Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Final Score 4-3 as Lions Outlast Union in Wild Game
The Lions threw away a two-goal lead but won it late on Martin Ojeda’s second of the match.
Orlando City built a 2-0 lead in the first half, a 3-1 lead in the second half, threw its lead away late and won it even later in a wild 4-3 Lions victory over the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium tonight. Martin Ojeda scored the first and last of the four goals for Orlando City (4-8-1, 13 points), with Griffin Dorsey and Duncan McGuire finding the net in between. Philadelphia (1-9-3, 6 points) entered the match with one of the worst offenses in Major League Soccer, but Milan Iloski, Cavan Sullivan, and Ben Bender found the net in the second half against an OCSC defense that offered little resistance, conceding 24 shot attempts and 10 corners despite winning the possession battle.
Despite blowing numerous scoring opportunities that might have put the game out of reach earlier and conceding far too many chances (and goals) to a team with a struggling offense, the Lions have won two straight at home to pull level at 3-3-0 in games at Inter&Co Stadium.
“Of course, happy with the victory. I think the guys are doing a big effort. We did a really good game in terms of performance as well,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said after the match. “We made some mistakes that created the game everybody saw, but at the end of the day, I learned in this game to enjoy the victories and and this is what we are going to do, of course, knowing that we have things to continue improving, but we know the process we are in.”
Perelman’s lineup featured Maxime Crepeau in goal behind a back line of David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Iago, and Dorsey. Braian Ojeda and Eduard Atuesta started in central midfield inside of wingers Ivan Angulo and Tiago, with Martin Ojeda and Justin Ellis leading the attack.
The game started slowly, without much action in either final third for the first 10 minutes. Braian Ojeda jumpstarted the first dangerous-looking attack with a heavy touch in the attacking third, turning the ball over and starting Philadelphia on the counter. He made up for the turnover, however, by hustling back to block the Union’s shot at the other end in the 10th minute.
Martin Ojeda then began to befuddle the Philadelphia defense, getting in behind alone on goal multiple times. He wasted the first opportunity on a great pass from Ellis that put him in but on his weaker right foot and he fired over the bar in the 11th minute. A minute later, Ojeda got onto a long ball behind the Union’s back line again, but this time he stumbled on his approach to the box and went down under light contact. No foul was given, and the Argentine didn’t even get a shot attempt off on his second breakaway.
Jeremy Rafanello tried an audacious shot from at least 35 yards out in the 13th minute that forced Crepeau to tip it over the bar. Danley Jean Jacques shook loose for a free header at the near post but sent his effort well off target. Iloski found some space outside the area in the 17th minute on the left, but he sent his shot over the crossbar.
Seconds later, the Lions broke the scoreless deadlock. Ellis again put the ball through for Martin Ojeda, who took the ball under control and blazed past the Union defense and into the box. Andrew Rick came off his line and the Argentine made a quick move to round him. Rick tripped Ojeda up, conceding an obvious penalty and picking up a yellow card. The Designated Player took the spot kick himself, waited for Rick to dive to his right, and calmly slotted his shot home to make it 1-0 in the 19th minute.
Philadelphia responded well after conceding, keeping a spell of pressure in Orlando’s end but not creating much from it. Orlando’s defense made some timely blocks to deny the ball getting into threatening areas and eventually the Lions settled back into the flow of the game.
Orlando City then came forward through Tiago’s hard work in the 27th minute as he worked his way into traffic in the box. Locked in a battle with a defender, Dorsey took the ball from both coming in from behind and smashed it home to make it 2-0.
For Dorsey, it was his first goal in MLS play as a Lion. He celebrated by putting the ball under his shirt, simulating a pregnancy to honor his wife.
“I’ve been waiting to celebrate with the fans. I had a goal that was a handball. I got to celebrate that one, but it was called off, so it just feels good to get my first one at home,” Dorsey said. “And then, yeah, to announce that my wife is pregnant, due in December, is exciting. And we’re super excited.”
The Union again went on the attack after conceding, racking up lots of set pieces, including seven first-half corners in total and several long throw-ins that caused issues for Orlando City. In the aftermath of one of those set plays in the 38th minute, Iloski chipped a shot onto the roof of Crepeau’s net.
Orlando had an opportunity to break in transition off one of those set pieces in the 40th minute with Ellis and Angulo blazing forward against one defender. However, in one of the few misplaced passes of the half, Ellis couldn’t get his through ball past the defender to send the Colombian in behind.
The Union quickly started piling up more set pieces and came within inches of getting on the board in the 43rd minute when Geiner Martinez’s header hit the crossbar and rolled across the top of it, falling in play on the other side of the net. Orlando City was able to clear and take the pressure off for the moment.
The five minutes of stoppage time at the end of the half were eventful ones. Martin Ojeda took a pass from Ellis on the right and cut in on his left foot, but Bender got in front to block his shot.
Until he was subbed off in the second half, Ellis was pulling the strings for the Orlando attack from a deeper position than usual, shaded toward the right side of the pitch.
“I think we were trying to win the interior sides of the field, like not wide but at the back of both wingers who jump and press,” Perelman said. “We wanted to do it either in a direct manner or through the midfielder, the interior, and Justin feels comfortable himself in there, and from there, he can hurt opponents with his talent. That was part of the plan. It wasn’t something rigid. It’s more about him, because sometimes he has not the freedom, but the opportunity, to read the game and see where does he feel more comfortable. I think he felt comfortable in that area. He felt himself able to play in a good way, and for us was useful, and we were able to create attacking sequences from there. So, that worked for a big part of the game.”
Philadelphia went the other way and quickly won yet another corner, with Iloski firing a shot from a tight angle that Crepeau saved. The Union worked a short corner late in added time and Iloski blazed a shot through traffic but sent it just wide of the right post on the last action of the opening period.
At the break, the Lions held the advantage in possession (57.7%-42.3%) and passing accuracy (87.6%-83.6%), while the Union had more shots (11-4) and corners (7-0). Each team put two shots on target and the difference is that both of Orlando’s went in.
Orlando City started brightly in the opening few minutes of the second half. Martin Ojeda looked to be pulled down just inside or at the top of the area, but no foul was given. Moments later, Ellis weaved his way through defenders on the right side and got into the box. However, just as he cleared the traffic and lined up his shot, Ellis slipped on the surface slick from a hard halftime rain and scuffed his shot attempt in the 48th minute.
Iloski pulled Philadelphia back into the game in the 54th minute off a turnover by Martin Ojeda, who sent a blind pass from the left wing into an area without a teammate. The Union broke the other way and Harriel roasted Brekalo getting in down the right. Harriel squared the ball back for Iloski in front and it was an easy finish from point-blank range to make it 2-1.
Three minutes later, Philadelphia came within inches of equalizing off their ninth corner kick of the game. Olwethu Makhanya was poorly marked in the box and sent a header toward the near post. Crepeau got over just in time to make a huge save, keeping it out with a strong left hand.
The Lions finally generated another chance in the 59th minute. Dorsey did well to get to a long ball on the right but his momentum carried him outside. He tried to play it left for Tiago, but that took the Brazilian into an even tighter angle on the other side. Tiago tried to leave it off for Angulo, but the pass was deflected by the defense to end the threat.
Dorsey was again involved a minute later on a set piece from long range. Martin Ojeda sent his delivery from left to right and the right back sent a diving header over the target.
Harriel fizzed a shot over the bar in the 62nd from long range. Four minutes later, Sullivan blasted a shot from the right just wide of the left post as the usually low-scoring Union continued to look like Barcelona against Orlando’s shaky, league-worst defense.
The Lions should have added a goal in the 70th as Martin Ojeda unselfishly put the ball in front of an empty net for Angulo, but the Colombian mistimed his jump and missed the ball. Nevertheless, it looked like Orlando put the game away just moments later.
The Lions broke three on one and second-half sub Tyrese Spicer sent the ball from the left to fellow sub McGuire. The big striker left his shot too close to Rick but the goalkeeper could only get a piece of it and it went in to make it 3-1 in the 72nd minute. He celebrated with his signature back flip.
“It was definitely a well-done play from Spicer and Martin (Ojeda),” McGuire said. “Martin helped drag the defender away, but we definitely knew that they were vulnerable in the transition, and we were able to exploit that. Spicer played an amazing ball across and just set it up nicely for me.”
McGuire’s goal did not, in fact, put the game away.
Philadelphia wouldn’t go away and Orlando refused to cover opponents in the area, which allowed Sullivan to pull the Union back within a goal three minutes after McGuire scored. Bender sent the ball from Philly’s attacking left into the middle, where Sullivan was all alone, smashing it past Crepeau to make it 3-2 with his first MLS goal.
“I think we didn’t do a good job at, you know, locking back in when they were able to get a goal, and we let them continue to put chances away,” McGuire said. We didn’t get numbers back, myself included, and I think we’ve got to get better at defending as a group when the other team is in transition. But luckily, we were able to get one more goal than them.”
Angulo had a chance to pull that goal right back in the 77th minute, taking a pass in the box, spinning and firing a weak shot straight at Rick for the easy save. Two minutes after that, Martin Ojeda again got behind, this time on the left side. He fired over the bar, slipping on the wet surface. Those were costly missed chances, because the Union tied the game moments later.
The Union got forward in a three-on-three break that morphed into more of a four-on-five as the ball cycled from Philadelphia’s attacking right to left. Bender was alone in space on the left near the top of the area and fired a shot just inside the right post to tie the game in the 79th minute. The ball went through Dorsey’s legs and took a slight deflection that pushed it into an area Crepeau couldn’t reach.
“I think, starting with myself and going down the line of experienced players that we have on the field, we need to find a way, and once again, starting with myself, to be more professional, to end these types of games in a way where we take the opponent completely out of the game,” Dorsey said. “Because I think this is a game we definitely could have done that, and we gave them opportunities to get back in the game when we shouldn’t have.”
Things got scarier for Orlando fans as the Lions started turning the ball over cheaply all over the pitch, giving Philadelphia opportunities to hunt for a late winner. Perelman pulled Dorsey off and subbed in Marco Pasalic, going to three at the back with wingbacks to try to regain some control of the defensive end.
Still, Philadelphia’s anemic offense found opportunities to win it. Harriel shook free down the right and blasted a shot that hit the crossbar near the left post and stayed out in the 88th minute. Off the restart, Martin Ojeda’s pass was off line and went out, giving the Union a throw-in. Philadelphia quickly sent the ball into the box and Jean Jacques headed the ball toward goal. Crepeau got caught halfway between his line and where the shot was taken. The Canadian was fortunate to see the header go just over the crossbar in the 89th minute.
The winner came seconds later. Angulo sent substitute Adrian Marin down the left in the 90th minute and the Spaniard sent in a cross. Martin Ojeda got to it and flicked a header past Rick to make it 4-3 with his ninth goal of the season in MLS play. Only three players in Major League Soccer have scored more goals than the Argentine this season.
“(We) definitely made it harder on ourselves than it needed to be, but I think we did a good job at responding when they tied it up,” McGuire said. “I think we needed to look for that third goal more quickly and put the game away. And without doing that, we let Philly get some hope, and they did a good job clawing back, but really proud of the boys for sticking with it and staying confident and getting the win.”
The Lions played better during the seven minutes of stoppage time and even fashioned a chance that should have put the game out of reach. Spicer ran onto an aerial ball and attempted a diving header from close range, but the Trinidad & Tobago international sent his shot right at the goalkeeper.
Orlando held off a couple more set pieces and ran out the clock on Philadelphia to get back in the win column.
Across the 90 minutes, Orlando City finished with the advantage in possession (54.8%-45.2%) and passing accuracy (84.9%-80.9%), but Philadelphia led in shots (24-12), shots on target (7-6), and corners (10-2). The Lions were just lethal enough to finish one more chance than the Union on a night that might have seen Orlando score three or four additional goals had the attacking players been more precise.
“We’ll take a win. I think that’s all I’ve got to say,” Dorsey said. “Yeah. We’ll take a win.”
“We see the big picture, the big movie, the players as well, the club as well,” Perelman said. “And little by little, we’re still growing. This is our fourth game at home since we started this process, and we really want to win when we come home. So, I’m happy for that. Looking forward to continuing in this pathway.”
The Lions have another quick turnaround but at least they won’t have to travel, as rival Atlanta United visits on Saturday.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 8/10/26
Lions and Pride lose, Americans abroad, Latest MLS transfer roundup, and more.
Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been keeping myself busy at work and getting ready to cover high school sports again soon. Let’s wish a belated happy birthday to former Lion Alex Freeman, who turned 22 on Sunday, and a happy birthday to former Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja, who turns 58 today. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Lions Fall to Club Leon in Leagues Cup
Orlando City fell 2-1 to Club Leon at home in the second matchday of the 2026 Leagues Cup on Saturday. Marco Pasalic scored for the Lions in the first half as Orlando took a 1-0 lead into halftime. In the second half, Club Leon overturned the one-goal deficit, responding with goals from Juan Guevara and Daniel Arcila to take a 2-1 lead as the Liga MX side edged the Lions for the win. Orlando City will be back at home on Wednesday to face Atletico de San Luis to close out the first phase of Leagues Cup.
Pride Winless Skid Continues with Loss to Racing Louisville
The Orlando Pride fell 3-1 to Racing Louisville FC at home on Friday as the club continues to slide down the NWSL table and has lost back-to-back league matches. Louisville struck first to take a 1-0 lead into halftime. In the second half, Emma Sears scored twice to give Louisville a 3-0 lead. In stoppage time, Kerry Abello scored for the Pride to avoid the shutout, but Louisville secured its third win in its last four games. Meanwhile, Orlando has lost four out of its last five matches. The Pride will be on the road for their next match on Saturday, taking on the Portland Thorns.
Americans Abroad
Orlando City midfielder Colin Guske started and played a full 90 minutes for the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team against Mexico in the Concacaf U-20 Championships. The U.S. fell 2-0 to Mexico in the final on Sunday. Max Arfsten and Sebastian Berhalter made their debuts for Middlesbrough in Round 1 of the Carabao Cup against Wrexham on Friday. Berhalter notched an assist as Middlesbrough defeated Wrexham 1-0 to advance to the second round. Ricardo Pepi started and played 80 minutes for PSV Eindhoven in a 2-2 draw against Fortuna Sittard in the Eredivisie on Saturday. Austin Trusty and Cameron Carter-Vickers were both in action for Celtic in a 5-1 victory against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
Latest MLS Transfer Roundup
The LA Galaxy have been busy making moves of late, signing former FC Barcelona and Como midfielder Sergi Roberto to a contract through June 2028 with an option for the 2028-2029 season. The Galaxy added winger Chucky Lozano from San Diego FC on loan through the end of the season and reached an agreement to transfer midfielder Edwin Cerrillo to Liga MX side Club America. Atlanta United has acquired midfielder Mauricio Amaro from Uruguayan top flight club Defensor Sporting. Amaro will be under contract through the 2028-2029 season with an option for 2029-2030. San Diego FC announced on Saturday that the club has transferred defender Andres Reyes to Atletico Nacional in Colombia.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City forward Yutaro Tsukada, who is on loan at Rhode Island FC, scored his first goal in the USL Championship over the weekend.
- Kansas City Current forward Temwa Chawinga scored for Malawi, which defeated Ghana 2-1 on Sunday in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time.
- Nigeria fell 1-0 to Cameroon in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, resulting in Cameroon qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Nigeria will face South Africa on Thursday in a play-in match to qualify for the FIFA inter-confederation playoffs.
- Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho revealed in a documentary that he had signed a contract to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013, but later backed out of the deal and decided to return to Chelsea after his first stint at Real Madrid.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Club Leon, Leagues Cup: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Blow Halftime Lead in Loss
Marco Pasalic gave the Lions a halftime lead, but the defense got leaky in the second half.
Marco Pasalic put Orlando City ahead in the first half, but two second-half mistakes and what appeared to be a clear foul in the penalty area late on Club Leon led to the Lions falling 2-1 at home tonight on the second matchday of Leagues Cup. Juan Guevara and Daniel Arcila pulled Leon back from a goal down in the second half, and an Orlando City (1-1) side that didn’t rotate much from Wednesday’s game looked a bit leggy in the second half against Leon (2-0).
“I think, of course, very very sad for the result for us, for our people, for everyone,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said after the match. “We were trying to compete in the best way as possible and trying to win, and we couldn’t. Congrats to them; they did a really good job. We were there, trying to to compete. At the end, we were short.”
Perelman’s lineup featured Maxime Crepeau in goal behind a back line of Bernardo Rhein, Robin Jansson, Iago, and Zakaria Taifi. Luis Otavio and Wilder Cartagena started in central midfielders with Ivan Angulo and Tyrese Spicer in the attack and Marco Pasalic and Antoine Griezmann up top.
The start of the game was bereft of action as the teams tried to figure one another out. The Lions nearly created something magical five minutes after kickoff when Pasalic sent in a great ball over the top for Griezmann, who brought it down, but it bounced a bit wide, and when he went to ground to try to shoot, the defender caught up and blocked the effort.
Neither team could do much with a corner kick opportunity over the next 15 minutes and much of the action was played between the boxes. Pasalic earned a free kick in a dangerous spot when he blew past Juan Guevara, who brought him down and picked up a yellow card. Griezmann took the free kick from just outside the area but his delivery hit the wall and came back to him. He got under his second effort and put it out of play.
The first real danger from Club Leon came on a ball over the top in the 28th minute. Crepeau came off his line but couldn’t get there before Arcila, who tried to chip the goalkeeper but he sent it wide left. Sebastian Santos got to it before it went over the end line and tried to shoot from a tight angle with Iago defending but he got under his shot and put it over the bar.
Just moments after the ensuing hydration break, Leon nearly scored on another ball over the top that was just out of Iago’s reach. Arcila got to it first and fired a shot that Crepeau saved. Fernando Beltran picked up the rebound and tried to chip the Canadian, but Crepeau was able to go up and catch the shot to keep the game scoreless.
Orlando tried a ball over the top for itself in the 36th minute. Spicer was first to it but as he swung his foot to shoot the bouncing ball, the defense arrived and bodied him, causing him to whiff on his effort. But the Lions scored anyway two minutes later.
Pasalic and Griezmann worked a nice give-and-go in the attacking half and the Frenchman sent Spicer down the left. Spicer fed Pasalic at the top of the area and the Croatian’s shot took a slight deflection and beat Oscar Garcia to make it 1-0.
“Happy to help in the first half with the goal,” Pasalic said.
After the goal, Leon showed more determination in keeping the ball and building up play. The guests couldn’t do much with a couple of corners over the next several minutes.
Leon created another chance in first-half stoppage time, when Iago was beaten and Jansson couldn’t quite get over in time to intervene. Arcila got there first and fired toward the near post but Crepeau knocked it out for a corner.
Griezmann headed away the ensuing set piece to end the first period.
The late spell of possession after Pasalic’s goal helped Leon lead in that category at the break (54.1%-45.9%). The Liga MX side also led in shots (8-6), shots on target (5-2), and corners (4-2). Orlando City passed slightly more accurately in the opening half (92.7%-91.8%)
Griffin Dorsey entered the game at halftime for Taifi, but it was Club Leon who brought the energy to the start of the second half. In the opening minutes, Crepeau was forced into two great saves. Rhein turned it over in his defensive third, and Arcila’s cheeky backheel of a cross in from the right forced the Canadian international to make a a diving stop. Leon sent the ball back in from the left to a wide-open Jordi Cortizo in front but sent it right at Crepeau for another save.
Orlando’s first chance of the second half came on a Griezmann corner kick. Dorsey headed it across the box and Iago made a flying attempt at a bicycle kick, but he missed the ball and committed a foul in the process.
Leon got back on the front foot after that, with Jansson doing well to block an Arcila shot at the top of the area in the 51st minute. Arcila then got to a cross and stabbed it wide a minute later, but the initial play was offside.
The visitors tied the game in the 54th minute off a long-range set piece near the left sideline. The cross appeared to go in off of Dorsey, who was trying to mark Juan Guevara. Crepeau got to it just after it crossed the line. Dorsey said something to Crepeau after the play, but Guevara was ultimately credited with the goal.
Orlando’s struggles throughout the game came in the attacking third, and it was magnified in the second half. One such play was a nice buildup in the 69th minute that ended up with Rhein on the left, but the youngster made a mess of his cross, sending it out of play. Two minutes later, substitute Justin Ellis headed a pass to Dorsey that he perhaps should have shot. Ellis got it to Dorsey, who didn’t make good contact and sent a weak shot for Garcia to collect.
It was a costly missed opportunity, as Leon scored the winning goal a minute later. Rhein got caught too far upfield after heading the ball forward, and Leon broke in transition down the right side in behind him. Ivan Moreno found Arcila at the top of the area and the striker found space in front of Iago and sent an inch-perfect shot inside the left post to make it 2-1 in the 72nd minute.
Perelman sent Daryl Dike into the game as Orlando chased the match, and the Lions should have gone to the spot in the 84th minute. Ellis sent a fantastic ball to send Harvey Sarajian into the area on the right. Guevara caught up from behind, threw an arm across the rookie forward’s face, and bundled him over from behind, but referee Jose Camacho Espinoza incredibly saw nothing wrong with what the Leon defender did. There did not even seem to be a stoppage for video review, although media were informed that the play was checked.
“Ellis played the ball through. I’m through. I felt contact to the back, and in my opinion, I thought it was a foul,” Sarajian said. “But the referee didn’t agree. So it is what it is. I felt the contact (to the head and neck area).”
“I saw it,” Perelman said of the play. “I think the same thing as (the media).”
Leon was content to put numbers behind the ball and use the dark arts as much as possible to slow things down. The Lions won a lot of set pieces but could not pay them off. Crepeau came up to join the last few, but in the end, the Lions couldn’t find a way through the mass of Leon defenders down the stretch.
With Leon ceding possession and staying compact late, Orlando City finished with more possession (51.7%-48.3%), while also having the advantage in corners (7-5) and passing accuracy (90%-88.2%). Leon attempted far more shots (18-10) and put more on target (10-3). It was the inability to threaten goal that ultimately prevented Orlando from building on its lead or clawing back into the match.
Pasalic spoke to the referee after the game. He had been taken out in the middle of the pitch in first-half stoppage time that not only didn’t earn Leon a yellow card, but it wasn’t even deemed a foul. He came out to try to play through it in the second half, but the earlier contact forced him off before the hour mark and appeared to be one of the more egregious fouls in the match, despite the no-call.
“Suddenly, I get the hit in my knee, so my knee was getting a lump,” Pasalic said. “And I spoke with them in the halftime. I tried it to go out in the second half, but I felt that my knee is not going to help the team. It’s nothing serious, but I just want to be sure that the team has 10 players on the pitch who can play fully. I mean, I don’t want to get fined. No, just I want to speak in a respectful way about (the referee). For me, it’s unacceptable that he don’t give even the foul when I get fouled, and because of this, I was not able to play again in the second half, fully. This was not even a yellow card.”
The Lions will close out the first phase of Leagues Cup Wednesday at home against Atletico de San Luis.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Club León, Leagues Cup: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
The Lions look to keep pace with the other MLS sides that won in the first round when León visits Orlando tonight.
Welcome to your match preview and live thread for a Saturday night Leagues Cup matchup between Orlando City (1-0) and Liga MX side Club León (1-0) at the building formerly known as Orlando City Stadium (6:30 p.m., Apple TV). Tonight’s meeting is the first between these two sides.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.
History
As this is the first-ever clash between these two clubs, there is no history between them. Orlando City is 4-2-7 in competitive matches against Liga MX teams.
Match Overview
Orlando City is coming off Wednesday’s 2-1 win over CF Monterrey in its 2026 Leagues Cup opener. Antoine Griezmann and Tyrese Spicer (penalty) scored on either side of halftime, but Hugo Cuypers pulled one back deep in stoppage time, which could be a problem for the Lions in the tiebreakers if they can find success tonight and Wednesday.
León enters tonight off a 1-0 win against a heavily rotated Nashville SC side that played without Hany Mukhtar and didn’t have Sam Surridge in the match until after the hour mark. Daniel Arcila scored in the 79th minute as León snatched a late win in the competition. León is the competition’s No. 28-ranked team (Orlando is No. 19) and is 14th in the Liga MX table after three rounds, with a 1-2-0 record. Los Panzas Verdes have won two straight in all competitions, however, having beaten Nashville a few days ago on the heels of Saturday’s 1-0 home win over 10-man Pachuca. León lost its first two league matches of the season — 3-2 at home to Atlas and 1-0 at Club Tijuana.
Orlando must stay focused defensively for the entirety of the game, as with any Liga MX side, and the priorities should be taking care of the ball while being quick to transition back defensively if the attack turns it over. If the Lions can keep scoring goals at home as they have, that would help.
“We did the recovery process in this short window between one game and the other, and getting ready the team to be able to perform and win, because this is what we want every time we jump on the field, especially at home,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said ahead of the match. “We enjoyed the victory (Wednesday) but it’s over and now we need to think on the next game and this is the mode we’re in now.”
Official Lineups:
Orlando City (4-4-2)
Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.
Defenders: Bernardo Rhein, Robin Jansson, Iago, Zakaria Taifi.
Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Luis Otavio, Wilder Cartagena, Tyrese Spicer.
Forwards: Antoine Griezmann, Marco Pasalic.
Bench: Javier Otero, Tristan Himes, Adrian Marin, Griffin Dorsey, David Brekalo, Joran Gerbet, Issah Haruna, Gustavo Caraballo, Tiago, Harvey Sarajian, Justin Ellis, Daryl Dike.
León (4-1-4-1)
Goalkeeper: Oscar Garcia.
Defenders: Sebastian Vegas, Juan Guevara, Jhohan Romana, Ivan Moreno .
Defensive Midfielder: Ivan Rodriguez.
Midfielders: Sebastian Santos, Rodrigo Echeverria, Fernando Beltran, Jordi Cortizo.
Forward: Daniel Arcila.
Bench: Irving Martinez, Julio Gonzalez, Bryan Colula, Juan Dominguez, Sebastian Fierro, Jose Alvarado, Paul Bellon, Salvador Reyes, Luis Valadez, Christopher Mora, Gael Camarena, Jesus Lara.
Referees:
REF: Jose Camacho Espinoza..
AR1: Jeriel Valverde Diaz.
AR2: David Moran Santos.
4TH: Hector Said Martinez.
VAR: Yasith Monge.
How to Watch
Match Time: 6:30 p.m.
Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.
TV/Live Stream: Apple TV.
Radio: None.
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!
Lion Links: 8/10/26
Orlando Pride vs. Racing Louisville: Photo Gallery
Orlando City vs. Club Leon, Leagues Cup: Final Score 2-1 as Lions Blow Halftime Lead in Loss
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