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Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Blow Second-Half Lead

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If Orlando City is going to clinch a spot in the MLS Cup playoffs in 2022, it’s going to have to wait. The Lions (13-13-6, 45 points) coughed up a 1-0 second-half lead and lost 2-1 to New York City FC (15-11-7, 52 points) at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ. It was NYCFC’s first win at the venue in three “home” tries this year.

Alex Callens and Talles Magno erased the lead provided by Facundo Torres’ strike to lift the defending champions. The loss sinks a sharp dagger into Orlando’s chance to play a home postseason game (but doesn’t mathematically eliminate the possibility), clinches a home playoff match for the team with the worst home in MLS, and makes the final two games for the Lions more nervy than they needed to be.

“A very tight game for both teams who understand the situation and the implication of the results,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “I thought it was very (hard) fought. We were all working and trying to get the result. I thought we had the initiative on not just opening the scoring but just trying to keep up on the ambition to win the three points. At the point where we get unorganized on a couple plays where they tie the game and score the second one, we have a couple actions to tidy it up. And we couldn’t finish, but I thought the effort from the players was very good.”

Pareja’s lineup was nearly a fully first-choice group, with the exception of center back Robin Jansson (lower leg) still out despite two more weeks of rest and being listed as questionable. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese played behind a back line of Joao Moutinho, Rodrigo Schlegel, Antonio Carlos, and Ruan. Cesar Araujo returned to the lineup in central midfield with Junior Urso behind an attacking midfield line of Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Torres, with Ercan Kara up top.

The Lions got on the front foot first in the match with Pereyra getting a shot off in the third minute but he took too long to let the ball to settle first and Callens blocked his effort. Ruan came close to opening the scoring in the seventh minute off a long throw by Moutinho. The ball was cleared to Ruan at the top of the box and the fullback took his shot on the volley but it deflected wide off Callens, who made another block.

Schlegel did all he could to get onto the ensuing corner cross but could not put any power on his shot or place it where he wanted to as it bounced meekly wide.

The first NYCFC chance came in the 10th minute on a quick attack with Magno firing his shot just wide of the left post.

Two minutes later, the hosts thought they’d opened the scoring after a Ruan turnover started the counter. The ball was crossed from the left to Tayvon Gray on the right and his header ended up in the net but the flag went up immediately for Santiago Rodriguez, who either just got a touch on it or was judged to have been interfering by being in the goalkeeper’s vision. Video review confirmed the call on the pitch, but it was a close call.

Urso appeared to have a chance in the 21st minute on a good cross from Ruan but he smashed his shot right at Sean Johnson. The poor finish didn’t matter because Ruan was offside in the buildup.

Magno headed over off a good cross from Kevin O’Toole in the 24th minute on another good chance for New York City.

Torres tried to put Urso in behind in transition in the 29th minute with a good pass but the Brazilian missed the ball on his attempted first touch and by the time he caught back up to it, Johnson had come off his line to grab it.

The best buildup that led to a scoring chance in the half for either side came in first-half stoppage time. Carlos won the ball back with a good tackle in the middle of the pitch and the ball ended up with Torres, who played to Pereyra in the middle and then made a run. The captain sent a great through ball to Kara, who touched it on for Torres to run onto. The Uruguayan took a shot with his weaker right foot but a sliding Maxime Chanot got a piece of it to knock it into the outside netting.

The Lions couldn’t do anything with the ensuing corner kick or a long throw by Moutinho and the half ended scoreless.

New York City FC held the lead in possession (56.6%-43.4%) and passing accuracy (86.8%-80.8%), while Orlando had more shots (5-2) and corners (6-1). Neither side put a shot on target in a cagey first 45 minutes.

The Lions wasted no time jumping on top after the break. Kara got his head to a long throw-in by Araujo and flicked it into traffic in the box. Torres anticipated where the ball would land, got there first, and swept it into the back of the net in the 47th minute. It was Torres’ eighth goal and 17th goal contribution of his first MLS season and Kara’s third assist and 13th goal contribution.

“It’s definitely one of our set plays that we work on,” Torres said of the buildup to the goal. “Pretty much before every game with Josema (Bazan). We worked on it two days before the game. Thankfully, it worked out in our favor to where we were able to get a goal and a little bit of luck.”

NYCFC immediately went into hyperdrive, playing as quickly as possible and even getting frustrated when Orlando didn’t restart the game quickly enough. Gabriel Pereira went for glory from outside the box in the 49th minute and hit his shot pretty well, but it fizzed over the bar.

Urso tried from a similar distance a minute later but it was nowhere near the target. Kara came close to doubling the lead in the 60th minute when he took a pass from Pereyra in traffic, quickly turned his body, and fired a shot. It missed the net but not by much.

Substitute Keaton Parks smashed a shot from distance after a corner kick was cleared in the 61st minute and the ball dipped and bounced just in front of Gallese, who could only fight it off rather than catch it. Callens got to the rebound first but had to fire while turning and chipped his shot over the bar from a tight angle.

In the 64th minute, Gallese made his best save, coming out and blocking a shot by Rodriguez, who got in behind with a well-timed run. Schlegel did well to head the rebound out of harm’s way on a contested ball in the air. But two minutes later, the hosts equalized anyway.

Orlando City cleared the corner kick following Schlegel’s header off the Gallese save but NYCFC maintained possession outside the area. The Pigeons worked the ball across the top of the box and it took multiple bounces to stay in the area. Angulo tried to block it but Parks faked his shot and it got through him, then Carlos went for a clearance and missed it. Ultimately, it squirted to Magno on the left, who crossed in from the left past Gallese’s sliding attempt to block it. It fell in the six to Callens, who was left unmarked due to Carlos being too slow to recover after trying to clear. Callens was all alone in front and tapped it in for his third goal in as many games in all competitions, tying the game at 1-1 in the 66th minute.

The Lions weren’t content with the 1-1 scoreline and continued to press for a win. Urso had a shot blocked at the top of the area in the 70th minute and a beautiful curling cross was just out of substitute Tesho Akindele’s reach moments later on a run that got him in behind.

The game could have changed in the 79th minute. Torres got forward in transition and his shot was blocked by Chanot. Torres shouted for handball but it wasn’t off Chanot’s hand and the play continued. On an ensuing ball into the area, there was another shout for handball as it appeared Parks may have handled it but there was again no call made and when the ball went out for a goal kick at the other end, there didn’t seem to be a stop for a review. The home broadcast feed never reviewed the second play so I couldn’t say if it should have been a penalty but Pareja was adamant about it after the match, calling it a “clear handball” that wasn’t given.

“Obviously disappointed about the call,” Pareja said. “It was the thing that just kept us down right now. Not even a (VAR) check and that’s what frustrated us the most, but I don’t want to keep going on this. You saw it. Everybody saw it. It’s clear.”

A road point would still have helped Orlando City’s cause but that evaporated in the 81st minute. The Lions got caught too far forward in defense and New York City made them pay for it. Moutinho was high on the pitch helping to press but then the ball sprung in behind him to start the break. Schlegel tried to cut the transition chance off before it started but the ball got through him and Magno, who hadn’t scored in ages, carried down the right side of the box and placed a perfect shot inside the far post past Gallese to make it 2-1.

“A bad decision from us,” Pareja said about the play. “I think it’s a product of our ambition to go and win the game in that moment when the game was tied. And on that particular play that we should have delayed it and waited. But it was a very quick and fast play where the ambition of the two defenders that we had, Joao and Rodri, we could have delayed it. But they did an excellent job of just trying to be ahead as well, and push and press. And then this one, we just unfortunately just conceded that space. We could handle it different, obviously.”

Orlando struggled to maintain enough possession to create chances late in normal time and referee Joe Dickerson added only three minutes of stoppage time despite three goals, numerous substitutions by both teams, and a couple of knocks that delayed restarts. Whether Orlando would have done anything with more time is unknown, but that doesn’t mean three minutes was the appropriate time to give. It’s all immaterial at this point anyway.

NYCFC finished with more possession (57%-43%), passing accuracy (84.9%-80.9%), and shots on target (5-1), while both teams attempted 13 shots and Orlando won more corners (7-4).

“We’re hurting after that loss,” Torres said. “We arrived into the game with a lot of hope and goals to win this game and to put ourselves in a good position on the table, and we came away with a loss.” 

City can only get a home playoff match by winning out and having Charlotte take something from its final match at the New York Red Bulls on Decision Day. As the Lions have dropped three of their last four league matches, the focus has to just be on getting in at this point, and if it leads to hosting a game, so be it.

“We have been in this mode of must-win and games that are important in the last two months and a half, so it’s not strange for us to be in this mode of needing to win and get the points to qualify,” Pareja said. “We hope that these two days are enough to recover the group and face the next game on Wednesday in Miami, and we still have another one at home.”


Orlando City will close out the road portion of the regular-season on Wednesday with a quick turnaround against Inter Miami in Fort Lauderdale. That match obviously takes on much more importance after the Lions failed to bring any points home from today’s game.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/14/26

Lions shut out Toronto FC, Pride draws at Kansas City Current, OCB wins, and more.

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Image of Harvey Sarajian working past a Toronto FC II defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work, but I tried to catch some soccer games to watch over the weekend. Let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City forward Marco Pasalic, who turns 27 today. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Shut Out Toronto FC

Orlando City defeated Toronto FC 3-0 on Saturday at Inter.co Stadium, keeping a clean sheet and earning three vital points. Antoine Griezmann scored the opener just before halftime. Late in the second half, Harvey Sarajian and Ivan Angulo each scored for Orlando to close out the match. The Lions extended their unbeaten streak to five matches (4-0-1) and won their third straight. Next for Orlando City is a road match against the Columbus Crew in the semifinals of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, followed by a trip to Foxborough to face the New England Revolution on Saturday.

Daryl Dike Shares Insight on Soccer Journey and U.S Open Cup

Orlando City forward Daryl Dike was interviewed on the U.S. Soccer Podcast, where he shared insight into his soccer journey and the Lions’ upcoming U.S. Open Cup matchup against Columbus. Dike also discussed what it meant to represent Oklahoma, where he excelled with the OKC Energy FC youth program and was named the 2017-2018 Gatorade Oklahoma Boys Soccer Player of the Year. The 26-year-old also discussed his on-field success, his time at West Bromwich Albion dealing with multiple injuries, and why he decided to return to Orlando City. Dike concludes the interview by sharing what the Open Cup tournament means to him and more, as he looks forward to making his first appearance for the Lions in the competition on Wednesday.

Pride Blow Two-Goal Lead in Draw at Kansas City Current

The Orlando Pride could not hold onto a two-goal lead on the road and had to settle for a 2-2 draw against the Kansas City Current on Friday. Barbra Banda scored twice to give Orlando a 2-0 lead. However, Kansas City responded with goals from Temwa Chawinga and Elizabeth Ball in the second half to level the match, and both teams walked away with one point. That result means Orlando remains the only NWSL team to be undefeated at CPKC Stadium. The Pride will face the Portland Thorns at home on Saturday.

OCB Takes Step Toward Playoffs with Win vs. Toronto FC II

Orlando City B defeated Toronto FC II 3-1 on Sunday night at Osceola County Stadium. The Young Lions got off to a great start as Ignacio Gomez scored to give OCB the lead. Gustavo Caraballo doubled the Young Lions’ lead just before halftime. In the second half, Sarajian scored for the second straight night to extend OCB’s lead to 3-0. Toronto pulled one back late in the match from the penalty spot, but the Young Lions picked up a crucial three points and extended their winning streak to three consecutive matches. Issah Haruna had two assists in the game. The win improves OCB sits eighth in MLS NEXT Pro’s Eastern Conference with 44 points. The Young Lions will host Atlanta United 2 on Decision Day on Sunday.

Americans Abroad

Let’s catch up on Americans in action in Europe. Christian Pulisic made his first appearance of the season for AC Milan and recorded an assist in a 2-2 draw against Lazio on Saturday. Antonee Robinson played a full 90 minutes for Fulham in a scoreless draw against Liverpool. Sebastian Berhalter played a full 90 minutes and scored twice for Middlesbrough in a 4-3 win against Norwich City. Jack McGlynn scored his first goal in the EFL Championship for Stoke City in a 2-1 win against Watford.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City forward Yutaro Tsukada, who is on loan at Rhode Island FC in the USL Championship, scored a stellar bicycle kick in a 3-0 win against Sporting Club Jacksonville on Saturday. If you missed it, check it out below.
  • The Houston Dash have reportedly parted ways with head coach Fabrice Gautrat and technical director Twila Kilgore.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Five Takeaways

Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s 3-0 home win against the Reds.

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Image of Iago passing the ball against Toronto FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City picked up another critical three points at home on Saturday night, shrugging off two overturned calls from video review and continuing its march back into the playoff picture with a 3-0 victory. It was nervy for a while, but the defense held firm and the offense finally converted two late chances, and everyone in purple went home happy, just the way we like it.

Here are my five takeaways from the match.

Defensive Starters Bought All the Vowels

With the U.S. Open Cup semifinal coming up on Wednesday, Martín Perelman rotated the back line, dropping Iván Angulo from the wing to left back and bringing in Zakaria Taifi and Iago to replace Griffin Dorsey and Robin Jansson, respectively. David Brekalo kept his starting role in his normal right center back slot. Between Maxime Crépeau and the four starters on the back line, that group of five used all five vowels and went five for five on last names (Iago is a mononym, so we’ll call that a last name) ending in a vowel. The defenders played well for most of the game, getting a little lucky that Toronto blazed a few good chances off target or off the woodwork but holding their own for the most part. In the end, they pitched a shutout (the number zero looks a lot like the vowel “o,” am I right?) — their second in the last three games.

Z to A Works, Too

Orlando City’s opening goal came on a beautiful play between Zakaria Taifi and Antoine Griezmann, as the French attacker signaled to the young defender that he was making a run into the box and Taifi then delivered a perfectly placed cross to Griezmann, who finished it with style off the underside of the crossbar and into the back of the net. Griezmann is a savant on the field, drawing the best out of all his teammates, and while Taifi played a perfect pass, the whole play was set up by Griezmann, as he essentially cut backdoor while calling for an alley-oop, and then hammered in soccer’s version of a dunk to finish the play and put the Lions in the lead.

Harvey Pulled a Rabbit Out of His Hat

The Lions held the lead for the first 35 minutes of the second half, but Toronto actually took the lead on the expected goals tracking early in the second half and came close to tying the game several times. Perelman used his final sub in the 80th minute, sending on Harvey Sarajian. Just two minutes later, Sarajian doubled Orlando City’s lead through an incredible individual effort. The rookie attacker leapt high in the air to bring a ball down, lost control of it briefly but sprinted to get it back, blew through two Toronto defenders like a bull in a china shop to get a pass to Daryl Dike, and then kept going towards goal. Dike gave Sarajian a return pass, and the rookie rewarded the striker with an assist, scoring his first MLS goal by placing his shot into the far corner. The Wake Forest product celebrated his goal with a backflip that would have made former Lions Dom Dwyer and Duncan McGuire proud, and that goal finally gave the Lions some breathing room.

Ellis Changed the Game

For the first time since he joined Orlando, Griezmann was actually subbed off during a game, but unfortunately for Toronto, he came off for Justin Ellis. The well-rested Ellis absolutely bossed the game during his 20-minute shift. The young American was in complete control throughout, playing slicing balls through gaps in the Toronto defense and taking the ball wherever he wanted to take it when he decided to dribble. He had one assist and probably should have had more, and he also had 10 progressive plays (six passes and four carries) during his short stint on the field. It is not a coincidence that the Lions were +2 during his time on the field. Toronto’s defenders looked sapped from the hot Florida night, and Ellis came on fresh and made play after play, helping Orlando City to secure all three points in the final minutes of the game.

Well-Rested for the U.S. Open Cup

The ABCs of Angulo, Brekalo, and Crépeau played the full 90 against Toronto (I am not sure if Angulo is human — he was still running at his top speed when he scored his goal in stoppage time). But among the likely starters for the Lions in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal, they were the only three to do so. Eduard Atuesta, Dorsey, and Jansson did not feature, Ellis played 20 minutes, Bernardo Rhein played 26 minutes, Gerbet 45 minutes, Ojeda 64 minutes, and Griezmann 70. It was a gamble to try to rotate while still in the thick of a playoff race, but the players who started instead of the usual starters delivered, and now the Lions will be positioned about as well as they could be for a midweek road game for a spot in a cup final.


Those are my takeaways from Orlando City’s 3-0 home win against Toronto. The Lions have picked up 13 points from their last five games, and join the Philadelphia Union as one of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference. They will head to Columbus for the U.S. Open Cup semifinal on Wednesday, and if they can extend their hot streak into that tournament and get a win on the road, they will host the championship game on Oct. 21.

Let us know your thoughts about the Toronto match in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Final Score 3-0 as Lions Keep Rolling

The Lions are unbeaten in five games after a win over previously red-hot Toronto.

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Image of Harvey Sarajian celebrating his goal with Zakaria Taifi.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City and Toronto FC battled in a match of two of the hottest teams in MLS at Inter.co Stadium, with the lads in purple coming out on top 3-0 in a game that was both closer than the final score indicated and one that the Lions could have won by a wider margin. Antoine Griezmann gave the Lions (10-11-4, 34 points) a 1-0 lead just before the break, with Harvey Sarajian and Ivan Angulo adding late goals to put it away.

The win extended Orlando City’s winning streak to three games and its unbeaten run to five games (4-0-1). Toronto (6-8-11, 29 points) saw a seven-match unbeaten run end tonight against one of the teams it’s chasing for an MLS playoff spot.

“It was a tough game, but I think the team did a good effort, a huge effort,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said after the game. “The guys jumped into the field and they fight. We had moments and difficulties during the game, but we were able to solve it and win at home, which is very important for us.”

Perelman’s lineup featured little rotation with Maxime Crepeau in goal behind a back line of Angulo, Iago, David Brekalo, and Zakaria Taifi. Luis Otavio joined Joran Gerbet in central midfield between wingers Tyrese Spicer and Marco Pasalic with Griezmann and Martin Ojeda up top.

After a cagey opening 10 minutes, Spicer got the game’s first look at goal, blasting a shot just over the crossbar in the 12th minute. Toronto then went the other way and Josh Sargent headed over a minute later.

Derrick Etienne Jr. smashed a shot from the left moments later but Crepeau fought it off with a kick save in the 14th minute.

Griezmann got his first look at goal in the 15th minute when a ball ricocheted to his feet on the left. He fired quickly, but Luka Gavran made the save. The set piece deflected out of the area to Taifi, who tried to shoot with his first touch but sent it far from the target.

Otavio conceded a free kick in the 20th minute near the left corner of the box, but Niklas Dorsch sent a one-hopper right at Crepeau on the set piece.

The Lions thought they’d taken the lead in the 32nd minute when Griezmann’s set piece delivery was headed into the Toronto net by defender Walker Zimmerman. Instead of an own goal, Jon Freemon went to the monitor and determined Otavio was offside and interfering with Zimmerman on the play.

Toronto nearly broke the deadlock five minutes later with a slick passing move that ended up with Derrick Etienne Jr. behind the defense, but the Toronto forward sent his shot just wide of the right post. Theo Corbeanu fired wide in the 40th minute off a transition attempt as Toronto continued to look dangerous.

Griezmann struck in the first minute of added time at the end of the half. With the ball out wide on Taifi’s foot, Griezmann started a run at the top of the box, pointing out where he wanted the young fullback to deliver it. Taifi delivered it to the perfect spot and Griezmann made a lunging poke at it and sent it past Gavran and into the net. For Griezmann, it was his fifth straight game with a goal, tying an overall club record set by Dom Dwyer across two seasons and established a new club record for consecutive games with a goal in a single season.

“I mean, now that I think about it, it’s kind of like stuff I dreamed of as a kid,” Taifi said of his assist. “You know, it’s Griezmann. I’ve watched him for my whole life. In warmups and training, I always practice that ball with him, because I know he just likes to fly and get his foot, get his head on the ball, and I know he’s going to be there. At first, I saw no one was in there, so I hesitated, and then I took another touch. I see him making the run, and then I just put it in there because I knew he was going to get it.”

As stoppage time wound down, Ojeda got to a ball in the Toronto box and went down after contact with Gavran. Freemon pointed to the spot immediately but then went to the monitor. Gavran had touched the ball prior to contact with Ojeda so the penalty and yellow card to Gavran were wiped out. That was it for the half.

At the break, Orlando held the advantage in possession (58.5%-41.5%), passing accuracy (87.8%-82.7%), and corners (3-2), while Toronto attempted more shots (6-4). Both teams put two shots on target in the opening period.

Perelman made one change at halftime, sending Wilder Cartagena on for Gerbet.

Toronto looked to get the goal back immediately, with Markus Cimermancic forcing Crepeau into a big save just after the restart.

The Reds could do nothing with their ensuing corner to end the threat. The visitors created another moments later with a good switch of play from left to right for Etienne, who fired wide with Crepeau out of position after the goalkeeper dove to try to get a hand to the cross. Sargent then fired over the bar in the 52nd minute on a Toronto 3-v-2 break.

The Lions finally got their first look at goal of the second half in the 56th minute. Ojeda shook free just outside the box and fired but sent his effort straight at Gavran.

Dorsch stole the ball from a lackadaisaical Otavio in the 63rd minute but fired over the bar. The play earned Otavio a tongue lashing from Crepeau after the miss.

Perelman sent Daryl Dike and Bernardo Rhein on for Ojeda and Spicer a minte later.Podcasts

In the 71st minute, the Lions worked a well-worked attack from second-half sub Justin Ellis turned Angulo loose down the left. Angulo sent a good cross in front for a tap-in, but Dike couldn’t set his feet and missed the opportunity. Eight minutes later, Pasalic sent a pass through a defender’s legs to send Angulo down the left, but Gavran made a huge save to keep the game at 1-0.

Three minutes later, the Lions doubled their lead. Sarajian, who came off the bench for Pasalic in the 80th minute, kept a play alive by winning a couple of challenges, then gave the ball to Dike. The big striker gave it back to Sarajian on the right and the rookie slipped his first MLS goal past Gavran inside the left post in the 82nd minute.

“It’s a surreal moment for me,” Sarajian said. “It’s been a long time, me playing with the second team and grinding out there, getting a chance to play with the first team. So, I’m super grateful for Dike’s pass, but I’ve just got to keep working to get a couple more.”

Four minutes after the goal, Gavran made a huge stop to deny a rocket from Cartagena. Toronto then went the other way and Daniel Salloi headed off the crossbar but the play was offside anyway.

Sargent blasted a shot from the top of the area off the crossbar in the third minute of stoppage time as Toronto looked for a way back into the game. A minute later, the Lions survived a dangerous sequence in their own end with a block from Brekalo, a save from Crepeau, and another block from Iago to preserve the 2-0 lead.

Orlando put the game to bed just seconds into the sixth minute of stoppage time. Sarajian found Ellis and the young forward set up Angulo, who finished past Gavran to make it 3-0. It was Angulo’s second straight game with a goal — the first such streak in his Orlando City career .

Moments later, the final whistle blew.

Orlando finished the match with the edge in possession (54.8%-45.2%), shots on target (8-4), corners (4-3), and passing accuracy (85.8%-85.6%). Toronto finished with more shot attempts (18-13).

“Every player is very important for us,” Perelman said about the way his younger players stepped up and filled in tonight. “I think in this locker room, in this roster, every player that we have is ready. I respect the players because they do a huge effort giving everything for their teammates.”


Orlando City is back in action Wednesday night with a U.S. Open Cup semifinal match on the road against the Columbus Crew. The next league game will be a week from tonight when the Lions visit the New England Revolution.

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