Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Vancouver Whitecaps: Player Grades and Man of the Match

How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s home loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps?

Published

1 year ago

on

Image of Dagur Dan Thorhallsson celebrating his goal against Vancouver with teammate Duncan McGuire.
Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

In its final home game of the MLS regular season, Orlando City hosted the Vancouver Whitecaps and fell 2-1 after holding onto a lead for a majority of the match. Dagur Dan Thorhallsson put the Lions in front after some good team play, but the Whitecaps rallied late to take all three points. An unlucky goal scored into his own net off Nelson Pierre by Kyle Smith leveled things and Thomas Muller found a winner deep in stoppage time.

Let’s dive into how each Lion performed in this disappointing loss at home.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5— Gallese had seven saves in this match, including two right on the goal line. There wasn’t much he could do about Vancouver’s first goal, as the ball smacked the post and then Smith’s attempted clearance bounced off Pierre and into the net. He got a touch on Muller’s winner in stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough to keep it out of the net. There was a scare in the second added minute when he spilled Sebastian Berhalter’s shot on the line, which may have crossed but it was called no goal on the field and video evidence was not sufficient to overturn it. In terms of distribution, he had a whopping 23 long balls and 11 were successful. His 31 passes were the second most for the Lions and he completed 61.3% of them. Gallese’s 47 touches were also notably the second most on the team, which goes to show just how pinned back the Lions were.

D, Adrian Marin, 6 — With David Brekalo on international duty, Marin started again for Orlando. He provided one of Orlando’s few shots, curling a good effort towards goal that was deflected out for a corner. Vancouver’s Edier Ocampo wreaked havoc on Marin’s side of the defense, particularly in the first half and late in the match, but Marin put out fires here and there. Ryan Gauld eased past him on Vancouver’s first goal, although Gauld’s impact on the play was mostly just getting a piece on the rebound off the post to bounce the ball in the center of the box before Smith knocked it in off Pierre. Marin’s eight clearances and four interceptions led the Lions in both categories, and he blocked a shot as well. Orlando’s inability to build possession and Jansson’s injury prevented him from getting too involved on offense and he finished with 40 touches, two unsuccessful long balls, and 22 passes at a 72.7% success rate.

D, Robin Jansson, N/A — The captain’s night unfortunately ended in the 18th minute after getting injured while stopping Daniel Rios from teeing up a shot on goal. He tried to carry on by testing his leg on the sideline but ultimately had to head to the locker room. He had four touches before coming off, completing both of his passes. Hopefully it’s a minor knock as the Lions will need him for the playoffs. However, it did not look good.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Schlegel returned to the starting lineup after serving his suspension for yellow card accumulation last week. He kept Muller from dealing damage until he didn’t, as the Argentine defender was not able to close down on him in time to stop his shot while marking Gauld. It was a tough ask on tired legs as Muller breezed past Eduard Atuesta to create space. Schlegel blocked two shots and had four clearances while winning three of his four aerial duels. He picked up a yellow card for a foul in a dangerous area, but Vancouver skied the free kick. Of his 10 long balls, five were successful and he completed 76.7% of his 30 passes.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 6.5 (MotM) — With the Lions a bit shorthanded, Thorhallsson got the start at right back — moving to the midfield after Jansson’s injury — and scored Orlando’s only goal of the game. He did well to slip the ball to Ojeda with room to run on a counterattack and then raced into the box himself, getting the ball nodded back to him by Duncan McGuire and putting the ball in the net with a nice finish. He finished with seven clearances, three interceptions, and a tackle over the course of the game. In hindsight, it might be easy to say he should’ve pressured Muller before he could score, and his reaction afterwards indicated he probably thought he should have, but Thorhallsson was trying to cut off passing lanes as Muller carried the ball across the top of the box with bodies in front of him. None of his three long balls were successful, and he completed 72% of his 25 passes, but he’s our Man of the Match for starting and finishing one of Orlando’s few attacks in the game. Even though the Lions didn’t win or draw, they needed a guy like Thorhallsson to step up for a chance at points while dealing with so many absences.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — Angulo didn’t have many opportunities to get involved offensively in this game, as he moved to a wingback position after Jansson’s exit. Angulo often dueled with Emmanuel Sabbi and did a pretty good job. There were hiccups here and there, but Angulo stopped a cross from reaching Sabbi in the box during a crucial moment and later won the ball off him to create an opportunity as well. Angulo’s speed is often talked about, but his physicality was notable in this game. He ended up seeing a yellow card for one of the more polite professional fouls I’ve seen as he harassed Sabbi on a counterattack. Angulo led the Lions with three tackles and added a clearance. He also took care of the ball, completing 92.3% of his 26 passes and succeeding on his lone long ball attempt. This wasn’t Angulo’s first time at wingback, and he looked solid in that role during this game, spending time on both wings.

MF, Kyle Smith, 5.5 — Smith started the game as a central midfielder but moved to the back line to fill in for Jansson after the Beefy Swede’s injury. It’s unfortunate that his clearance on Vancouver’s first goal only went as far as Pierre, with the deflection resulting in an equalizer for the Whitecaps. He had to deal with dangerous runs from Daniel Rios throughout the match and was bailed out by Gallese on one occasion after losing a foot race to Rios on a ball over the top. Smith managed to block Rios from close range though in a moment that would have almost certainly resulted in a goal if not for his intervention. Smith had six clearances to help see out the danger when it arose. In terms of his passing, two of his six long balls were accurate, his lone cross missed its mark, and he had 25 passes at an 80% success rate. His versatility has been helpful as Orlando deals with absences, but it showed at times that he was not in his preferred position. He has to lose some points for breaking the ice for Vancouver.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 5.5 — It was an off night for Atuesta, who led the Lions with 53 touches but struggled to build much in the way of possession. That’s not entirely on him, especially considering how deeply he and Thorhallsson were having to play at some points, but he was dispossessed five times and won just one of his three aerial duels. Muller skirted past his attempted tackle en route to scoring the winner, with an obviously fatigued Atuesta unable to get back in front of him in time. Defensively, Atuesta had two clearances and a tackle. He conceded a foul in a dangerous area, but made up for it by blocking the free kick as part of the wall. Long balls were about all he could do to create attacking opportunities, and he was successful on two of his six attempts. His 33 passes were also the most on the team, and he completed 78.8% of them. Vancouver did well to swarm him before he could find open players on counterattacks. A lack of stability in the midfield due to injuries hasn’t made Atuesta’s job any easier and he looked gassed by the end of the game.

MF, Nico Rodriguez, 5 — The MLS U22 Initiative player’s biggest impact on the match came about three minutes in as he sent a free kick towards goal. It’s not clear if it was a shot or cross, but it had enough venom behind it that goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka had to punch it clear. Rodriguez had a few other opportunities while chasing down long balls in transition and won both of his aerial duels, but seemed to fade as the match wore on. In 90 minutes of play before being subbed off, he had just 28 touches and 16 passes at an 81.3% success rate. Neither his one cross nor his two long balls were successful. Moving to more of a wingback position when Orlando changed its shape, Rodriguez helped out defensively with two clearances, a tackle, and an interception. More service may have let him break out a bit more, as he was often making runs or trying to find room to run downfield, but Orlando struggled to get much momentum going offensively.

F, Luis Muriel, 6 — Muriel’s only shot of the match was a header in the box that was on target, but he was crowded by Whitecap defenders and couldn’t get enough power or direction on it to trouble Takaoka. Muriel played every minute of the match and had 35 touches while completing 76% of his 25 passes. He dropped back as the game went on to try helping the Lions string some passes together and sparked an attack in the second half by springing Ojeda, but a heavy touch by the latter snuffed out the chance. Of his two long ball attempts, one found its target. On the defensive side of things, he contributed a tackle and a clearance as well.

F, Martin Ojeda, 6 — Ojeda didn’t have any shots in this one but was credited with an assist for his pass to find McGuire on Orlando’s goal. There was worry that his lob towards McGuire was too high or behind for him to handle, but it was perfect for McGuire to knock it into the path of Thorhallsson with his head. Ojeda had a chance to score himself in the second half after a good ball from Muriel, but he took a heavy touch instead of firing away with his left foot. The two nearly doubled Orlando’s lead later in the match, but Muriel was offside. Ojeda led the Lions with two key passes and was accurate on two of his three long balls and one of his two crosses. His pressure caused problems for the Whitecaps on a few occasions and he had two tackles and a clearance. Like the rest of the Lions, Ojeda had a hard time building possession and completed 76.9% of his 26 passes.

Substitutes

F, Duncan McGuire, (18’), 6 — The American came on in the first half following Jansson’s injury and played up top alongside Muriel. It didn’t take long for him to make an impact, as he thundered down the field on a counterattack and headed a cross from Ojeda towards Thorhallsson for his second assist of the season. It was nice to see McGuire just get the ball in a dangerous area rather than trying to bring it down himself. He didn’t have any shots himself but his sole long ball was accurate and he was accurate on 94.1% of his 17 passes. His size also helped fill the void left by Jansson, as he had three clearances and won two of his four aerial duels. He limped off as a substitute himself in the 86th minute, so hopefully that’s just the wear and tear of a long game and nothing serious.

D, Zakaria Taifi, (86′), N/A — The 20-year-old came on late as a right back to give the Lions some fresher legs. Vancouver didn’t go after him much and he had three touches and no passes. It was Taifi’s sixth appearance this season, and he didn’t feature enough in this game for us to give him a grade.

MF, Shak Mohammed, (90′), N/A — Orlando City B’s season is over and Mohammed was available as a substitute, coming on to relieve Rodriguez. His only touch of the game was collecting a loose ball and passing toward the sideline for Thorhallsson to run onto to help see out the game. Unfortunately, Vancouver succeeded on the tackle against Thorhallsson and scored shortly after.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s 2-1 loss at home to the Vancouver Whitecaps. The Lions are at risk of having to play in the wild card round of the playoffs and will wrap up their regular season on Saturday on the road against Toronto FC. Make sure to let us know your thoughts on the game in the comments and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

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

5 hours ago

on

October 14, 2026

By

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.

Continue Reading

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions try to build on Saturday’s win over Columbus as they head north to visit Toronto.

Published

17 hours ago

on

October 14, 2026

By

Image of Antoine Griezmann's sliding volley goal against Toronto FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your preview and match thread for a midweek matchup between Orlando City (11-13-4, 37 points) and Toronto FC (7-10-11, 32 points) at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). It’s the second of the two scheduled meetings between the Eastern Conference rivals this season.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

Orlando is 11-10-3 in the all-time, regular-season series. The Lions are 4-5-3 as the road team in the series, although one of those “away” wins took place in Orlando during the 2021 season, in which the Canadian teams had to stay in the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The last time the teams met, the Lions won 3-0 at home on Sept. 12. Antoine Griezmann, Harvey Sarajian, and Ivan Angulo provided the offense, but it was a 1-0 lead until the late going.

The last time these teams faced each other in Canada, on Decision Day 2025 — Oct. 18 — the Reds ran rampant in a 4-2 win over the Lions. Djordje Mihailovic scored in each half, with Jonathan Osorio and Deandre Kerr adding a goal apiece to more than offset Orlando’s strikes by David Brekalo and Duncan McGuire. The loss knocked Orlando into the final position in the Wild Card play-in game, so it was costly.

The teams first renewed acquaintances in 2025 on March 1 in Orlando, with the Lions winning 4-2. Cesar Araujo and Alex Freeman scored moments apart, with Martin Ojeda and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson chipping in goals, while Sigurd Rosted and Deybi Flores scored for the visitors.

The teams met at BMO Field in Toronto on July 3, 2024, with the Lions earning a 2-1 revenge win on an Ojeda goal and an own goal by Nicksoen Gomis forced by Facundo Torres, coming from behind after Derrick Etienne, Jr. had given the Reds an early lead.

The Lions and Reds met in Orlando on April 27, 2024, and the Lions led most of the match on a McGuire goal. However, the Reds flipped the game on its head late, scoring twice in the final three minutes of normal time. Former Red/current Lion Tyrese Spicer and Prince Owusu scored to lift Toronto to a 2-1 win.

The final meeting of 2023 took place in Toronto on Decision Day, Oct. 21, when McGuire came off the bench and scored twice to beat the Reds 2-0. The teams met in Orlando on July 4, 2023, with Orlando City putting the Reds to the sword on Independence Day, beating the Canadian side, 4-0. Araujo, McGuire, Thorhallsson, and Ercan Kara scored for the Lions, and Toronto finished with 10 men after Federico Bernardeschi was shown his second yellow card just past the hour mark.

Orlando City also romped 4-0 over the Reds in the previous meeting, Sept. 17, 2022, at Exploria Stadium. Torres, Kara, and Tesho Akindele scored for the Lions to go along with a Lukas MacNaughton own goal. The Lions also won 1-0 on May 14, 2022, at BMO Field, thanks to a 92nd-minute goal from Kyle Smith, who flicked a header from a corner kick cross inside the far post to lift Orlando City to victory.

The Lions went 2-0-1 in three meetings with Toronto FC in 2021. The teams played to a 1-1 draw at BMO Field on July 17. Jozy Altidore came off the bench to score the opener, but Nani equalized from the penalty spot minutes later. Benji Michel drew the penalty, which was originally ruled a foul on the Orlando winger but was overturned after video review by referee Marcos de Oliveira.

The other Toronto “home match” in the 2021 season series came on June 19 at Exploria Stadium. The Reds were dealing with pandemic restrictions in Canada that forced the team to play home games in the United States. Orlando City built a 2-0 early lead on goals by Akindele and Nani, only to see Toronto tie the match by halftime on goals by Ayo Akinola and Osorio. Junior Urso scored late to lift the Lions to a 3-2 victory. The teams first met that year on May 22, with Orlando City claiming a 1-0 win on Akindele’s goal.

The teams did not play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the MLS stoppage for the pandemic, the teams met most recently in Toronto on Aug. 10, 2019, with the Lions grabbing a point at BMO Field in a 1-1 draw. Michel opened the scoring in the second half, but the Reds equalized off a scramble following a set piece just minutes later. The other matchup between the sides that season came on May 4, 2019, when the Reds walked out of Orlando with a 2-0 win on goals by Osorio and Jay Chapman.

The teams split their season series in 2018. Orlando City captured a 2-1 win at home in James O’Connor’s first home game as head coach of the Lions on July 14, 2018. Chris Schuler and Dom Dwyer staked City to a 2-0 lead and Nick Hagglund ruined the shutout in the 94th minute off a Sebastian Giovinco free kick delivery. The 2018 meeting in Toronto saw the Reds get a 2-1 win at BMO Field on Ryan Telfer’s late goal.

Toronto shredded Orlando in a 3-1 win on July 5, 2017. Altidore and Giovinco combined to score Toronto’s three goals. Carlos Rivas gave Orlando a consolation goal. In the first meeting of 2017, Orlando out-possessed, out-shot, and out-passed the hosts and played like the better team on the night. However, the Lions could not overcome a two-goal deficit and Giovinco’s first-half brace led Toronto to a 2-1 win.

The Lions got their first victory in the series on June 25, 2016, winning 3-2 at Camping World Stadium when Kaká scored from the spot in the 10th minute of stoppage time. Cyle Larin and Adrian Winter each gave OCSC leads in the game, only to see Jordan Hamilton and Justin Morrow equalize until the captain’s late winner. The Reds took the second 2016 matchup in Orlando with a 2-1 victory and the teams also drew 0-0 on Sept. 28 of that year.

In 2015, Toronto took home all nine points in the three meetings, beating Orlando by a combined score of 11-1.

Overview

The Lions are coming off Saturday night’s 3-2 home win over the Columbus Crew, which snapped a three-game losing streak in all competitions — all on the road. Sarajian scored in the first minute of his first MLS start to get things started, but the Crew soon equalized before Griezmann restored the lead on a free kick before halftime. Columbus drew level again and had the better of the play most of the night, but a huge save by Maxime Crepeau — one of a single-game club record 12 — led to a quick counter by the Lions that Angulo finished in the final minute of normal time. It was a hard-fought win, and a much-needed one, considering the Lions’ tenuous hold on a playoff spot. Angulo is red hot, having scored a goal in five consecutive MLS games, while Griezmann and Ojeda continue to pitch in goal contributions.

Orlando is just 3-9-2 on the road this season and has conceded eight goals in its last two away matches. To take any points home from Canada tonight, the Lions will need to find some semblance of a team defensive effort.

Toronto FC is 1-2-0 since these teams last met, but that lone victory came Saturday night at the expense of rival CF Montreal on the Reds’ home grounds. The Reds stunned Montreal with stoppage-time goals by Lewis Morgan and Mihailovic to come from behind. Tonight’s hosts are 5-2-8 at home this season, making it tough for visitors to escape with more than a single point. The only teams to take all three points home from BMO Field have been Orlando’s southeastern rivals Inter Miami and Atlanta United.

USMNT striker Josh Sargeant and former Sporting Kansas City star Dániel Sallói have seven goals apiece to pace Toronto in 2026, with the latter chipping in a club-high nine assists, but the Reds have a good roster despite their record and to win tonight, Orlando must deny service to Sargeant, try to keep Sallói and Morgan off the ball.

Orlando City will be without Marco Pasalic (yellow card suspension) and Tyrese Spicer (foot), while Griffin Dorsey (back) and Braian Ojeda (foot) are listed as questionable. Toronto will be without Osorio (suspension), Nelson Palacio (thigh), and Walker Zimmerman (ankle).

Match Content

Official Lineups

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Vinicius Nogueira, Iago, David Brekalo, Ivan Angulo.

Midfielders: Harvey Sarajian, Wilder Cartagena, Luis Otavio, Eduard Atuesta.

Forwards: Martin Ojeda, Antoine Griezmann.

Bench: Javier Otero, Adrian Marin, Bernardo Rhein, Zakaria Taifi, Nolan Miller, Braian Ojeda, Joran Gerbet, Tiago, Daryl Dike.

Toronto (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Luka Gavran.

Defenders: Matheus Pereira, Benjamin Kuscevic, Zane Monlouis, Richie Laryea.

Midfielders: Dániel Sallói, Niklas Dorsch, Alonso Coello, Theo Corbeanu.

Forwards: Lewis Morgan, Josh Sargent.

Bench: William Yarbrough, Kobe Franklin, Markus Cimermancic, Richard Chukwu, Alejandro Piedrahita, Jackson Gilman, Emilio, Djordje Mihailovic, Derrick Etienne Jr.

Referees

REF: Armando Villarreal.
AR1: Kevin Lock.
AR2: Nick Balcer.
4TH: Mario Al Ayass.
VAR: Michael Radchuk.
AVAR: Fabio Tovar.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: BMO Field — Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

TV/Streaming: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/14/26

Orlando City plays Toronto FC, Orlando Pride prepare for Houston, the USWNT draws Spain, and more.

Published

21 hours ago

on

October 14, 2026

By

Image of Iago passing the ball against Toronto FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s also match day for Orlando City. As the regular season winds down, the tension ramps up. The Lions are currently above the playoff line, but it’s a precarious perch. With two matches this week, earning crucial points will be even more difficult. We will have more match prep later today, but for now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Visits Toronto FC Tonight

Orlando City travels to the Great White North tonight for a match against Eastern Conference opponent Toronto FC. Points are at a premium as both teams chase a playoff appearance. Rest assured that Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman is making sure the team is prepared and taking it one match at a time. It is a double match week so we’ll see how Perelman rotates the starting lineup.

Orlando Pride News and Notes

Yolanda Thomas is getting the Orlando Pride ready for Sunday’s road match against the Houston Dash. Of course, there are several players on international duty before then. Oihane got the start for Spain against the USWNT (see below) on Tuesday night. Barbra Banda scored a brace for Zambia in a 4-1 win over Uganda in an Olympic qualifier. Ally Lemos contributed two assists in the U.S. Under-23 Women’s National Team’s 5-0 dismantling of the Dominican Republic.

USWNT Comes from Behind to Draw Spain

The USWNT played its second friendly against top-ranked Spain Tuesday night at Subaru Park in Philadelphia. Much like the previous match, Spain was able to build a 2-0 lead before the end of the first half. Unlike last time, the U.S. was able to score two goals to draw Spain. Ashley Sanchez scored in the 49th minute in her first USWNT start in nearly two years, and Mallory Swanson added the second goal in the 86th minute. Unfortunately, the USWNT wasn’t able to get a third, but a 2-2 draw is still a better result than last time and coming back from two goals down made it feel more like a win in the end.

USMNT Players in Club Action

Former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman came on in the 63rd minute of Villarreal’s 3-1 victory over Napoli in the UEFA Champions League. Johnny Cardoso played all 90 minutes for Atletico Madrid in his club’s 2-0 win over Manchester United. He almost scored a goal, but it was disallowed after video review. Sergino Dest’s PSV lost 1-0 to RB Leipzig. Dest is Top 10 when it comes to Champions League appearances by U.S. players. There are a few more USMNT players making appearances in the matches today.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for live match updates and we will also have a recap of the match tonight and more coverage tomorrow. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending