Orlando City
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Final Score 2-1 as Poor First Half Sinks Lions on Opening Day
Orlando City suffered its second straight opening day loss as an awful first-half performance allowed visiting New York to take a 2-0 lead that could have been worse into halftime. The Lions (0-1-0, 0 points) played much better in the second half, and may have been unfortunate not to take something from the game, but the mountain was too steep to climb in a 2-1 loss to the Red Bulls (1-0-0, 3 points) in front of sellout crowed of 24,453 fans at Inter&Co Stadium. Julian Hall scored both of New York’s first-half goals, with Tiago spoiling the shutout late by scoring his first as a Lion deep in stoppage time.
“Two different stories, but probably the worst half that we have played here in Orlando, so no excuses. New York was way better than us in the first half. We could have conceded more goals, even,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “The second half, we changed the dynamics. We changed the attitude. We changed many things — the covering of the spaces, the willingness to attack, [and] many other things that just put us back into the game”
Pareja’s first starting lineup of 2026 included Maxime Crepeau in goal behind a back line of Adrian Marin, Iago, David Brekalo, and Griffin Dorsey. Wilder Cartagena and Braian Ojeda started in central midfield with wingers Tyrese Spicer and Marco Pasalic, with Martin Ojeda and Duncan McGuire up top. It was the first Orlando start for Iago, Dorsey, and Braian Ojeda.
Newcomers Braian Ojeda and Dorsey got things started on the night with Dorsey involved in some early advances down the right side. The Lions opened the game with a few forays into Red Bull territory and McGuire looked like he might break out in the fifth minute after a good ball over the top that he tried to play Spicer in but didn’t put enough on it. The Red Bulls countered, getting past Griffin and resulting in some chaos in the box. Cade Cowell put a shot on goal, leading to an early kick save by Crepeau in the fifth minute.
But the Red Bulls took control in the seventh minute and worked some good combination play between Emil Forsberg and Hall who put the first goal away in the eighth as New York ripped Orlando’s defense apart.
New York never let up on the constant pressure and slipped a through ball into the box in the 11th minute, but the move was offside. New York’s press was relentless and the Lions looked out of sorts to say the least with another potential goal for the visitors called offside in the 12th. If that weren’t bad enough, Cartagena had to be subbed off on the play with what appeared to be a hamstring issue, leaving the game for Colin Guske. Some rusty Orlando play led to a turnover in the Orlando half, and the guests should have doubled the lead, but Ronald Donkor put the shot over the bar.
Orlando managed to lump a few balls towards McGuire, but he struggled to win duels throughout the first half.
The Lions had a wasted opportunity to break out in the 22nd, but gave the ball away easily once again, leading to yet another half chance by the Red Bulls in the 23rd. Forsberg’s corner in the 24th minute was headed away, but Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty fired back in right at Crepeau, who made the easy stop. A tragically ill-advised pass just outside Orlando’s 18-yard box led to a counterattack and a blast off of the bottom of the crossbar in the 25th by Cowell.
Finally, the Lions managed something resembling an attack, but that led to yet another effective counterattack that got run out over the touch line, resulting in an easily defended corner in the 29th. In the 31st, a clunky counterattack resulted in Orlando’s only shot on goal in the first half by Pasalic from outside the penalty area, but he fired it right at goalkeeper Ethan Horvath.
A foul by Guske in the 33rd around 25 yards out set up a free kick for New York. Forsberg’s ball in was headed away but retained by the attackers and worked into the 18-yard box and ushered out for a corner that was again fended off.
The Lions worked a little possession in the Red Bulls’ half but poor decision making led to another giveaway, breakout, and near goal. It turned into another corner, but this time it was canceled out by a Red Bull foul.
The 38th saw another attempt on goal, this time by Marshall-Rutty, that was tipped out by Crepeau, and then another corner, another save, and another corner, followed by a chaotic scramble leading to a second goal for Hall. McGuire had a chance to clear, but couldn’t, and then Brekalo failed to prevent the pass into the area and Iago was on the wrong side of Hall, who made it 2-0 in the 40th minute.
Another approximation of an attack was carved out by Orlando but again the Lions could not pick out the right pass and the ball fizzled over the end line. The Red Bulls were unfazed and continued their dominant control. Another near goal on a shot by Marshall-Rutty in the 44th went just wide, resulting in a goal kick for Orlando.
Orlando had absolutely no idea how to deal with New York’s control, nor could the Lions fashion anything remotely like an attack. With five minutes of stoppage time left, another poorly executed attack ended up with Spicer taking a yellow card. Even with a late attack by the Lions, they failed to even attempt to send the ball into the box and the first half fizzled to a close.
The first of half ended with New York leading in every category. The Red Bulls held the advantage in possession (53.7%-46.3%), passing accuracy (86.7%-79.5%), shots (15-2), shots on target (8-1) and corners (5-0). The visitors had the all-important 2-0 lead on the scoreboard.
“We started a little bit slow, and I think everybody could see it,” Dorsey said. “I can only speak for myself, but I think from the start, it just needs to be a little bit better. I think Oscar, he just had a tactical switch going into the second half and obviously making some changes and getting us prepared to play in a different style, more aggressive style, which I think helped us, and I think threw Red Bulls off of their game a little bit.”
Pareja made two changes at the break, sending on rookie Nolan Miller for Iago and Ivan Angulo for Pasalic. The duo helped spark Orlando, but the team as a whole simply came out with more aggression. It didn’t turn the result around, but it did change the complexion of the match.
“Collectively, everybody lifted the intensity (in the second half),” Pareja said. “I thought when we came back to the locker room and we felt that we were in that momentum. The other team was way superior than us, and we did a couple of modifications on the tactical part, but I thought it was beyond that. I thought our attitude and our stamina, it just put us in a different stage.”
Dorsey won a free kick on the left side of the box in the 50th minute and it set up the first good chance of the secon half. The ball found its way back to Dorsey in front of goal, and he appeared to score his first goal as a Lion, only to have it waved off by referee Rubiel Vazquez. The ball had bounced up and caught a piece of Dorsey’s elbow prior to the shot, nullifying the goal.
“I didn’t think that it hit my hand. So, you know, I celebrated like that was my first Orlando City goal,” Dorsey said. “But there’ll be more moments to come.”
The Red Bulls worked their way back forward though, and Forsberg pinged one off the post after it was tipped by Crepeau in the 59th minute. Forsberg fired one high less than a minute later. Orlando secured its first corner moments later with a ball over the top, but it was sent high by Miller.
Again the Red Bulls countered and Guske did well to get to the ball and touched it over the end line to snuff out the attack for another corner. Crepeau managed to gather the ensuing ball and started a promising counterattack, but again a lack of precision ended it as Spicer lost control, but a foul resulted a free kick for Orlando just outside the box. Martin Ojeda put the free kick on target, but Horvath made a diving save and sent the ball out for a corner, which was subsequently put into the top of the net, giving possession back to the Red Bulls.
Back-and-forth play ensued, with the Lions somewhat threatening and the Red Bulls always dangerous on the counter. Juan Mina sent another ball off Crepeau and the post in the 67th minute.
Orlando continued to grow into the game, resulting in a corner nearly being sent in by Dorsey but Horvath saved it in the 70th.
In more of the same news, a glorious chance to score was wasted with a wide-open goal on a misplaced header by Angulo in the 74th. The game settled into a somewhat ugly back-and-forth struggle not leading to many chances for either team.
Orlando finally managed a pair of corners in the 83rd and 84th minutes, with the first attempt tipped out for another, which was again sent onto the net’s roof. This was followed quickly by two Red Bull attempts in about two seconds, which were both saved by a now very busy Crepeau in the 85th. It was a remarkable double save, with the Canadian parrying away Omar Valencia’s shot from the left and then smothering Forsberg’s rebound shot with his legs. Crepeau’s final save count was 11 on the night, tying Mason Stajduhar’s single-game club record.
The best that can be said about this one was the Lions made a valiant effort to fight back in the second half, but it was just not effective enough to tip the scales. Tiago had an attempt in the 94th which was too soft and easily saved, but then the effort finally paid off for the Lions with a score from the young Brazilian to salvage a shred of dignity.
Angulo started the play with a great switch from left to right, where substitute Zakaria Taifi ran onto it, before sliding it over to Tiago for his first MLS goal. It was also Taifi’s first MLS assist. Unfortunately, it was also one of the game’s last kicks of the ball.
New York continued its dominance on the stat sheet at full time, finishing with the edge in possession (51.9%-48.1%), passing accuracy (83.4%-81.3%), shots (25-18), shots on target (13-6), and corners (9-5).
“We need to start more on the front foot,” Dorsey said. “And I think we saw a lot of positives coming out of the second half, putting them under pressure.”
“(Pareja’s postgame) message was simple: take the good parts of the second half. Lay the bad parts of the first half behind us,” Miller said. “We look at the film, we look at the detail and what happened, and it’s something to learn from.”
The Lions have a week to get their act together with Inter Miami coming to town Sunday, March 1.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Final Score 3-0 as Lions Keep Rolling
The Lions are unbeaten in five games after a win over previously red-hot Toronto.
Orlando City and Toronto FC battled in a match of two of the hottest teams in MLS at Inter.co Stadium, with the lads in purple coming out on top 3-0 in a game that was both closer than the final score indicated and one that the Lions could have won by a wider margin. Antoine Griezmann gave the Lions (10-11-4, 34 points) a 1-0 lead just before the break, with Harvey Sarajian and Ivan Angulo adding late goals to put it away.
The win extended Orlando City’s winning streak to three games and its unbeaten run to five games (4-0-1). Toronto (6-8-11, 29 points) saw a seven-match unbeaten run end tonight against one of the teams it’s chasing for an MLS playoff spot.
“It was a tough game, but I think the team did a good effort, a huge effort,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said after the game. “The guys jumped into the field and they fight. We had moments and difficulties during the game, but we were able to solve it and win at home, which is very important for us.”
Perelman’s lineup featured little rotation with Maxime Crepeau in goal behind a back line of Angulo, Iago, David Brekalo, and Zakaria Taifi. Luis Otavio joined Joran Gerbet in central midfield between wingers Tyrese Spicer and Marco Pasalic with Griezmann and Martin Ojeda up top.
After a cagey opening 10 minutes, Spicer got the game’s first look at goal, blasting a shot just over the crossbar in the 12th minute. Toronto then went the other way and Josh Sargent headed over a minute later.
Derrick Etienne Jr. smashed a shot from the left moments later but Crepeau fought it off with a kick save in the 14th minute.
Griezmann got his first look at goal in the 15th minute when a ball ricocheted to his feet on the left. He fired quickly, but Luka Gavran made the save. The set piece deflected out of the area to Taifi, who tried to shoot with his first touch but sent it far from the target.
Otavio conceded a free kick in the 20th minute near the left corner of the box, but Niklas Dorsch sent a one-hopper right at Crepeau on the set piece.
The Lions thought they’d taken the lead in the 32nd minute when Griezmann’s set piece delivery was headed into the Toronto net by defender Walker Zimmerman. Instead of an own goal, Jon Freemon went to the monitor and determined Otavio was offside and interfering with Zimmerman on the play.
Toronto nearly broke the deadlock five minutes later with a slick passing move that ended up with Derrick Etienne Jr. behind the defense, but the Toronto forward sent his shot just wide of the right post. Theo Corbeanu fired wide in the 40th minute off a transition attempt as Toronto continued to look dangerous.
Griezmann struck in the first minute of added time at the end of the half. With the ball out wide on Taifi’s foot, Griezmann started a run at the top of the box, pointing out where he wanted the young fullback to deliver it. Taifi delivered it to the perfect spot and Griezmann made a lunging poke at it and sent it past Gavran and into the net. For Griezmann, it was his fifth straight game with a goal, tying an overall club record set by Dom Dwyer across two seasons and established a new club record for consecutive games with a goal in a single season.
“I mean, now that I think about it, it’s kind of like stuff I dreamed of as a kid,” Taifi said of his assist. “You know, it’s Griezmann. I’ve watched him for my whole life. In warmups and training, I always practice that ball with him, because I know he just likes to fly and get his foot, get his head on the ball, and I know he’s going to be there. At first, I saw no one was in there, so I hesitated, and then I took another touch. I see him making the run, and then I just put it in there because I knew he was going to get it.”
As stoppage time wound down, Ojeda got to a ball in the Toronto box and went down after contact with Gavran. Freemon pointed to the spot immediately but then went to the monitor. GAvran had touched the ball prior to contact with Ojeda so the penalty and yellow card to Gavran were wiped out. That was it for the half.
At the break, Orlando held the advantage in possessoin (58.5%-41.5%), passing accuracy (87.8%-82.7%), and corners (3-2), while Toronto attempted more shots (6-4). Both teams put two shots on target in the opening period.
Perelman made one change at halftime, sending Wilder Cartagena on for Gerbet.
Toronto looked to get the goal back immediately, with Markus Cimermancic forcing Crepeau into a big save just after the restart.
The Reds could do nothing with their ensuing corner to end the threat. The visitors created another moments later with a good switch of play from left to right for Etienne, who fired wide with Crepeau out of position after the goalkeeper dove to try to get a hand to the cross. Sargent then fired over the bar in the 52nd minute on a Toronto 3-v-2 break.
The Lions finally got their first look at goal of the second half in the 56th minute. Ojeda shook free just outside the box and fired but sent his effort straight at Gavran.
Dorsch stole the ball from a lackadaisacal Otavio in the 63rd minute but fired over the bar. The play earned Otavio a tongue lashing from Crepeau after the miss.
Perelman sent Daryl Dike and Bernardo Rhein on for Ojeda and Spicer a minte later.
In the 71st minute, the Lions worked a well-worked attack from second-half sub Justin Ellis turned Angulo loose down the left. Angulo sent a good cross in front for a tap-in, but Dike couldn’t set his feet and missed the opportunity. Eight minutes later, Pasalic sent a pass through a defender’s legs to send Angulo down the left, but Gavran made a huge save to keep the game at 1-0.
Three minutes later, the Lions doubled their lead. Sarajian, who came off the bench for Pasalic in the 80th minute, kept a play alive by winning a couple of challenges, then gave the ball to Dike. The big striker gave it back to Sarajian on the right and the rookie slipped his first MLS goal past Gavran inside the left post in the 82nd minute.
“It’s a surreal moment for me,” Sarajian said. “It’s been a long time, me playing with the second team and grinding out there, getting a chance to play with the first team. So, I’m super grateful for Dike’s pass, but I’ve just got to keep working to get a couple more.”
Four minutes after the goal, Gavran made a huge stop to deny a rocket from Cartagena. Toronto then went the other way and Daniel Salloi headed off the crossbar but the play was offside anyway.
Sargent blasted a shot from the top of the area off the crossbar in the third minute of stoppage time as Toronto looked for a way back into the game. A minute later, the Lions survived a dangerous sequence in their own end with a block from Brekalo, a save from Crepeau, and another block from Iago to preserve the 2-0 lead.
Orlando put the game to bed just seconds into the sixth minute of stoppage time. Sarajian found Ellis and the young forward set up Angulo, who finished past Gavran to make it 3-0. It was Angulo’s second straight game with a goal — the first such streak in his Orlando City career .
Moments later, the final whistle blew.
Orlando finished the match with the edge in possession (54.8%-45.2%), shots on target (8-4), corners (4-3), and passing accuracy (85.8%-85.6%). Toronto finished with more shot attempts (18-13).
“Every player is very important for us,” Perelman said about the way his younger players stepped up and filled in tonight. “I think in this locker room, in this roster, every player that we have is ready. I respect the players because they do a huge effort giving everything for their teammates.”
Orlando City is back in action Wednesday night with a U.S. Open Cup semifinal match on the road against the Columbus Crew. The next league game will be a week from tonight when the Lions visit the New England Revolution.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The (finally) rolling Lions host the red-hot Reds as both teams try to continue climbing the Eastern Conference table.
Welcome to your preview and match thread for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (9-11-4, 31 points) and Toronto FC (6-7-11, 29 points) at Inter.co Stadium in Orlando (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). It’s the first of two scheduled meetings between the Eastern Conference rivals this season, with the return fixture in Toronto scheduled for Oct. 14.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.
History
Orlando is 10-10-3 in the evenly split all-time, regular-season series. The Lions are 6-5-0 at home. The teams split their two meetings a year ago, with the home side claiming all three points in each.
The last time Orlando City faced Toronto FC was on Decision Day 2025 — Oct. 18 — with the Reds running 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. Cesar Araujo, McGuire, Dagur Dan 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 eight 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 87th-minute 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. Kaká scored from the spot in the 10th minute of stoppage time to win it. 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 enter tonight on their best run of the 2026 season, having gone unbeaten in four matches (3-0-1). That includes Wednesday’s 3-2 win at Atlanta United in which Orlando City scored all five goals, unfortunately and accidentally putting two in the back of its own net. Antoine Griezmann has been on fire almost since his first minute on the pitch for Orlando, having contributed to 10 goals (7 goals, 3 assists) in his first nine MLS matches, including the opening goal and winning goal on Wednesday. Martin Ojeda made his first start since the World Cup break on Wednesday, contributing an assist and wreaking havoc with his off-ball movement throughout the night. He continues to lead the Lions with 11 goals on the year.
That said, it’s unclear how Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman will approach tonight’s match, considering the team flies to Columbus in a couple of days to face the Crew on the road in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. It seems likely there will be at least a partially rotated squad tonight, with key starters in the midfield or attack likely being limited to 45 minutes. On the other hand, it’s a vital, six-point-type match between two teams fighting for an Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Lions, who carry a 6-4-2 home record into tonight in league play, have climbed from outside the playoff places to sixth over their four-game unbeaten streak and sit four positions — but only two points — ahead of tonight’s visitors from the shores of Lake Ontario (sic).
Toronto FC is unbeaten in its last seven games (3-0-4) and has lost just once since the league’s restart, beating the New England Revolution, Inter Miami, and Nashville SC by identical 2-1 scores and playing to a wild 4-4 draw against the Chicago Fire in that span. Those are the top four teams in the Eastern Conference, and the Nashville win came just three days ago, so the Reds will carry a lot of momentum and confidence into tonight. They’ll also have a full week off after tonight, so they can go for it with their best lineup. Toronto, however, is 2-5-3 away from home this season.
One of the keys to Toronto’s recent success is USMNT striker Josh Sargeant getting on track. The big target forward has four goals in the last four games and has crept to the top of Toronto’s scoring list with seven, tied with former Sporting Kansas City star Dániel Sallói, who has chipped in a team-high nine assists.
To win tonight, Orlando must deny service to Sargeant, try to keep Sallói and new arrival Lewis Morgan off the ball, and find ways to beat Walker Zimmerman and the Toronto defense. Whoever plays left back and left wing for Orlando will need to track former Lion Richie Laryea. City must also be smart and not cost itself for Wednesday by running players ragged on short rest.
Orlando City will be without Braian Ojeda (foot), while Adrian Marin (thigh) has been upgraded to questionable. Toronto will be without Osorio (knee), Nelson Palacio (thigh), and Mihailovic (thigh).
Match Content
- The latest episode of the PawedCast includes our key matchups and final score predictions.
- Our Ben Miller provided his three keys to an Orlando City victory in tonight’s match.
Official Lineups
Orlando City (4-4-2)
Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.
Defenders: Ivan Angulo, Iago, David Brekalo, Zakaria Taifi.
Midfielders: Tyrese Spicer, Joran Gerbet, Luis Otavio, Marco Pasalic.
Forwards: Martin Ojeda, Antoine Griezmann.
Bench: Javier Otero, Bernardo Rhein, Robin Jansson, Wilder Cartagena, Eduard Atuesta, Justin Ellis, Harvey Sarajian, Tiago, Daryl Dike.
Toronto (4-4-2)
Goalkeeper: Luka Gavran.
Defenders: Matheus Pereira, Benjamin Kuscevic, Walker Zimmerman, Richie Laryea.
Midfielders: Dániel Sallói, Markus Cimermancic, Niklas Dorsch, Theo Corbeanu.
Forwards: Derrick Etienne, Jr.,Josh Sargent.
Bench: William Yarbrough, Jackson Gilman, Nicksoen Gomis, Zane Monlouis, Alonso Coello, Kobe Franklin, Emilio, Raheem Edwards, Malik Henry.
Referees
REF: Jon Freemon.
AR1: Corey Rockwell.
AR2: Ben Pilgrim.
4TH: Sergii Demianchuk.
VAR: Kevin Stott.
AVAR: Robert Schaap.
How to Watch
Match Time: 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.
TV/Streaming: Apple TV.
Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish).
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!
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Three Keys to Victory
Here’s what the Lions need to do in order to have a good chance of knocking off Toronto at home.
Following Wednesday’s 3-2 road victory against Atlanta United, Orlando City has quietly put together a run of four games unbeaten and has won three of those four games. Up next is a Toronto team that hasn’t tasted defeat in its last seven matches, and with fixture congestion once again an issue during September, OCSC will need to be at its best if it wants to come away with three points against a direct rival for the Eastern Conference playoff places. What follows are my three keys to victory against the Reds.
Ring the Rotations
Not only will the Lions be coming off short rest following a midweek match, but there’s another extremely important midweek contest looming on the horizon in the form of Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup semifinal in Columbus. Playing an unrotated XI against both Atlanta and Toronto would be tantamount to suicide, even without the extra game thrown in, but with the semifinal to consider, rotation is going to be key. We saw around this time last year and again in August how difficult it can be to win games when the team either can’t or simply doesn’t rotate, and this stretch of games is too important to keep asking the same 11 guys to play a highly physically demanding style every single match.
A number of OCSC players have begun to look leggy in recent weeks, and I don’t think it was an accident that Griffin Dorsey and David Brekalo didn’t play the full 90 minutes against Atlanta. They’ve barely come off the field this year and absolutely needed a little extra recovery time, but they aren’t the only ones. In an ideal world, we see guys on Saturday who haven’t been starting much lately, like Marco Pasalic, Tiago, Tyrese Spicer, Luis Otavio, Wilder Cartagena, Zakaria Taifi, and Iago; while guys who are coming back from injury or have lots of minutes on their legs like Dorsey, Robin Jansson, Antoine Griezmann, Joran Gerbet, and Martin Ojeda get some rest to start the game even if they’re subbed on in the second half. No such luck for Ivan Angulo, who will play the full 90 in every game until the end of time.
Be Better on the Back Post
Lately I’ve felt like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day when watching Orlando City play, because I’m watching the Lions’ defense get repeatedly exposed in the same way: a ball is played in from a wide area, across the defense to the back post, and there’s at least one free man to get on the end of it. That’s how Orlando gave up a goal against Real Salt Lake and how it conceded both goals against Atlanta. If not for some wayward finishing by the Five Stripes, OCSC likely would have given up more goals in a similar fashion during Wednesday’s contest. The word is very much out on how to score against this team: put in either a cross or a diagonal switch that bypasses the nearest part of the defense and requires the team to pick up runners on the back side. That’s it. In theory, it shouldn’t be a difficult thing to fix, but if it isn’t cleaned up — and soon — then teams are going to continue making Orlando pay for that particular flaw and it’s going to cost the Lions points. Toronto is unbeaten in its last seven games and just put a couple goals past the best defense in the league. No need to make the Reds’ job any easier for them.
Clinical Finishing
Assuming that Martin Perelman makes significant changes to his starting XI with an eye on the Open Cup semifinal, we’ll probably be in for a rather disjointed offensive performance on Saturday. That means that quality chances will likely be hard to come by, which puts a huge emphasis on finishing the ones that the Lions create. Even if the offense is creating tons of good chances the way it did against Atlanta, the guys on the field need to do a much better job of finishing those chances. On Wednesday, the Lions created a whopping eight chances with an expected goals (xG) value of .25 or higher, meaning that a player taking that shot would be expected to score roughly 25% of the time. Orlando managed to finish just three of those chances, and a game that never should have been in doubt ended up having a nervy finish once Atlanta pulled a goal back in stoppage time. That sort of profligacy simply can’t happen on Saturday, especially in a contest where chances will probably be at a premium.
There you have it folks. Bring on the fresh legs, clean up the back-side defending, and be lethal finishing in front of goal, and the Lions should have a good chance of taking all three points at home on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!
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