Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Minnesota United: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
Can the Lions finally find the net for the first time in 2024 MLS play?
Welcome to your match thread for a Saturday night match-up between Orlando City (0-1-1, 1 point) and Minnesota United (1-0-1, 4 points) at Inter&Co Stadium (7:30 p.m., MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+). It’s just the sixth meeting between the two sides (fifth in MLS regular-season play) and the only one scheduled in 2024 for these teams from opposite conferences.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.
History
The Lions are 1-2-1 against the Loons in regular-season matches and 2-2-1 in all competitions. Orlando City is winless at its own stadium against Minnesota, but the teams have only met once before in the Lions’ den. Orlando is 2-0-1 in the last three meetings with Minnesota (in all competitions).
The Lions came from behind on the road at Allianz Field last season on April 15, 2023, to claim their first win in the series in MLS play. Orlando City trailed 1-0 on a second-half goal by Bongokuhle Hlowane, but Ivan Angulo equalized eight minutes later and Duncan McGuire scored a late winner to lift Orlando to a 2-1 victory.
Prior to last season’s meeting between the two sides, the last time they played came in the MLS is Back Tournament semifinals back on Aug. 6, 2020, when the Lions won 3-1. Nani scored a first-half brace to put the Lions up 2-0 at the half. Despite Mason Toye pulling one back late, Benji Michel’s goal deep in stoppage time sealed Orlando’s first trip to a competition final since joining Major League Soccer. Unfortunately, the Lions fell 2-1 to Portland in that final.
That tournament semifinal win was Orlando’s second consecutive result against Minnesota United. The Lions’ last trip to St. Paul prior to the pandemic yielded a 1-1 draw at Allianz Field on Aug. 17, 2019. That game kind of felt like a loss, honestly. Orlando City struck first on a 70th-minute Nani penalty. The Lions had a second penalty awarded, but it was overturned by video review as Tesho Akindele was ruled offside in the buildup. Abu Danladi scored in the 92nd minute with the Lions just seconds from their first win in the series.
Minnesota won this fixture 1-0 in Minnesota in 2017 on a Christian Ramirez goal, then won in Orlando in 2018, 2-1. Ethan Finlay scored both Minnesota goals in the second meeting to offset Yoshimar Yotún’s penalty kick goal.
Overview
The Lions are coming off a 0-0 draw Tuesday night in Concacaf Champions Cup play against Tigres UANL. Orlando City enters without a win or a goal in MLS play through two matches (0-1-1), getting demolished a week ago in Fort Lauderdale by Inter Miami. With an important second leg against Tigres looming in Mexico in three days, the Lions will not likely be able to field a full, first-choice starting XI. Orlando got the defensive side of things right on Tuesday, but the Lions were shut out for the third time in five competitive matches since opening their 2024 campaign.
Minnesota enters tonight off a 1-1 home draw against defending champion Columbus a week ago. Tani Oluwaseyi scored deep in stoppage time to steal the Loons a point. That came on the heels of a 2-1 road win at Austin in Minnesota’s opener. Despite dealing with some key injuries, the Loons have started the season brightly under interim coach Cameron Knowles.
As Bridget McDowell of Northland Soccer Journal outlined for us in this week’s Intelligence Report by Ben Miller:
At the time of this writing, the indications are that Robin Lod, Emanuel Reynoso, and Francisco Fragapane remain unavailable for Saturday due to injury, as was the case vs. Columbus this past weekend. Bongi Hlongwane has been reintegrating into full training through the week, so he should be available off the bench
Those are some big shoes to fill, but Minnesota has been able to do that so far on the season. The Loons also have a good young goalkeeper in Dayne St. Clair, while the central defense pairing of Michael Boxall and Miguel Tapias have developed a good chemistry in front of him.
Offensively, the Lions will need to track forward Teemu Pukki and former New York Red Bull Caden Clark, among others.
“[In Minnesota] I have seen a team with a lot of energy, a team with new ideas and a new coach,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said “They have good players, and we respect them a lot.”
Orlando City doesn’t list anyone as out on the availability report. However, Jack Lynn (lower leg) and Facundo Torres (upper extremity…yes, that’s seriously how the club is listing the injury) are listed as questionable.
Match Content
- Our Intelligence Report provides more background on the Loons by Bridget McDowell from the independent Minnesota United blog, Northland Soccer Journal.
- Our latest episode of The Mane Land PawedCast features our key match-ups and score predictions for tonight’s match.
- David Rohe wrote about his three keys to an Orlando City win over the Loons.
Official Lineups:
Orlando City (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.
Defenders: Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.
Defensive Midfielders: Cesar Araujo, Felipe.
Attacking Midfielders: Ramiro Enrique, Martin Ojeda, Ivan Angulo.
Forward: Duncan McGuire.
Bench: Mason Stajduhar, Kyle Smith, Michael Halliday, David Brekalo, Wilder Cartagena, Jeorgio Kocevski, Nico Lodeiro, Shak Mohammed, Luis Muriel.
Minnesota United FC (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper: Dayne St. Clair.
Defenders: Joseph Rosales, Miguel Tapias, Michael Boxall, DJ Taylor.
Midfielders: Hassani Dotson, Wil Trapp, Robin Lod.
Forwards: Caden Clark, Teemu Pukki, Jeong Sang-Bin.
Bench: Clint Irwin, Jordan Adebayo-Smith, Kevin Arriago, Alejandro Bran, Victor Eriksson, Bongokuhle Hlongwane, Tani Oluwaseyi, Devin Padelford, Zarek Valentin.
Referees:
REF: Wilmer Pino Mercado.
AR1: Raidel Toledo.
AR2: Hector Rueda.
4TH: DeShun Beard.
VAR: Ian Anderson.
AVAR: TBA.
How to Watch
Match Time: 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.
TV & Streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+.
Radio: Real Radio 104.1 FM (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish).
Twitter: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow along at @TheManeLand, as well as Orlando City’s official Twitter feed (@OrlandoCitySC).
Enjoy the match! Go City!