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Orlando City vs. Seattle Sounders: Final Score 0-0 as Lions Wasteful in Good Road Effort

The Lions put in a great effort but it fell a bit short with Mauricio Pereyra missing a gaping net from right in front late in the match.

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3 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

For the second consecutive game, an Orlando City attacking player missed an empty net from point-blank range, and the Lions had to settle for another draw — this time a 0-0 affair against the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field. Orlando (7-5-7, 28 points) missed a golden opportunity late in the second half, but Seattle (8-7-5, 29 points) was nearly as wasteful on its attacking end on this night.

With the draw, Orlando City remains winless in Seattle, going 0-2-2 there in the all-time series, and the Lions are now winless in three matches (0-1-2), but Orlando has taken four of the last six possible points from the Sounders. A point on short rest after traveling to a difficult place like Seattle is a good result and shows that if the team can get just a little more dialed in, the Lions can become a dangerous team.

“We walk off the field with the sensation that we could have won it and that feeling is heavy right now in the locker room, because we had our chances in the end,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “But it’s a game very well played by the players and with a lot of personality in a very difficult place against a very good team.”

Pareja had nearly a complete roster at his disposal for the first time in a few games and he went with Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Michael Halliday. Wilder Cartagena rejoined Cesar Araujo in the central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, and Facundo Torres, with Duncan McGuire up top.

Orlando City seemed to sleepwalk in the early going. Within the first minute, both center backs were concerned with the same attacker while Heber roasted Santos and got a good look at goal but Gallese parried away the shot.

A minute later, Nicolas Lodeiro picked up a loose ball as the Sounders befuddled the Orlando defense but fired a shot off the right post.

Orlando finally got hold of the ball in the seventh minute and Torres fashioned a chance out of nothing as Araujo was able to sneak in deep toward the right post. Torres’ cross-field pass was met by Araujo’s foot in the air but the volley attempt went just wide and into the outside netting.

Two minutes later, it was Santos making a good cross to switch the attack and Halliday volleyed it wide.

The game got a little more back-and-forth after the second good look for the Lions. Seattle won a corner kick after a turnover by Ojeda. The ball pinged around the box for a nervy couple of seconds before Orlando could clear.

Ojeda went for glory from distance in the 14th minute but his shot was always going over and he may have been better served to spray the ball left to continue the buildup.

A minute later, Leo Chu got in behind and only the fact that he was offside may have prevented Halliday from conceding a penalty.

Rusnak sent a free kick well off target in the 29th minute after a poor challenge by Jansson just outside the area.

Orlando’s best chance came in the 35th minute off a corner kick won by Angulo. McGuire got onto Ojeda’s cross and sent it toward the lower left corner but Stefan Frei made a big save to keep the game scoreless.

That was about it for the half as Orlando squandered a couple of late corners and the teams went to the break without a goal between them.

The Lions held the possession advantage (56%-44%) at the half, won more corners (5-4), and passed more accurately (85.8%-819%). Seattle attempted more shots (9-6), with each team getting one on frame.

The second half started like the first, with Seattle threatening to open the scoring. Santos set up a free kick for the hosts in the 47th minute when he took down Lodeiro. The Seattle Designated Player sent a ball on target that took a short hop but Gallese collected it cleanly. A minute later, Rusnak blasted a laser shot over the bar after Halliday was beaten by Chu and sent in a good cross.

Joao Paulo sent a ball way off target from just outside the box in the 53rd minute when he found himself in space and had a go. A minute after that, Cody Baker was left completely unattended outside of Santos and got to the end line, squaring a ball across for Heber, but the forward redirected it wide.

Pareja sent Mauricio Pereyra on for Ojeda in the 57th minute, looking to get more control of the midfield but it didn’t change much until the latter stages, when the captain started to find seams in the defense.

Orlando fashioned a good attack in the 65th minute with some numbers but Halliday couldn’t beat Nouhou with his cross. Halliday made up for that a minute later with a good low cross to McGuire, who flicked it on goal from the near post but Frei had it covered and made the save.

Unfortunately for the young right back, his night ended moments later. While bombing down the right with the ball, Halliday pulled up, grabbing his hamstring. He was subbed off for Kyle Smith. Pareja also sent Ramiro Enrique on for McGuire.

Pereyra should have opened the scoring in the 76th minute. Torres got into the box on the left and sent a shot on target. Frei saved it but couldn’t control the rebound, which fell right to the Orlando City captain. Pereyra sent the ball over the bar and into the stands from just in front of the net.

“I think it’s the point of the night that just made us walk off with that frustration, knowing that we had the game in a position to kill it and take the three points,” Pareja said.

Heber headed wide in the 87th minute in his last action as he was then subbed off for Fredy Montero.

Torres had the game on his foot two minutes later when Pereyra sent a fantastic ball through the back line for him to run onto. The Uruguayan sent a left-footed shot toward the back post but the ball trickled a few inches wide.

“We had various chances,” Torres said through a club interpreter. “First, Mauricio had one that unfortunately he wasn’t able to get it, and I had that one and unfortunately wasn’t able to get it either. But I think the most important part is that we were creating those chances. The game certainly changed when Mauricio entered and it’s obvious the importance that he has for us as a team.”

Neither side had a good look in the four minutes of injury time and the Lions will bring a point home after a scoreless draw.

Orlando City finished with more possession (55.7%-44.3%), shots on target (3-2), passing accuracy (80.7%-80.6%), and corners (7-5). Seattle had more overall shot attemps (16-13).

“I think we dominated the game in terms of the clear (scoring) options,” Pareja said. “We’re gonna walk off with that point, we’re going to take it proudly, and take it to Orlando with the commitment to be heavy at home and keep ascending in the standings.”

“We knew that we were going to be playing a tough game against a tough rival,” Torres said. “We created ourselves some chances. Obviously a little frustrated not to be able to get the goal on some of those chances that we’ve been looking to find. But the important part is that we are creating those chances against a very difficult team.”

The fixture congestion lightens up now as the Lions will have a normal week before hosting the Chicago Fire next Saturday night at Exploria Stadium at 7:30 p.m.

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Orlando City

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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3 hours 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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6 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.

Published

14 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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