Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Nashville SC: Final Score 3-2 as Duncan McGuire Wins it Late for Lions
Orlando City threw away a 2-0 lead after Martin Ojeda’s brace, but Duncan McGuire’s goal at the death lifted the Lions to a huge win in the playoff chase.
Orlando City built a two-goal lead in the first half, conceded two to Nashville SC, then scored late to earn a crucial 3-2 win in the Eastern Conference playoff race tonight at Inter&Co Stadium. An announced crowd of 20,516 watched Martin Ojeda score two excellent first-half goals to put Orlando (14-7-9, 51 points) ahead, only to see Hany Mukhtar and Jacob Shaffelburg score for Nashville (15-11-5, 50 points) to level the match.
Duncan McGuire called game in the fifth minute of stoppage time for the Cardiac Cats on a great run and entry ball from fellow substitute Tyrese Spicer to secure the win.
The Lions could have clinched a playoff spot had the New York Red Bulls not beaten CF Montreal, so a postseason spot will have to wait, but it was an encouraging performance to end a five-game winless skid in all competitions.
“Those last 10 minutes I felt that push that our crowd had over the players,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “Very competitive game since the first minute. I thought we started sensing the playoffs for all of us and we’ll keep pushing. There’s a bunch of things that happened during the game that we want to happen again, and I saw the boys felt it.”
Pareja’s lineup included Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Alex Freeman. With Cesar Araujo (lower back) and Joran Gerbet (concussion protocol) out, Kyle Smith started in central midfield with Edward Atuesta inside wingers Ivan Angulo and Marco Pasalic, with Ojeda and Luis Muriel up top.
The match started out with the teams cautiously probing the other’s defense, with neither side able to fashion anything for a while. The first offensive chance of the match came nine minutes in when Angulo won the game’s first corner kick on a deflected cross. Nashville cleared Ojeda’s entry ball but only out to Pasalic near the top of the area. The Croatian fired a good shot on target, but Joe Willis tipped it over the bar. On the second corner, the ball was cleared again, with Atuesta trying a shot from outside the area that the defense blocked.
Muriel set up the game’s first goal when he was fouled from behind outside the area by Edvard Tagseth, who was booked for the tactical foul. Ojeda and Muriel stood over the free kick with the Argentine taking it on a short run, blasting a left-footed rocket off the right post and in to make it 1-0 in the 30th minute.
“You always dream of having that chance and seeing it go in, and to have that opportunity was fantastic,” Ojeda said. “The conversation with Luis (before the free kick) was great. I mean, at first he wanted to take it, truth be told, but Lucho is a great person, and it was a great conversation between us. And once we came to the decision that I would take it, he gave me a lot of confidence. And then, you know, once I saw it go in, even more so. But it was a great conversation, and great to see a free kick like that go in.”
It took only two minutes for Ojeda to double the lead. Smith started the play by dispossessing Patrick Yazbek in the attacking half, knocking the ball to Muriel. The Colombian gave it back to Smith, who sent Ojeda down the left channel. Ojeda sent a pinpoint accurate shot inside the right post to make it 2-0 in the 32nd minute.
Ojeda praised Smith’s work that helped set up the second goal after the match.
“A great pass by Kyle, who’s a machine that helps us with everything,” Ojeda said. “And in that moment, he was able to assist my goal, and because of that, I was able to celebrate.”
“(Smith) is always there and such a smart and intelligent and committed player that we always use in any position,” Pareja said. “Today he played another great game.”
Ojeda moved past Facundo Torres as the club’s all-time leader in goal contributions (goals plus assists) on the free kick goal, and added to his lead with the second goal. His second goal pushed him to 30 goal contributions (16 goals, 14 assists) on the season, and he pulled within one goal of Cyle Larin’s single-season record.
Muriel nearly tripled the lead in the 41st minute. Another quick turnover in Nashville’s third led to the Colombian firing, but Willis got a fingertip to it, sending it inches wide of the left post. A minute later, Schlegel headed wide on the ensuing corner.
Nashville started turning things around late in the half. It started with Mukhtar getting loose in front on a good ball in, but Gallese did well to parry away a point-blank header with a big save in the 45th minute.
The Lions didn’t heed the warning bells, and conceded in the first of two minutes added to the end of the half. Mukhtar fired from outside the area, beating a diving Gallese but hitting the post. The Nashville star then beat everyone to the loose ball and the goalkeeper had no chance of recovering in time to do anything about it as Mukhtar scored.
“It was hard to swallow that first goal,” Pareja said. “Because we had the game so controlled and also we had a very clear play to put the game 3-0. And then we came walking off the field 2-1, again with that stress, tight. Those moments we need to be better. We need to be solid.”
Those three late Mukhtar shots were the only Nashville attempts of the entire half. That was also the last chance of the half as the Lions took their slim advantage into the break.
Orlando City held the halftime advantage in shots (7-3), shots on target (4-2), while corners (3-0). Nashville led in possession (57.3%-42.7%) and passing accuracy (91%-87.2%). The game plan for the first half was perfect, but the slip-up at the end spoiled an otherwise brilliant opening 45 minutes.
Pareja said the objective tonight, which worked well through the first 44 minutes, was to stay organized defensively, not worry about possession, and look for chances to take the ball and get players into spaces in behind, which is more typical of a road game strategy.
“We knew for the system and the structure that Nashville has, they like to have the ball, and especially in that first third of the field. So, sometimes they put six, seven players in that zone. They want us to go look for them or go and chase them. We wanted to be solid and it worked well. We wanted to fight for possession but it was not our priority, knowing that we have fast players that can take advantage of those spaces.”
Shaffelburg came on at halftime, replacing Yazbek, giving the visitors even more firepower, and it paid off nearly immediately, as Nashville won an early corner. Ojeda was able to clear, but it didn’t take much longer for the visitors to tie the match.
Nashville came forward on the left and the cross got through the area to Shaffelburg, who got goalside of his mad and tapped it in to make it 2-2 in the 51st minute.
Nashville should have made it 3-2 three minutes later. Atuesta made a poor pass in the attacking half to give up possession and Nashville countered. A good cross in from the right found Surridge at the back post, but the goal-scoring leader headed wide back across the front of goal.
Ojeda had a good opportunity to complete his hat trick in the 55th minute when Angulo got to the end line and his cross into the box deflected to the Argentine out in front. The shot for the back post was spinning and curved outside the upright, going wide.
Mukhtar got down the right channel and blasted a shot on goal from a tight angle in the 60th minute but Gallese fought it off, sending it out for a corner. The Lions cleared the ensuing set piece and sent Angulo on the break. The Colombian was all alone on goal, but his chip shot attempt hit Willis in the face, wasting the opportunity in the 61st minute.
A minute later, Muriel was set up outside the box but sent his shot high into the stands on his last involvement, as McGuire checked in for him during the stoppage in play. The substitution nearly paid dividends immediately, with Ojeda sending him in behind but the big striker couldn’t bring in the pass. Three minutes later, McGuire tried to send Ojeda in behind, but Jeisson Palacios did well to track back and knock it out for a corner.
The Lions sent several crosses around the area on the recycle of the ensuing set piece. The ball ended up with McGuire in front but he hit it wide of the right post in the 69th minute. Three minutes later, Pasalic teed up a shot outside the area with his right foot, but it deflected just wide off McGuire.
The game seemed headed for a draw as neither side was able to create much after a series of substitutions by both teams. From the 72nd minute to the game-winning goal, neither team created much, other than a Freeman shot that was blocked near the top of the area in the third minute of stoppage time.
In the 95th minute, Spicer blazed down the left flank to beat the Nashville defense. The second-half sub then sent in a good ball to the near post, where McGuire deflected it past Willis and in to make it 3-2.
“Funnily enough, like 20 seconds before the goal, there was a stop in play and Spicer told me to go to the first post, so, it’s good communication from him,” McGuire said. “He’s a quality player and when he gets the ball on the wing, I have a pretty good feeling he’s going to beat the guy, so I took a gamble, and he played a great ball.”
The game wasn’t quite over, despite the game reaching the sixth minute of stoppage time. Nashville quickly rushed forward and won a corner kick. Willis came up to give Nashville an additional attacker, and the cross found the big goalkeeper in front of the net. Willis headed the ball on target but right at Gallese who made the save and held on. After a brief scuffle in the area stopped play, the game restarted and ultimately came to an end.
Nashville finished with the advantage in possession (57.7%-42.3%) and passing accuracy (91.5%-87.5%). Orlando City fired more shots (14-8) and won more corners (4-3). Each team put six shots on target.
“Obviously it was a tough game. We went up early, but Nashville’s a very good team and battled back and didn’t make it easy for us,” McGuire said. “I feel like we had some struggles in the second half with the shaping with their buildout. They did a good job in holding possession against us, but in the end a good team win and I’m glad we got the job done.”
The Lions jumped from eighth to sixth in the Eastern Conference, holding a game in hand against most of the other playoff contenders, including Nashville, which slipped from fourth to seventh.
The Lions are on the road next weekend for a Sunday matchup at FC Cincinnati.
Orlando City
Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New York City FC
Get up to speed on the Pigeons ahead of Saturday’s game, courtesy of someone who knows them best.
Happy Friday, everyone. Orlando City got a week of rest after taking care of business against D.C. United at home, and it returns to the purple palace Saturday night to face a New York City FC team with its back against the wall in the race for a playoff place.
A showdown with the Pigeons means I caught up with Matthew Mangam of New York Soccer Journal. As always, he was helpful in getting us up to speed on NYCFC, and we appreciate his help. I also answered some of his questions about Orlando City, so make sure you check them out over at their place!
Talk me through NYCFC’s summer transfer business. Who’s out, who’s in to replace them, and how have they performed?
Matthew Mangam: NYCFC’s summer business wasn’t anything groundbreaking. The club brought in striker Luighi on loan from SE Palmeiras and got back midfielder/defender James Sands, whose loan with St. Pauli ended.
Luighi started off well, bagging four goals in his first seven league appearances. But since then, the 20-year-old is on a five-game drought. To his credit, Luighi started only two of his last five games. As for Sands, this is his third stint at NYCFC, so the versatile 26-year-old was welcomed back with open arms.
The biggest acquisition this summer, though, was Bénie Traoré. The winger joined the club as a Designated Player from FC Basel in Switzerland, but it hasn’t gone well. In 15 league appearances, Traoré has one goal — a penalty kick that hit off the post and went in — and no assists.
The club’s last move that didn’t happen in the summer surprised everyone: adding free agent Matt Miazga. The veteran defender hasn’t made his debut yet, and I’m honestly not sure when he will.
New York City has been a wildly different team since the league restarted after the World Cup. What’s happened to cause the change in form?
MM: I honestly don’t know where to start with this one. There’s so much I could say, but if I did then I’d be here all day. I’ll narrow it down to this: NYCFC can’t play a complete 90 minutes.
NYCFC has conceded six goals in stoppage time this season, is 0-4-12 after falling behind 16 times, and is 4-5-6 at home. So, they can’t hang onto leads — they’ve lost seven points after the 75th minute — they have no come-from-behind wins, and they’re poor at home.
There are other smaller factors, like injuries, individual mistakes from usually solid players (Matt Freese and Sands), and players struggling, but, as I said, it’s a lot.
The playoffs are still in reach, as NYCFC is just two points out of eighth. What needs to happen in order to get above the line and stay there?
MM: Simply put, NYCFC needs to win all four remaining games, or, at the very least, go 3-1-0. Teams around them, like Toronto, Columbus, and Cincinnati, are picking up wins and building separation, so NYCFC is in a do-or-die situation.
Getting Alonso Martínez back and starting again is huge, but you can’t expect him to return from a brutal injury and save the team immediately; it’s not fair. Traoré has to step up and show why the club paid DP money for him — one lone goal that, in my opinion, fortunately went in, and no goals from open play is extremely concerning.
Also, Nico Fernández Mercau hasn’t scored in five matches. He’s getting double- and triple-marked because teams are now well aware of how talented the Argentine is, but he has to find a way back on the scoresheet in this stretch. NYCFC needs him to. So, so badly.
Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?
MM: The only players out are the ones with long-term injuries: Keaton Parks, Kai Trewin, Maxi Moralez, Arnau Farnós, and Drew Baiera.
Given that NYCFC needs to win or the season is practically over, I expect Head Coach Pascal Jansen to leave it all out there with his best possible lineup:
Matt Freese; Kevin O’Toole, James Sands, Thiago Martins, Tayvon Gray; Andres Perea, Aiden O’Neill; Hannes Wolf, Nico Fernández Mercau, Agustin Ojeda; Alonso Martínez.
I think Nico Fernández Mercau and Alonso Martínez score, but it won’t be enough, as Antoine Griezmann gets a brace and both teams settle for a 2-2 draw.
Thank you to Matt for his excellent refresher on NYCFC. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 10/23/26
Orlando City prepares for New York City FC, Antoine Griezmann’s impact in Orlando, U.S. will host FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, and more.
Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a pretty nice week for me, as I was able to watch all of Slow Horses and finish reading Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, both of which were brilliant. Attention now turns to this weekend’s soccer, with both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride playing at home over the next couple of days. Let’s get to the links!
Orlando City Prepares for New York City FC
The Lions host New York City FC on Saturday in one of the marquee matchups in MLS as the regular season nears its conclusion. Plenty has changed since Orlando’s 5-0 loss to NYCFC on March 7. The Lions have clawed their way up the table while the Pigeons have only won once in their past 13 league games. NYCFC enters this match after a 1-1 draw with LAFC that included an equalizer by former Lion Andres Perea to give the team a valuable point amid the playoff race. Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Luighi, and Benie Traore are all NYCFC players the Lions will need to keep in check, or else it could end up being another high-scoring affair in the City Beautiful.
Antoine Griezmann’s Impact on Orlando’s Offense
Orlando’s wait for Antoine Griezmann to join in the summer has proven to be well worth it, as he’s transformed Orlando’s attack into a force to be reckoned with just as the playoffs near. Although Griezmann wasn’t able to enjoy a fairytale ending with Atletico Madrid by lifting the Copa del Rey or Champions League trophies this year, he’s breathed life into an Orlando side that struggled mightily prior to his arrival. The 35-year-old has recorded 12 goals and seven assists in just 14 appearances this season. Not only has he excelled when it comes to getting the ball in the net, but he’s done well in terms of defensive metrics and intangibles as well.
U.S. Will Host Women’s Club World Cup
The inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will be held in the U.S. in January of 2028 with the host cities still to be determined. There will be 19 clubs taking part, with Gotham, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Club America having already qualified along with three other teams so far. This tournament is sandwiched between the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, so there’s plenty of exciting women’s soccer to look forward to in the coming years.
U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Wins at World Cup
The United States U-17 Women’s National Team won 6-1 against Kenya in the group stage of the FIA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, clinching a spot in the round of 16. Maggie DiMaria scored four goals to bring her total to 10 across just two games. The U.S. will play its final group game on Sunday against China PR, which also won both of its games against Kenya and Samoa to secure a spot in the knockout stage. The winner of this group will get to avoid a match with Spain in the round of 16, so there’s still plenty to play for before the next round gets underway.
Free Kicks
- The first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal between the United States Men’s National Team and Haiti has been moved from Kingston to Miami. Haiti has had to play games outside of the country due to unrest and submitted a request to Concacaf to play in the country of its opponent.
- American center back Naomi Girma is now dealing with a calf injury that may sideline her for a few weeks according to Chelsea Head Coach Sonia Bompastor. She missed out on the team’s recent friendlies against Spain and may be absent for the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal against El Salvador next month too.
- The United States Women’s Cerebral Palsy National Team beat Ireland 15-0 to advance to the IFCPF Women’s World Cup final, which takes place today against Australia. Annie Wickett scored five goals with four other players scoring braces.
- The San Diego Wave signed defender Mimi Van Zanten to a contract extension through the 2029 season. She’s made 27 appearances for San Diego during her rookie season, helping the club keep pace in the NWSL Shield race.
- After being stretchered off the field due to a head injury in the U.S. Open Cup final, St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Burki is alert and in good spirits, according to the club.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!
Orlando City
Orlando’s October Outburst Originated Months Ago
Orlando City’s October offensive surge may look like a recent development, but the Lions have been scoring at an impressive rate for months.
We do not watch nearly enough Sesame Street in my house, but ever since the summer we say that A is for Antoine when the show discusses the alphabet. Sadly, this replaced A is for Andrew, which is my name, because Antoine Griezmann is more popular than me in my house. I cannot say that I am surprised, but I can say that it hurts just a little bit. More than a little bit.
For the past few years, O has been for Ojeda, as in Martín Ojeda, the man who is now Orlando City’s all-time leading goal scorer. This October, however, O is for offense, as the Lions have scored 10 goals during their three October matches, and that tally leads all of MLS this month. Orlando City’s offense has actually been on point for several months now, as you can see from the chart below (MLS games only):
| Month | Goals Scored | Games Played | Goals per Game |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 1 | 1 | 1.0 |
| March | 4 | 4 | 1.0 |
| April | 7 | 5 | 1.4 |
| May | 11 | 5 | 2.2 |
| July* | 5 | 2 | 2.5 |
| August | 9 | 5 | 1.8 |
| September | 11 | 5 | 2.2 |
| October | 10 | 3 | 3.3 |
| Total | 58 | 30 | 1.9 |
- *There were no games in June due to the FIFA Men’s World Cup
Griezmann arrived for the July games, but even before that, the offense had started to heat up in May. Although May 1 is an arbitrary date, if we use it as a benchmark it allows us to capture two-thirds of Orlando City’s season, as the first 10 games happened before May and the team has now played 30 in total. Since May, the Lions rank fourth in MLS in goals scored with 46, sitting behind only Miami (54), Philadelphia (52), and St. Louis (47).
In a matter of perfect symmetry, the Lions also rank fourth in goals allowed, and by rank fourth I most certainly do not mean they are among the best defensive teams in the league. Orlando City has allowed 41 goals in the last 20 games, which is an average of more than two goals allowed per game but is also fewer than the 46 the team has scored. I know you already did the math in your head, but 46 – 41 = 5, and that +5 goal differential since May puts the Lions at eighth overall in MLS.
Perhaps we are now in the Inception timeline, because in yet another matter of symmetry Orlando City has also earned the eighth-most points (34) since May 1. This is yet another reminder of how poor of a start the club had this season, with seven losses in those first 10 games.
Since then, however, the 2026 team has performed like the teams of the past few years, but even with a top 10 performance for two-thirds of the season, it has not been able to climb above seventh in the Eastern Conference. This is because four of the five best teams since May are in the same conference, and the ninth and 10th hottest teams, right behind Orlando City, are also in the East. For those of you counting, hopefully in a voice like The Count’s (“Ah, ah,ah!”), that makes seven of the top 10 Eastern teams, so it is no wonder that the Lions are still in a precarious playoff position.
Saturday’s game against New York City FC is, on paper, the easiest of the remaining four games, but then again, the Pigeons did dirty pigeon things all over the Lions in the first matchup, winning that game 5-0. A repeat performance would wipe away the +5 goal differential Orlando has since May, but in addition to the fact that this game will be played on an actual soccer field, there is another pretty major difference between the early season Lions and the current Lions: Griezmann.
The French superstar is up to 12 goals scored and six primary assists (to go with one secondary assist in only 14 MLS games, which is wild), and he and Ojeda make up one of only seven tandems in the league in which both players have at least 12 goals each (Ojeda has 15). Only three tandems have at least 13 goals each (Miami’s Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, Cincinnati’s Kévin Denkey and Evander, and Nashville’s Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar), and with another goal from Griezmann, the two Lions would become the second pair in club history to each score at least 13 goals in a season, joining Facundo Torres and Duncan McGuire in 2023.
Marco Pašalić scored in the most recent game, and both Iván Angulo and Justin Ellis have recorded double-digit goal contributions, so let’s hope the team’s recent offensive onslaught continues, because with all the injuries on the back line and some difficult opponents coming up on the schedule, the Lions will likely need to put up multiple goals if they are going to get results and qualify for the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.
And considering how poor the start to the season was, if they can orchestrate that it would be outstanding. Let’s gooooooooo.
Vamos Orlando!
Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New York City FC
Lion Links: 10/23/26
Orlando’s October Outburst Originated Months Ago
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