Austin players descended on him. All in all, it was a decent shift from Akindele.
D, Kyle Smith (71’), 6 — The defender came on to solidify Orlando’s defense, playing in the center of defense as Orlando gave up the wings to focus on filling open spaces in the box. The plan worked for the most part as Smith had four clearances. However, Austin’s goal came from a corner kick that should’ve been ruled a goal kick and Smith’s attempted clearance flicked the ball back to Djitte at the far post. It was unfortunate in many ways for Smith, who scored Orlando’s winner last weekend. The 30-year-old ended the game with no passes and six touches.
MF, Sebas Mendez (91’), N/A — The defensive midfielder didn’t play long enough to earn a grade as his substitution mostly helped remove some of the time left in the match. He did complete his one pass though and had just the one touch. The Ecuadorian has not started since May 7 but that may change with Cesar Araujo suspended.
D, Michael Halliday (93’), N/A — Like Mendez, Halliday was brought on late in stoppage time. The 19-year-old didn’t have much of an opportunity to make an impact with just one touch in his first appearance of the 2022 MLS season.
That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s controversial 2-2 draw against Austin FC. What do you think? Be sure to let us know in the comments and vote in the poll below for your Orlando City Man of the Match.
Polling Closed
| Player | Votes |
| Ercan Kara | 14 |
| Pedro Gallese | 16 |
| Junior Urso | 8 |
| Ruan | 3 |
| Joao Moutinho | 2 |
| Other (Let us know who in the comments) | 3 |
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Real Salt Lake: Five Takeaways
Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake.
Orlando City hosted Real Salt Lake at Inter.co Stadium Saturday, and it was a tale of two halves. The first half was one of the most boring first halves of soccer ever, and the second half was a wild free-for-all with Orlando City coming to life. The Lions were able to earn all three points at home, defeating RSL 2-1. Here are my five takeaways from the match.
An Inevitable Goal
Orlando City put out a mostly first-choice team on short rest, while RSL rotated pretty heavily due to their schedule congestion and a Leagues Cup knockout match coming up on Tuesday.The Lions had the majority of the possession through the first 35 mintues, while RSL was able to send the ball over the top a few times early, but the visitors kept getting the timing wrong against Orlando’s high line, resulting in offside calls. That was until the 36th minute, when Dominik Marczuk managed to stay onside, blazed past Zakaria Taifi, and was all alone on the back post. It wasn’t hard to put it in from there. Orlando City had the better of the play up to that point, but it still felt like Real Salt Lake’s goal was more likely.
Possession Without Purpose
Despite holding 58% possession in the first half, Orlando City managed to get exactly zero shots on goal on zero shots total. Zero shots taken the entire first half! As I mentioned above, that was zero shots against a heavily rotated RSL squad. For a team with Antoine Griezmann, Marco Pasalic, and Griffin Dorsey in the starting lineup, that stat is unacceptable. The lack of any chances resulted in Martin Perelman bringing on Justin Ellis and Daryl Dike as offensive halftime substitutions.
Subs Make a Difference
It took less than 10 minutes for Ellis and Dike, along with fellow substitute Joran Gerbet, to make a difference. While it was ultimately Griezmann who scored the goal, it was Gerbet, Ellis, and Dike that made it happen. Gerbet picked up a loose ball Eduard Atuesta won and sent it to Ellis on the right. Ellis sent the ball into the box to Dike, who took it with his back to goal, pirouetted with the ball, and shot it. Unfortunately for Dike, Mason Stajduhar was there to block it. Unfortunately for Stajduhar, Griezmann was there for the poacher’s goal to level the score for Orlando City. Griezmann positioned himself wisely without the ball, but it was the three halftime subs that really made it happen.
Griezmann Gets Another
After equalizing, Orlando City had all the momentum and pressed for a second goal. It was Griezmann who provided the winning goal with his first brace for the Lions. If his first goal was a “right time, right place” type of goal, his second was luck and skill combined. He took a pass in the box from Tyrese Spicer and tried to back heel it to Dike. The ball bounced off the defender and right back to Griezmann, who wasted no time in putting it in the back of the net. It was a microcosm of Griezmann’s time in Orlando for me. He tried to be unselfish, but ultimately taking the shot himself was what was needed. More of this please.
Possession With Purpose
If Orlando City did almost nothing with the ball in the first half, the Lions did everything needed with the ball in the second half. They actually raised the possession to 60% by the end of the match, scored two goals, and didn’t allow a second from RSL. The defenders were able to clear most of the attacks and Maxime Crepeau cleaned up anything that got through. Orlando City was able to continue to push into the attack even after the second goal. As I said above, it was a tale of two halves, and fortunately, the second half was enough for the win.
That is what I saw in Orlando City’s 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Real Salt Lake: Final Score 2-1 as Griezmann’s Brace Lifts Lions to Win
Antoine Griezmann scored twice in the second half to help Orlando City erase a 1-0 deficit and beat RSL at home.
Antoine Griezmann scored two second-half goals for his first Orlando City brace, leading the Lions to a 2-1 comeback win over Real Salt Lake at Inter.co Stadium tonight. After a lethargic opening 45 minutes that saw the visitors take a 1-0 lead into the half on Dominik Marczuk’s goal, an energetic trio of halftime subs injected life into the attack for Orlando (7-11-3, 24 points).
Griezmann’s two goals pushed the Lions past Real Salt Lake (8-8-4, 28 points), but it’s fair to say Orlando City wasn’t clean enough in the first half and couldn’t turn possession into attacking threat until the introduction of second-half subs Justin Ellis, Joran Gerbet, Daryl Dike, and Tyrese Spicer.
The Lions snapped an 0-2-2 winless streak in all competitions and a 0-2-1 skid in league play with tonight’s win, moving just over the playoff line into ninth spot in the Eastern Conference.
“It was a tough game,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said after the match. “It wasn’t easy the first half; we tried good and sometimes it happens like that, the game. I think the team in the second half was able to to play in a very difficult moment. It’s not easy and the guys did an amazing job.”
Perelman’s lineup included Maxime Crepeau in goal behind a back line of Zakaria Taifi, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, and Griffin Dorsey. Luis Otavio and Eduard Atuesta started in central midfield inside of Ivan Angulo and Marco Pasalic, with Tiago joining Antoine Griezmann up top.
The first half consisted of long spells of Orlando possession that came to nothing against a heavily rotated RSL side, with former Lion Mason Stajduhar having to do nothing in goal, because the Lions couldn’t even manage one first-half shot attempt. The visitors were content to stay in their low block of five at the back and four midfielders, wait for the exhausted-looking hosts to misplace a pass or have a bad touch, and look for chances to hit on the counter or with balls over the top.
Griezmann looked the most in need of a rest, as several of his touches were heavy in the first half, but he was far from the only one.
There was a scary moment early in the game when Jansson collided with Marczuk on an attempted RSL switch of play. The Orlando City captain was fouled and stayed down to get treatment, eventually leaving the field under his own power. He was able to return moments later.
Orlando City won a few set pieces in the opening half but did nothing with them, while the visitors looked dangerous if they could stay onside, which they struggled to do early. When the Lions did manage to find space against RSL’s back line, the crosses were poor, ending up either out of play or in the goalkeeper’s hands.
The visitors broke through the dull affair in the 36th minute. Alexandros Katranis laid off a ball on the left flank for Sam Junqua behind him. Junqua picked up his head and spotted Marczuk’s well-timed run behind Taifi and delivered a nice cross. Marczuk met the ball in the air with his foot and knocked it past Crepeau to make it 1-0.
Crepeau kept things from getting worse just before halftime. Angulo turned the ball over on an attempted recycle of a failed set piece, igniting a Real Salt Lake counter. The ball ended up with Marczuk again on the right and this time Crepeau was able to get a hand on it to palm it out for a corner.
The Lions dealt with the set piece and the half came to an end with Orlando’s starters trailing 1-0 to an RSL B-squad that dien’t allow a single shot attempt.
At the break, Orlando City had the advantage in possession (59.4%-40.6%) and passing accuracy (89.7-84.2%), while Real Salt Lake led in shots (3-0) and shots on target (2-0) and each team won one corner.
“It was a complicated game,” Griezmann said. “It’s never easy starting off with with a negative mark like that, but we made changes at halftime and put more more guys further up the field, and we were able to to get that goal and really kind of give ourselves some time of tranquility to create more opportunities to create those occasions to go out and get the winner.”
Looking to injuct some life into the game, or at least some fresh legs, Perelman sent Gerbet, Dike, and Ellis into the game at halftime for Otavio, Tiago, and Pasalic. It took a few minutes for the subs to settle in, but it made a difference in the Lions’ energy level.
Marczuk had the first look at goal in the second half, however, firing from distance from the right side, but it caused no trouble for Crepeau in the 50th minute.
Gerbet and Atuesta worked well together in the middle, keeping the ball better and allowing Taifi to jump into the play on the left. Taifi had a shot blocked out for a corner in the 51st minute. A minute later, Atuesta played a slick through ball for Griezmann. With Stajduhar coming off his line, the Frenchman chipped a shot over him but it went inches wide of the left post.
Orlando scored seconds after Stajduhar put the ball back into play. Atuesta won the ball to Gerbet at midfield, and he turned and found Ellis on the right. Ellis sent it in front to Dike for the shot, but it was blocked to Griezmann, who cleaned up in front, making it 1-1 in the 53rd minute.
Taifi got down the left in the 55th minute and did well to cut back a cross for Griezmann entering the box. Griezmann hit his shot immediately but it fizzed just over the bar. Three minutes later, Taifi cut inside and fired but hit the outside of the left post.
Real Salt Lake sent on Diego Luna, Saba Lobjanidze, and Morgan Guilavogui to try to counter the energy Orlando’s subs had brought into the game, and things opened up a bit. Dorsey did well to stick out a foot to deny a pass that would have put Luna in on goal in the 64th minute.
Spicer came on for Taifi in the 69th minute and injected even more energy into the match. He quickly won a set piece on the left just moments after coming on near the left corner flag. Atuesta sent his delivery on target toward the near post but it was headed behind for a corner kick. The ensuing corner bounced out to Ellis near the top of the area. The Homegrown forward used some deft footwork to work his way past two defenders before getting his shot blocked out for another corner.
Real Salt Lake broke the other way after the set piece and Luna ended up with it. He fired on target but Crepeau blocked it out of play for a corner. Orlando partially cleared the set piece delivery and Katranis tried a shot from long range that was well off target.
Orlando City took the lead moments later. Jansson sent the ball long out of the back to Spicer on the left. The Trinidad & Tobago international did well to get a cross in for Griezmann in the box. The first touch got away from the Frenchman but he picked up the rebound and slotted it past Stajduhar to make it 2-1 in the 81st minute.
“I think it’s a very good cross from ‘Spice’ and I was thinking to do one touch to score but I did very bad,” Griezmann said. “The defender touched the ball and the ball came to me, and yeah I saw a lot of legs and I tried to just make a pass between the legs of the defender and here is where you need to be patient just for one or two seconds. And today I was very patient in this time and this is why I scored.”
“It’s mandatory for us to enjoy Griezmann,” Perelman said. “We are lucky to be in the moment that he’s here with us. He’s one of the best players in the history of this sport. We have the privilege to see him. It’s just about enjoying him, watching him and enjoying him.”
Real Salt Lake threw bodies forward into the attack, but aside from some corner kicks, the visitors couldn’t produce much. Any time it looked like RSL might create something in the final third, Orlando was able to block crosses or head them out of danger. Orlando City also kept the ball well for spells down the stretch, taking the pressure off and allowing the Lions to see out the game.
At the final whistle, the Lions held the advantage in possession (59.6%-40.4%), shots (13-9), passing accuracy (88.8%-82%), and corners (5-4). Real Salt Lake put more shots on target (4-3). Ultimately, the Lions were sharp enough in the second half to make up for the slow start, although RSL helped out by being offside seven times to just once for Orlando.
“In the final zone, we were a lot more aggressive,” Griezmann said of the second half. “We were pressing more and more aggressive with our press, and it was a really good way to to get the win tonight.”
“The players were wanting to give us that control of the game against a team who sat back a little bit,” Perelman said. “I think the guys did a huge effort. Fortunately we could come back, win, because we really need it, and now we need to rest and think (about) the next one.”
“Just so happy to have the win at home,” Gerbet said. “It’s been like a gritty one, but a necessary one, an important one towards like the end of the season to get some momentum, because we’re going to start to go away as well, so we need to start to gain momentum, and I think that was a great way to do it.”
The Lions now get an honest-to-goodness normal work week. Their next match will be a week from tonight at Minnesota United.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Real Salt Lake: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Lions look to finish their long homestand with a bounce-back performance against RSL.
Welcome to your match thread and preview for a Saturday night showdown between Orlando City (6-11-3, 21 points) and Real Salt Lake (8-7-4, 28 points) at Inter.co Stadium (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the first and only scheduled meeting between the two teams from opposing conferences and the first time they’ve met since 2023 in Utah.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.
History
The Lions are 2-2-3 in seven previous MLS meetings with RSL, including a 1-0-2 mark at home. However, Orlando City is 0-2-1 in their last three games against tonight’s visitors.
The last time the teams met, it was a forgettable result for Orlando City fans. But if you do remember, it’s not for good reasons, because it was a 4-0 beatdown that Real Salt Lake laid on the Lions on July 8, 2023. Cristian Arango, Justen Glad, Jefferson Savarino, and Anderson Julio did the damage.
During the most recent matchup in Orlando, most of us had no idea what COVID-19 was yet. The Lions and Real Salt Lake met on opening day of the 2020 MLS season, playing to a 0-0 draw at Exploria Stadium on Feb. 29. Despite it being a Leap Day, no one wanted to leap onto the scoresheet.
Orlando City lost the previous meeting, a 2-1 Real Salt Lake win in Utah on April 13, 2019. Nani scored Orlando’s only goal that day, but it came late in the match after Sam Johnson and Demir Kreilach had staked RSL to a 2-0 lead.
The May 6, 2018 meeting in Orlando was a wild 3-1 win for the Lions in which RSL missed multiple good scoring chances, hitting the woodwork and forcing Joe Bendik into some big saves. Dom Dwyer, Lamine Sané, and Yoshimar Yotún provided Orlando’s offense to offset Corey Baird’s early strike.
When the teams met in 2017 at Rio Tinto, Will Johnson provided all the offense against his old club in a 1-0 Orlando City victory. Johnson’s tally in the 17th minute was all Orlando City needed to take the first win of the series after two draws the previous two seasons.
In 2016, the teams played a memorable opening day match in which the Lions roared back with a frantic rally, as Cyle Larin and Adrian Winter pulled City level in a 2-2 draw at the Citrus Bowl. Joao Plata scored both RSL goals — one from the penalty spot — and RSL led 2-0 despite going down a man for 25 minutes, prior to Chris Penso evening things out by sending off Darwin Ceren.
Orlando drew 1-1 on the road in 2015 while down to 10 men after Kaká was sent off at the end of the first half. The captain opened the scoring. Sebastian Jaime found the equalizer in the 28th.
Match Overview
Orlando City enters on a poor run of form in a congested fixture schedule. The Lions lost 2-1 at home against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday, making it four games without a win in all competitions (0-2-2) and they haven’t won in MLS play in their last three (0-2-1). While the defense is leaking just one or two goals per game of late, the offense has been less tidy in finishing chances, which could be attributed to some players, including Antoine Griezmann, not getting much rest during this stretch of seven games in 22 days. Orlando is a pedestrian 4-4-2 at home this season and is winless in its last two home matches (0-1-1).
Real Salt Lake sits eighth in the Western Conference after going 0-3-3 in its last six league matches, including a 4-3 home loss to FC Dallas on Wednesday. But, oddly enough, that stretch of matches sandwiches a 2-0-1 run in Leagues Cup, and RSL advanced to the knockout rounds, where it will play Club Leon on Tuesday, so we may see some rotation, assuming the Utah-based club is going all in on trying to win Leagues Cup or at least one of the three coveted Concacaf Champions Cup spots. Tonight’s match will be RSL’s first on the road since Aug. 1, where the team is 1-5-3 in 2026 in league play.
Sergi Solans leads tonight’s opponents in goals (9) and goal contributions (12), with Diego Luna leading in assists (6) while adding five goals for 11 total goal contributions. The departure of Zavier Gozo and his six goals and five assists is a tough break for RSL, because beyond those three, 10 goals are spread across eight different players.
The Lions must rediscover their scoring boots for this game, as the Orlando defense pitches precious few shutouts, and if RSL plays its starters, either Solans, Luna, or both could do some damage on the other end.
The Lions will be without Braian Ojeda (foot), Martin Ojeda (thigh), and Bernardo Rhein (thigh), while Adrian Marin (thigh) is questionable, so left back may be an adventure, with Zakaria Taifi, Ivan Angulo, and David Brekalo as the leading candidates to play there, and all of them are right-footed. Real Salt Lake will be without Zach Booth (hamstring), Griffin Dillon (foot), Emeka Eneli (knee), Glad (adductor), and Ariath Piol (Achilles).
Match Content
- The most recent episode of the PawedCast includes our key matchups and score predictions for tonight’s match.
- David Rohe gave his three keys to an Orlando City victory in tonight’s match.
Official Lineups
Orlando City (4-4-2)
Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.
Defenders: Zakaria Taifi, Robin Jansson, David Brekalo, Griffin Dorsey.
Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Luis Otavio, Eduard Atuesta, Marco Pasalic.
Forwards: Tiago, Antoine Griezmann.
Bench: Javier Otero, Iago, Wilder Cartagena, Joran Gerbet, Gustavo Caraballo, Harvey Sarajian, Tyrese Spicer, Justin Ellis, Daryl Dike.
Real Salt Lake (5-4-1)
Goalkeeper: Mason Stajduhar.
Defenders: Alexandros Katranis, Sam Junqua, Juan Arias, Kobi Henry, Domink Marczuk.
Midfielders: Aiden Hezarkhan, Luca Moisa, Pablo Ruiz, Lineker Rodrigues.
Forward: Victor Olatunji.
Bench: Rafael Cabral, Juan Sanabria, Philip Quinton, Lukas Engel, Noel Caliskan, Colin Guske, Morgan Guilavogui, Saba Lobjanidze, Diego Luna.
Referees
REF: Fotis Bazakos.
AR1: Brian Dunn.
AR2: Jose Da Silva.
4TH: Marcos DeOliveira.
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic.
AVAR: TJ Zablocki.
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 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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Orlando City2 weeks agoOrlando City vs. Club Leon, Leagues Cup: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Blow Halftime Lead in Loss
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Orlando Pride1 week agoBarbra Banda Continues to Make Offers Scoreboard Can’t Refuse
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Orlando City1 week agoOrlando City vs. Atletico de San Luis: Five Takeaways
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Orlando Pride2 weeks agoOrlando Pride Sign Norwegian Forward Sanne Lekven
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Lion Links2 weeks agoLion Links: 8/12/26
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Orlando City2 weeks agoOrlando City vs. Atletico de San Luis, Leagues Cup: Final Score 2-2 (5-3) as Lions Blow Late Lead, Win Shootout
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Photo Galleries2 weeks agoOrlando City vs. Club León, Leagues Cup: Photo Gallery