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Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Qualify for MLS Cup Playoffs with Win

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4 years ago

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Facundo Torres’ second-half penalty kick goal snapped a 1-1 draw and lifted Orlando City to a 2-1 home win over the Columbus Crew at Exploria Stadium on Decision Day. With the victory, the Lions (14-14-6, 48 points) qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs while knocking the Columbus Crew (10-8-16, 46 points) out of postseason contention.

Junior Urso pulled the Lions back into the game after Derrick Etienne’s first-half goal had put the Crew on top to start the comeback and Orlando finished above .500 at home (9-8-0) after a difficult season at Exploria Stadium.

“Very happy and very proud of the club, of the community who had put Orlando City on the map of MLS as a protagonist, and a community, a club, who wants to fight for things,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “We feel great, and obviously with a big responsiblity to continue, but it’s a great day for us. We overcome, that’s the culture of us — probably too much, but we’re enjoying it. It’s a very difficult game today with all the circumstances around it but the boys found a way to qualify and it’s a big thing for us.”

Pareja’s starting lineup included Pedro Gallese in goal behind a makeshift back line of Joao Moutinho, Rodrigo Schlegel, Kyle Smith, and Ruan. Cesar Araujo started in central midfield with Mauricio Pereyra playing his deep-lying playmaker role behind an attacking midfield line of Ivan Angulo, Junior Urso, and Facundo Torres, with Ercan Kara up top.

The Lions plodded through the opening 45 minutes, playing cautiously but offering very little bite in the attack. There were far too many attempts to play the most difficult pass available in transition and Columbus did well to limit space.

Despite that, Orlando had the first look at goal with Schlegel popping a weak header well over the bar seven minutes in. Ruan was chopped down by Pedro Santos in transition two minutes later and the Crew fullback was booked for it but the Lions did nothing with the set piece.

Urso tried a shot from distance in the 11th minute but it was deflected and fell easily in for Eloy Room to collect.

After that, the Crew started to settle into the game and keep possession. The Lions did pretty well to limit clear-cut opportunities but only Columbus seemed likely to score for the rest of the half.

Cucho Hernandez headed just barely over the bar in the 14th minute after Ruan gave Etienne too much space on the flank to get a cross in. It was a lazy first half throughout by the Brazilian and his casual jog back on the switch of play allowed Etienne to easily collect it and get into position to send in a dangerous ball.

In the 22nd, Ruan was called for his second (incidental) handball in as many games, giving the Crew a set piece on the left. The visitors played it short and nothing came of it.

Gallese made a huge save in the 35th minute on Hernandez, who shot from the top of the area and picked out a spot just inside the left post. Gallese got there just in time to knock it off the post and keep it out.

Columbus broke through in the 38th minute and it was Ruan in the middle of things again. Lucas Zelarayan gathered a crowd of defenders in the top of the box and Ruan was negligent in letting Etienne get inside to run onto a backheel pass, slotting it inside the far post to make it 1-0. Ruan could perhaps have stretched out to try to block the shot but instead Etienne’s look at goal was unimpeded.

Etienne hurt himself on the play and had to be replaced by former Lion Kevin Molino.

Predictably, Orlando came out of its defensive shell after the goal and looked to push forward but presented no danger in the closing moments of the first half. Kara should have won a free kick just outside the box in stoppage time but instead referee Alex Chilowicz called the Austrian for the foul. I watched the replay three times on my monitor and didn’t see him do anything that warranted a whistle.

Columbus held a slight edge in possession (50.9%-49.1%) and passed slightly more accurately (88.6%-88.3%), but the visitors had more shots (7-3), shot on target (3-1), and corners (3-0).

“We felt the first half that we had low energy,” Pareja said. “Not that we didn’t want it, but they were playing us, especially in the middle, just putting a lot of numbers there that we couldn’t resolve. Junior and Mauricio were running way too much. And then the times that we possessed the ball we were turning it (over) very quick as well. But the key in the second half when we spoke was just to be patient. Trust in us. Trust in your teammates. I saw them with energy there. It was not on the field but the energy was within us.”

“When the first half was over we were in the locker room and Oscar tried to push us,” Urso said. “That moment we were out of the playoffs so we tried to do our best to turn the game to put us inside again.”

The Lions were much better after the break, especially Urso. Pareja moved the team out of a double pivot and played Urso, Araujo, and Pereyra as a three-man midfield and it allowed the Lions to get more involved. Orlando was also able to win the ball further up the pitch as a result.

Pereyra nearly sent Kara in behind in the 51st minute but he hit the pass too hard. But the captain found his assist a few minutes later. Pereyra sent a pass to Urso at the top of the area and the Brazilian made a fantastic turn to beat his defender, then slotted his shot inside the post to tie the game at 1-1 in the 56th minute.

“In the moment of the goal, when Mauricio gave me the ball, I saw the defender was coming at my back,” Urso said. “So I just thought about the turn and tried not to put power on the shot, just to put it on the side and it was amazing. I try many times in training — I don’t know if you guys are there to see — there Mason (Stajduhar) stops my goals but this keeper, he don’t know me, so it was good. I’m happy.”

Two minutes later, the Lions should have had a free kick in a decent area outside the box when there was a handball but Chilowicz didn’t see it and the Crew broke the other way. The Lions were eventually able to snuff out the transition opportunity but Araujo was booked for a professional foul on the play.

Gallese did well to parry a Hernandez shot out of play in the 62nd minute and the Lions survived the set piece and a free kick conceded just outside the box by Schlegel.

Torres had been quiet in the match until the 80th minute, when he took a pass near the left corner of the box and fired a shot that forced a good save from Room to deny. On the ensuing corner kick, Torres sent an outswinger across the box and Schlegel headed back across to the front of the goal. Second-half sub Benji Michel chested the ball down and took his shot on the volley and it hit the outstretched arms of Crew defender Milos Degenek.

Although Chilowicz did not make a call initially, he ended up taking a look at the video monitor. The penalty was clear and obvious and Degenek was booked.

Torres immediately stepped up and he slammed his shot high to the right, over Room, who guessed correctly and appeared to be off his line early anyway. The Lions led 2-1 in the 84th minute. It was Torres’ ninth goal of the MLS season.

“When the penalty happened it was pretty much decided that I was going to take it,” Torres said through a club interpeter. “So the first thing I thought was, ‘Where am I going to put this ball?’ And then I just made sure I was focusing and concentrating on getting ready to take it and thankfully everything worked out.”

There was still a lot to do for Orlando to close out the match, and Zelarayan forced a good save from the Gallese in the 86th. Pareja subbed liberally down the stretch to get fresh legs on the pitch and Columbus wasn’t able to get into position for a clear-cut chance. The Crew’s best chance to equalize came in the 96th minute when Gallese made a good save to keep out another shot from Zelarayan.

The Lions saw out the remaining time and found themselves in the postseason for the third straight year — all three seasons since Pareja took over. They also managed to avoid missing the postseason after winning a trophy like the Seattle Sounders did.

Columbus finished with more possession (54.4%-45.6%), shots (13-8), shots on target (6-4), corners (7-3), and passing accuracy (89.6%-86.8%). But it was Orlando’s goalkeeping and shot placement that made the difference. Gallese finished with five saves.

“We spoke (at halftime) about being very strong in the first 15 minutes and just throw what we have in the second half, and the response was going to bring us more energy. And I thought that was what happened,” Pareja said. “So, I’m very proud of these guys. They showed us one more time the character that they have. And then the end of the game was a typical Orlando City game. We would like to suffer less but this is where we are today.”

Orlando City will play CF Montreal in the first round of the 2022 MLS Cup playoffs. The Lions split the season series with Montreal, with each team winning at home.

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Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Five Takeaways

Here’s what we learned from Orlando City’s 3-3 draw with Toronto FC.

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1 hour ago

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October 15, 2026

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Image of Ivan Angulo racing up the field with the ball against Toronto.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City traveled to Canada for an important Eastern Conference match against Toronto FC. The Lions kept the offensive production from last match going but were also their typical porous selves on defense, drawing 3-3 with Toronto. It was another wild back-and-forth match for the Lions. Here are my five takeaways from the match.

Soccer Pitch or Hockey Rink?

I lost count of how many times players slipped on the pitch Wednesday night. There were definitely more Orlando City players sliding around than Toronto players. If Harvey Sarajian had not slipped in the box, he may have been able to beat the keeper to the ball and put a shot on goal. Martin Ojeda fell when he slowed down to receive a pass on a counterattack, giving the ball back to Toronto. There were a dozen more in just the first 20 minutes of the match. It wasn’t just in the offensive half either. Defenders were unintentionally going to ground as well.

What’s a Right Back?

Theoretically, Ivan Angulo started at right back. Of course, he ranged up and down the pitch working into the attack. If Toronto countered, it was Eduard Atuesta that covered the position. Atuesta has difficulty on defense in the midfield on occasion, and is most definitely not a fullback. It was Atuesta that had to defend Lewis Morgan when he came into the box on an early cross by Toronto. I’m certain you can guess how effective he was, given Morgan easily headed the ball into the right side of the goal to give Toronto the first-half lead. Angulo also contributed a boneheaded play that gave Toronto its second goal. He tried a back pass that Niklas Dorsch pounced on. Theo Corbeanu eventually scored to give the Reds their second lead of the match. Finally, Angulo was too passive in the 90th minute at the back post, so when a rebound from Djordje Mihailovic’s shot deflected that way, Matheus Pereira stepped past Angulo and tied the game late.

A Hand(ball) Up, A Record Broken

I assume that Toronto felt bad for Orlando City in the first half. The Lions held a massive advantage in possession but had barely sniffed a shot on goal. In the 45th minute, Pereira stuck his arm out on a bouncing cross and the ball hit it, giving Orlando City a penalty. Ojeda stepped up, hesitated, and then buried the ball in the bottom left corner past Luka Gavran. The goal was Ojeda’s 48th for Orlando City making him the club’s all-time leading scorer across all competitions, surpassing the previous mark of 47 goals that had been held by Facundo Torres.

Griezmann Pounces

Antoine Griezmann is a very smart soccer player. As such, he conserves his energy and puts himself in good positions to make impactful plays. He did so again when Orlando City needed it the most. Ojeda put a free kick into the box in the second half that the defense deflected to Orlando’s attacking right, where it eventually ended up where Iago could head it over to a wide-open and onside Griezmann, who calmly equalized for Orlando City. Griezmann now has goal contributions in nine consecutive MLS matches.

Cardiac Cats Giveth and Taketh

Following Griezmann’s goal, the Cardiac Cats showed up, scoring a third goal to give the Orlando City the lead for the first time in the match. Angulo took a pass from Griezmann and then sent it back toward the Frenchman in the box, Griezmann dummied the ball, which ended up with Daryl Dike, who finally got another goal for Orlando City. It’s been a while coming for the big man, and the timing was perfect. Unfortunately, the Cardiac Cats stayed on the field and gave up the equalizer in the 89th minute. Some draws feel good, but this one feels like a lost opportunity on the road.

Those are my takeaways from Orlando City’s draw with Toronto FC. The Lions play again Saturday at home against D.C. United in the third of three matches in an eight-day span. Let us know your thoughts about the Toronto match in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 10/15/26

Orlando City concedes late in draw with Toronto FC, Justin Ellis earns praise, U.S. Soccer announces Crest Cup for women’s soccer, and more.

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5 hours ago

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October 15, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann and Justin Ellis celebrating a goal against Real Salt Lake.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How are you feeling after last night’s Orlando City game? I don’t think my thoughts have ever been as mixed, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles at times when supporting the Cardiac Cats. It could’ve gone worse though, and being able to watch Antoine Griezmann work his magic is always a treat. Today marks nine years since Kaká’s final game with Orlando City, and I’ve loved being able to see world class players like him, Griezmann, Nani, and more over the years in Orlando. Let’s get to the links.

Lions Blow Lead Late in Dramatic Draw

Orlando City went on the road to Canada and played to a 3-3 draw against Toronto FC in a rollercoaster of a match. The Lions clawed their way back to equalize twice and managed to take the lead late in the match, but couldn’t close things out despite another solid performance by goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau behind a leaky defense. Make sure to check out our match recap of what was an exciting, yet frustrating, match that at least featured a couple of great Orlando goals.

Justin Ellis Earns Praise During Breakout Season

The Athletic‘s Tom Bogert ranked his top 22 MLS players under the age of 22 and Orlando City forward Justin Ellis ranked eighth on his list. The 19-year-old has 10 assists and a goal to his name this season, thriving in the attack with an intriguing combination of creativity, strength, and positioning. He’s also already scored for the United States Men’s National Team, doing so in Orlando last month against Peru. Bogert predictably has Philadelphia Union phenom Cavan Sullivan at the top of his list and Julian Hall in second. We’ll see if Ellis lands a bit higher than eighth when the annual MLS 22 Under 22 list is unveiled later this year.

U.S. Soccer Announces Crest Cup

A new club tournament is coming to women’s soccer. U.S. Soccer announced the Arthur M. Blank Crest Cup for women’s soccer teams across the country to compete against each other in a single-elimination format. Official details such as when this will take place and which teams will be allowed to participate haven’t been unveiled at this point, but it does seem like it will at least include teams from both the NWSL and USL Super League. The winner of the Crest Cup will receive $1.1 million and qualify for the Concacaf W Champions Cup. Toothpaste jokes aside regarding the name, I’m excited for a tournament that puts a spotlight on more women’s soccer teams.

Takeaways From USWNT Friendlies

The United States Women’s National Team may not have beaten Spain in either of its two friendlies against the European powerhouse, but it at least finished strong by rallying to a 2-2 draw in the second meeting. Not many of the problems the USWNT faced were unexpected either. Naomi Girma’s absence was felt on defense, neither Claudia Dickey nor Phallon Tullis-Joyce emerged as the clear starter in goal, and the midfield looked suboptimal against the best team in the world. Head Coach Emma Hayes has multiple decisions to make before the Women’s World Cup next summer, with the USWNT’s next match coming on Nov. 27 against El Salvador in the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinals.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The UEFA Champions League returned this week and there were plenty of good games across Europe. In one of the bigger matchups of this round, Paris Saint-Germain went to England and beat Manchester City 4-2 to move to the top of the table. Elsewhere, Real Madrid mounted a late comeback to beat AS Roma 4-3 in Italy, Bradley Barcola scored a hat trick in Liverpool’s 6-3 win over LAK Linz, and Bodo/Glimt won 1-0 in Norway against Borussia Dortmund. The teams will play again on Tuesday and Wednesday, with PSG going up against Barcelona and Bayern Munich hosting Arsenal as two of the heavyweight showdowns.

Free Kicks

  • Congratulations to Orlando Pride newlyweds Rafaelle and Hailie Mace on tying the knot!

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Final Score 3-3 as Road Defense Again an Issue for OCSC

The Lions came from behind twice and eventually led late but conceded even later to drop two vital points north of the border.

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13 hours ago

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October 14, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann playing the ball against Toronto FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City improbably came back from a pair of deficits to take a late 3-2 lead against Toronto FC tonight. But the porous defense again showed up at an inopportune time, allowing the hosts to pull a goal back and force a 3-3 draw at BMO field in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. All three Toronto goals were either scored on Orlando’s defensive right or originated with a turnover there as the Lions again were without Griffin Dorsey, creating issues for Orlando (11-13-5, 38 points) and joy for Toronto (7-10-12, 33 points).

Ivan Angulo and Eduard Atuesta swapped roles back and forth all night as City played its positionless, fluid style, and it was a defensive catastrophe again, with Orlando now conceding 11 goals in its last three away matches. Atuesta failed to mark the only man near him on the first goal, Angulo did the same on the third, and Angulo’s defensive third turnover started the counter that led to the second.

On the other end, Martin Ojeda scored from the spot, Antoine Griezmann equalized the game at 2-2 late, and Daryl Dike scored what looked like a game-winner in a substitute appearance. But Matheus Pereira’s late goal let two valuable points slip out of Orlando’s hands. Lewis Morgan and Theo Corbeanu also scored for the Reds.

“I think at the end of the day, we conceded goals that cost us too much,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said after the match. “Unforced mistakes, maybe. We need to improve there.”

Perelman’s lineup had to be adjusted as Robin Jansson picked up a knock and Justin Ellis picked up an illness late in the week. Goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau started behind a back line of Vinicius Nogueira, Iago, David Brekalo, and Angulo. Defensive midfielders Wilder Cartagena, Luis Otavio, and Atuesta joined Harvey Sarajian in the midfield behind attackers Martin Ojeda and Antoine Griezmann.

Orlando started brightly but couldn’t create anything despite having some good forays into the attacking third. Angulo won a corner when his cross was blocked behind in the second minute. The hosts knocked down the cross, which fell to Nogueira, but he hit his shot poorly and it was well off target.

After overcooking a couple of long balls that would have seen Nogueira and Sarajian get down the left flank, Orlando reverted to its usual, sloppy road self.

The first warning sign came in the eighth minute, when Cartagena’s turnover led to a Josh Sargent break. Sargent faked a right-footed shot, stepped left past a sliding Cartagena and Iago, and fizzed a shot just wide of the left post.

Griezmann nearly put Sarajian in a minute later. Sarajian raced to get past Richie Laryea and beat the defender to the outside, but Laryea got a toe on the ball just before Sarajian could get onto it, knocking it into space in front of goal with Luka Gavran out of position, but no one in a gold jersey was near it and Toronto cleared the danger.

Daniel Salloi flicked a header past Crepeau and into the net in the 14th minute, but he was a couple of steps offside. Two minutes later, Nogueira gave Corbeanu far too much space. The Toronto winger cut inside from the right side and fired a shot that Crepeau parried wide for a corner. Orlando managed to clear and tried to counter, but Ojeda slipped on the turf and the transition chance evaporated.

Morgan found himself in far too much space in the Orlando box in the 19th minute but didn’t make good contact on his shot, sending a soft one to Crepeau. Morgan made up for it eight minutes later by opening the scoring. Griezmann got dispossessed in traffic in his defensive third and the ball was knocked out to Corbeanu on the right flank. Nogueira couldn’t block the cross in and Atuesta seemed oblivious to the only player anywhere near him as Morgan nodded it inside the right post to make it 1-0 in the 27th minute.

Orlando seemed to have no real idea how to work the ball through Toronto’s defensive shape, often passing backward through traffic after breaking a line of pressure. The Lions won a set piece late in the half and again the hosts knocked it down. Iago got to it first at the top of the six on the right side but sent his spinning shot attempt high over the goal from close range.

The Lions took the ball away in the attacking third a minute later and Griezmann picked out Ojeda in the box, but the Argentine either tried to flick it on goal or to find Angulo on the right. Either way, he muffed the opportunity, sending it out of play wide of the right post.

With Orlando struggling to create, the hosts helped the Lions out as the end of the half approached. A harmless ball into the box from the left took a high bounce and hit Matheus Pereira on the arm. The referee spotted it and pointed to the spot, awarding a penalty.

Ojeda’s shot didn’t fool Gavran but he placed it so well that it slipped inside the right post to make it 1-1 just seconds into stoppage time.

The goal was his 48th across all competitions, which made Ojeda the club’s all-time leading goal scorer, passing Facundo Torres.

Despite Orlando seemingly not having a clear vision of how to attack Toronto, the halftime stats were mostly even. The Lions had more possession (58.6%-41.4%) but much of that was just passing back and forth around the back, then losing possession when approaching the final third. Orlando City also held the advantage in passing accuracy (86.3%-76.1%), while Toronto put more shots on frame (3-1). Both teams attempted five shots and earned one corner in the opening period.

Seconds after the restart, Toronto got a gift of its own, but it didn’t pay off. Otavio cleanly cut in front of Sargent to knock the ball away, but referee Armando Villarreal called a foul after Sargent’s momentum carried him over top of the Brazilian midfielder. Alonso Coello’s shot deflected wide, turning into a corner. Iago cleared the corner cross but Toronto recycled it back into the area, where Sargent got his head to it but it skipped off the side and went out of play for a goal kick.

Toronto restored its lead two minutes later anyway. Angulo gave the ball away in his own third with a soft pass intended for Iago to give the hosts a quick counterattack. Niklas Dorsch easily got to the wayward pass first and got in behind Iago, but Crepeau made a huge save on the initial shot. The ball caromed toward the right post. Nogueira was slower to react than Corbeanu, who slipped it under the Brazilian’s foot and in to make it 2-1 in the 49th minute.

Just moments after the goal, Angulo failed to control a ball under pressure and gave up an unnecessary corner, but the Lions fended it off. He gave the ball away again in the 58th minute in his own end and Toronto broke quickly, sending it out to the right to Cobreanu. The winger had two runners in the area and both were open, but he overcooked his cross, which sailed beyond his teammates and out for a goal kick.

While his “fullback” work was suspect all night, Angulo was good in the attacking half. He made an incisive run into the box through several Toronto defenders in the 60th minute, but his shot was partially blocked and bounced harmlessly to Gavran.

Orlando escaped in the 66th minute when Benjamín Kuscevic fired off the right post and Coello missed the target on the rebound. Coello then got booked for a hard challenge on Otavio, providing a stoppage for Dike to enter the match for Sarajian.

Orlando won a few corner kicks in quick succession moments later, but although the ball pinged around dangerously a few times, they couldn’t pay them off. The best chance came on the third of those, with Griezmann picking out Iago near the penalty spot. The Brazilian turned and tried to head his shot on target but missed badly wide to the right on a difficult attempt.

Kuscevic picked up a yellow card moments later for pulling back Dike in space, setting up a free kick from distance. The ensuing set piece shouldn’t have worked but somehow it did. Ojeda’s long-range free kick delivery was low and Sargent should have had an easy clearance, but it came off the side of his foot and skipped to the right side of the area, where Iago headed it back the other way. Griezmann was wide open on the left and fired his shot past Gavran to make it 2-2 in the 77th minute.

Griezmann extended his streak to nine games with a goal contribution and scored his 10th MLS goal in just 13 games.

Toronto quickly got back on the front foot, winning a corner at the other end. Crepeau made a vital save on Kuscevic’s header on the set play as Nogueira couldn’t prevent the shot, which went through traffic and ended up in the goalkeeper’s midsection, with the Canadian doing well not to spill it. Two minutes later, the Lions took the lead.

Griezmann orchestrated the goal by sending it wide to Angulo on the left. Angulo sent in a return pass that Griezmann allowed to go through his legs to Dike behind him. The big striker smashed his shot inside the right post to put Orlando up 3-2 in the 83rd minute.

“I think, you know, we have a whole bunch of smart players on the team, and I kind of always tell myself that no matter what, when the ball’s on the side, I’m going to be in the box,” Dike said. “And you know, some clever play from Grizi, and then, yeah, a good little finish. I’m happy about it.”

With Zakaria Taifi on the bench and available substitution slots remaining, it’s curious that a defense-for-offense swap wasn’t made after Dike’s goal, giving Orlando fresh legs and a more natural right back on the pitch, especially with Angulo playing long minutes on short rest, but it was a contributing factor in the outcome, especially considering Taifi subbed on for Atuesta after Toronto equalized.

Just when it looked like the Lions might get a rare 2026 road win, things fell apart. Substitute Djordje Mihailovic was left in too much space on the right, just outside the area. He smashed a shot toward goal as three defenders tried to converge, and the ball appeared to take a slight deflection toward the right. Crepeau dove at full stretch and palmed it away, but Pereira stepped past an inattentive Angulo on the back side and put the rebound into an empty net to tie the game at 3-3 in the 90th minute.

In fact, the Reds nearly scored a winner before Taifi entered the match. Angulo couldn’t stay with Derrick Etienne Jr. in the second minute of stoppage time and he sent a dangerous cross toward the top of the six. Crepeau dove off his line and got a hand to it but couldn’t control it. Mihailovic arrived first and tried to chip the Canadian goalkeeper, but he sent the effort wide of the left post.

Taifi finally came on for Atuesta two minutes later, pushing Angulo into the midfield.

“Everybody knows we are missing some players, and then we try to find solutions,” Perelman said. “We have players like Ivan (Angulo), like Edu (Atuesta), who are very generous, and they fight. They give everything on the field. I think they did a good job, and then of course we conceded some goals. As well we score, and we tie. That’s it. We can’t go back. So now we look forward. This is still long. Only a couple of games missing, but it’s a long season. We know how to go through it. We know where we come from. We know where we’re going. That’s it.”

The rest of stoppage time was largely uneventful with each team failing to capitalize on a long-range free kick, but Kuscevic put a scare into the Lions with a shot from inside the box that he sent wide to the left in the seventh added minute.

At full time, Orlando City held the advantage in possession (55.7%-44.3%) and passing accuracy (85.2%-75.5%), but Toronto attempted more shots (16-15) and put far more on target (8-3). Each team won five corners in the game.

“It was a point. It’s not what we wanted, because we came here to win,” Perelman said. “Things to improve, like always. But at the same time, great effort from the players, personality to play here. I think the effort was there, the performance as well, and that’s it. That’s a point on the road. Now we continue in our journey until the end.”

“A little bit frustrating, because I think we did well to put ourselves in a good position,” Dike added. “And, of course, you’re never going to be happy when you don’t win. Good point away from home, but of course we want to win, so it’s frustrating to lose two points in the manner that we did.”

It’s another quick turnaround for the Lions, who welcome D.C. United to Orlando on Saturday.

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