Orlando City
Duncan McGuire Regains Scoring Form At the Right Time For Orlando City
After a six-game goal drought, Duncan McGuire has scored three goals in his last four games.
Despite drafting Jack Lynn in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft, Orlando City went back to the same position for the club’s first pick of this year’s draft. However, while Lynn has played sparingly with the first team, Duncan McGuire has become a key member of the second-best team in MLS. The sixth overall pick from Creighton University seemed to hit a wall late in the season, but has returned to his scoring form when the team needs him most.
Heading into the 2023 MLS season, Designated Player Ercan Kara was the starting striker for the Lions. The Austrian scored a team-leading 11 MLS regular-season goals last year and was second to Facundo Torres for goals in all competitions with 12. His second season as the team’s highest-paid player, he was expected to improve on that performance. Unfortunately for him, he was surpassed by McGuire, who demonstrated he was a better fit for the team’s system.
Kara scored five goals in 15 league games and six in 19 games in all competitions this season. His most memorable moment came all the way back on March 15 when he equalized against Tigres UANL in the 90th minute, giving Orlando City some late hope to continue its first-ever Concacaf Champions League appearance. But a slow start, coupled with McGuire’s play, opened the door for the rookie to become the go-to guy and McGuire walked through.
The former Creighton forward and 2022 MAC Hermann Trophy winner started the season as a second-half substitute but performed well enough to win the starting spot. Both players scored five goals in all competitions between the start of the season and June 21, when McGuire took the starting spot. In his first game in the starting lineup, McGuire scored a 13th-minute goal in a 2-2 draw with the Philadelphia Union at Exploria Stadium.
Kara only scored one more goal after that decision by Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja, due in part to coming off the bench to spell McGuire later in games, and he was eventually transferred to Turkish side Samsunpor on Sept. 2. It was a risky sale because the team lacked experienced forwards, and it appeared to be a mistake when McGuire suffered a shoulder injury that night against FC Cincinnati. Fortunately, it wasn’t serious and the striker returned to the lineup.
McGuire only missed one game due to the injury and started all but two. However, he seemed to hit a bit of a wall when it came to scoring, going on a six-game goal drought. Ramiro Enrique was the only other forward with meaningful first-team experience and he had only netted two goals at that point.
“I just felt like I wasn’t myself week in and week out,” McGuire said about the drought. “But my coaches and teammates helped me get over that hump and I’m definitely thankful to them for helping me get past that. Maybe the defenders figured out how to defend me for a few weeks. I just couldn’t figure it out. But I’m just glad to be scoring again.”
The rookie got back on the scoresheet on Sept. 24 against Inter Miami CF with a 66th-minute strike. After failing to score but claiming an assist against CF Montreal, he scored the winner in a 1-0 result over Nashville SC Wednesday night and opened the scoring in the 31st minute in the team’s crucial 3-2 win over the New England Revolution Saturday night.
Getting back to his scoring ways couldn’t have come at a better time for the Lions. They were in a group of six teams fighting for the top four spots in the Eastern Conference and his current streak enabled Orlando City to secure the second seed in the East and in MLS as a whole with a game remaining.
The team will need his good run of form to continue as they head into the postseason. For the first time in club history, they’ll be a top two seed in the MLS Cup playoffs, only going on the road in the second game of the first round and if they play FC Cincinnati, the Supporters’ Shield winners.
Midfielder Facundo Torres is once again the team leader in goals, with 14. McGuire sits just behind him with 11 in the regular season and two in the Leagues Cup. While the team will depend somewhat on Torres to provide on offense, McGuire producing will have a major impact if the team makes a run towards the MLS Cup final.
When Orlando City transferred Kara to Turkey, it seemed like a risk that might not pay off when their rookie starting striker hit a wall. But he’s rebounded well since then and is in his best form as a professional. It couldn’t come at a better time for the Lions.