Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated individually in a crucial Eastern Conference win.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 7 — It’s not often you give a good score to a goalkeeper who gives up three goals, but there was little El Pulpo could do about any of the three. He was hung out to dry on two of them and Diego Rossi did a superb job of bending the second Crew goal past him and just inside the post. Gallese made seven saves in the match and some of them were incredible. His best sequence was a massive double save on Yaw Yeboah and Hernandez in the 42nd minute, keeping the deficit at just one goal entering the half. Gallese’s distribution was good, as he passed at an 81% rate and completed six of his 11 long balls. He also recorded a clearance.

D, Rafael Santos, 5.5 — I thought the young fullback took a step back in this match. He struggled to get cross attempts past the first defender, was caught up the field on the third Crew goal, and had an unstable touch. His lone shot attempt from outside the box was off target, but to be fair, it didn’t miss by much. He was 0-for-3 on crossing accuracy and just six of his 13 long balls found their target. His passing rate was a meh 68.6%. Defensively, he contributed two interceptions but nothing else and committed a foul. The Brazilian has had better matches.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — Jansson had another solid night and even though he kept Columbus onside for one of the Crew goals, that one came off of a defensive-zone turnover, so it’s hard to fault him too much for the sudden change. Jansson passed well (93.2%) and three of his four long balls were accurate. He recorded a tackle and two clearances and mostly kept the middle clean, as the Crew created most of the defense’s problems from the wide areas.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — Schlegel’s biggest mistake in this game was anticipating a pass that didn’t come and then getting beaten by the one that did. He’s always going to be a high-risk, high-reward kind of defender and it bit him on that play but he was mostly solid on the night. Defensively, he led the team in interceptions (3), made two clearances, and blocked a shot. Schlegel led the team in passing accuracy (97.3%) and completed all three of his attempted long balls. He also attempted one shot that was on target.

D/MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, 5.5 — This grade may seem a bit weird to some, but it’s kind of a split rating. At fullback, it was a tough night for the Icelandic import. Yeboah’s pace and the movement of the Crew’s forwards off the ball created issues for him. He kept the Crew onside for Julian Gressel’s opening goal, getting out of alignment with his back line teammates. He also got beat for pace on well-timed runs on long through balls, although there’s not much one can do about their pace. When he moved to the midfield, he helped the Lions climb back into the game. Defensively, he recorded one tackle, two interceptions, and a team-high three clearances. His passing rate was good (86%) and he completed his lone attempted long ball.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — It was another solid night from the Uruguayan. Araujo drew a team-high four fouls on the opposition, helped gum up the middle against a lethal opposing attack, and did well to connect the back line to the attackers. His passing was a solid 85.4% and he recorded a pair of key passes. He recorded one clearance as well. Araujo doesn’t get a lot of accolades, but he simply plays solidly every night.

MF, Felipe, 6.5 — The Brazilian was a surprise starter on the night but he played well and even picked up his first assist as a Lion — the secondary helper on Orlando City’s first goal. His pass sent Ivan Angulo down the right and it led to Martin Ojeda’s tying goal early in the second half, making it 1-1 at the time. Felipe helped glue the lines together, passing at an 87.1% rate, contributing a key pass, and completing two of his three long balls. He recorded two tackles, only committed one foul, and drew one from the Crew. Oscar Pareja sacrificed him in the 57th minute to send Facundo Torres on.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 6 — It might seem harsh to hand Angulo a 6 when he recorded three key passes, including an assist, and used his speed to track back well to help out primarily on Dagur Dan’s side. However, too many transition opportunities were wrecked on the night due to a misplaced pass by the speedy winger. One good example was his overweighted ball that could have sent Ojeda in on goal but instead forced the Argentine to sprint hard to the end line and send it directly at the goalkeeper from a tough angle. Angulo took one off-target shot, passed at a 79.2% rate — the lowest percentage of all midfielders — completed one of his two crosses and was inaccurate on his lone through-ball attempt. Defensively, he chipped in a tackle and an interception.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — The captain was solid, if unspectacular, starting in the attacking midfield, then cycling to the No. 8 spot in the second half. He lost the ball too often with two unstable touches and he was dispossessed twice. He did not attempt a shot and completed 83.3% of his passes, one of his two crosses, and one of his two long balls, while recording one key pass. He chipped in a tackle and a clearance defensively, committing two fouls while not drawing one. The captain sent a fantastic ball forward that led (eventually) to Torres’ goal in the 73rd minute. Pereyra came off in the 80th minute for Michael Halliday, which moved Thorhallsson into the midfield.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 8 — With Torres dealing with a leg contusion, Ojeda got a rare start and he made the most of it. He scored Orlando City’s first goal, picked up the primary assist on the second, and delivered the service that led to the third and fourth. Ojeda contributed a team-high five key passes, put one of his two shots on target, and passed at an 87.5% rate, completing all three of his long balls and two of his team-high eight crosses. He even contributed a clearance on the defensive end. On another night, Ojeda could easily be our Man of the Match.

F, Ramiro Enrique, 8.5 (MotM) — It was a spectacular performance for the young Argentine, who filled in for Duncan McGuire after the rookie picked up a knock late in training and was held out as a precaution. Enrique tied the match in the 86th minute and won it in the 97th. He also picked up a secondary assist on Torres’ goal. Enrique put all three of his shots on frame, and would have had a hat trick had his point-blank shot not been right down the middle, where it made for an easier save for Patrick Schulte. He drew three fouls on the Crew, won a team-high three aerials, and contributed three clearances on the defensive end. His passing rate of 79.2% doesn’t catch the eye, but that’s fairly high for a forward. If Enrique can build some consistencey off of this performance, the Lions won’t miss the depth that Ercan Kara provided behind McGuire throughout the year. Hopefully, the yellow card Enrique picked up for taking off his shirt during his celebration of the winning goal won’t come back to haunt him, as it was his third of the season.

Substitutes

MF, Facundo Torres (57′), 8 — Torres replaced Felipe as Orlando City had fallen behind by a goal and Orlando City needed a spark. Boy did the Uruguayan provide one. The game changed noticeably once Torres took the pitch and within a couple of minutes, he’d already attempted two shots, although one of those was off target and the other blocked. Despite playing less than half the game, Torres led Orlando in shots (5), putting two on target. His exellent finish in the 73rd minute gave the Lions new life, and he recorded an assist on the game winner, ducking low to head Ojeda’s free kick cross back across the box and into Enrique’s path. The Uruguayan passed at just a 66.7% rate without attempting a cross or a long ball. Despite assisting on the game-winning goal, he was not credited with a key pass. Like Ojeda, on another night, Torres would have my Man of the Match vote. There’s a strong argument, as his presence changed the match.

D, Luca Petrasso (70′), 5.5 — The Canadian came on for Santos and did well to generally help put out fires on his side, although he didn’t provide much going forward. He didn’t pass particularly well (57.1% on just seven attempts), but did block a couple of crosses. He contributed a tackle and a clearance.

F, Jack Lynn (70′), 5 — OCB’s leading goal scorer came on for Angulo as the Lions were hunting goals to get back into the game. He figured in Torres’ goal, pulling a defender wide, which provided room for Enrique to collect the ball, starting the goal sequence. Lynn only managed two touches, winning two aerial balls. He completed one of his two passes.

D, Michael Halliday (80′), N/A — The American youth international came on to provide some coverage on Yeboah’s side to guard against the counter while Orlando pushed to tie — and then win — the game. He managed 10 touches, won an aerial, passed at a 71.4% rate, and recorded an interception.

That’s how I saw the individual performances on Saturday night as Orlando City climbed into second place in the Eastern Conference. What did I get right/wrong in your view? Be sure to vote for your Man of the Match in our poll below and provide your thoughts in the comments section.

Enrique’s Very Good, Not Bad Day

Ramiro Enrique was already a hero for scoring the equalizer in the 86th minute against the visiting Columbus Crew. It wasn’t enough for the young striker, as he earned a free kick close enough to goal to give Orlando City the opportunity to win the match. That still wasn’t enough for Enrique, so he decided to score the winner. If you somehow forgot what it looked like, please enjoy watching it over and over again.

Oscar Pareja said he was proud of his team and confident that the Lions could not only earn a draw but actually win in the last 15 minutes of the match. That belief was held by the players as well. Enrique experienced a moment of pure joy after scoring the winner — you can see it in his celebration — though he was most happy for the three points. Mauricio Pereyra said he is just proud to be the captain of this team. I think it is safe to say that after that result we’re all proud of this team.

Orlando Pride Stun Courage

Two first-half goals were enough to give the Orlando Pride a rare 2-1 win against the North Carolina Courage and in September. Neither of those things have historically come easy for the Pride, but given the fact that Ally Watt scoring the earliest goal in Pride history set the right tone for the evening. The win moved the the Pride into seventh place and — just as importantly — only one spot out of the playoffs. The Pride will be in action next on Oct. 2 at Angel City. If you missed our recap late last night, click the link above and enjoy Sean Rollins’ description of the match.

How USMNT Players Fared Abroad

Folarin Balogun went right from scoring a goal for the USMNT to scoring a goal for AS Monaco in a 2-2 draw with Lorient. Balogun came on as a sub and provided the equalizer for his new club. The USMNT striker is red hot, as is Ricardo Pepi, which makes Gregg Berhalter’s choice difficult going forward. Weston McKennie made his 100th appearance for Juventus and provided an assist in a 3-1 win over Lazio. Much like he did for the USMNT, McKennie played an excellent match.

English Premier League Highlights

Manchester City and Liverpool each scored three goals to win easily against West Ham United and Wolves, respectively. The two top four clubs earned easy, controversy-free victories. However, both Tottenham and Arsenal won, but they did not do so easily or without controversy.

Everton is not good. The Toffees are sitting in the relegation zone with zero wins and only one draw so far this season. Despite that, it took Arsenal until the 69th minute to score the only goal of the match to get the win. It was even harder for Tottenham, given it took two second-half, stoppage-time goals to defeat Sheffield United. United manager Paul Heckingbottom was furious with the officiating.

Free Kicks

• Do you think you can play in most pick-up soccer matches? You almost certainly cannot make the cut for this one in Manchester, England. The players were once paid to play, though they now pay to play — they play a whopping £5.
• FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended the Dallas Cowboys game on Sunday. AT&T Stadium is a possible venue for the next World Cup. Does anyone else think — and I say this as a Cowboys fan — that this was a meeting of the sports equivalent of the Legion of Doom?
• Never mind that, this is the actual Axis of Evil. I can’t believe I’m giving Atlanta United credit, but this was well done at Inter Miami’s expense.

Check back with The Mane Land as we get you ready for the midweek match Wednesday against New York City FC. That will do it for today other than one plea to the Orlando City front office and the Wilf family: please give Oscar Pareja, Luiz Muzzi, and Ricardo Moreira new contracts. Vamos Orlando!

What follows are my five takeaways on a match that I’m still struggling to get my head around.

Defensive Issues Dig a Hole

The Lions were up against it almost immediately. While the first Columbus goal didn’t arrive until the 16th minute, the suffocating press that the Crew deployed made it feel like just a matter of time. Sure enough, Diego Rossi’s chipped ball over the back line found Cucho Hernandez, who in turn lobbed Pedro Gallese, which allowed Julian Gressel to slot the ball into the empty net. The defense did not look settled in this one, and the Crew’s second goal in particular was an absolute horror show that the right side of the line won’t enjoy seeing on film. Granted, the Crew are a good team and some of their movement patterns aren’t things that the Lions have seen a ton of, but with two weeks to prepare for this game it simply had to be better.

Gallese Stands Tall

Fortunately, Orlando City owns a get-out-of-jail-free card in the form of Pedro Gallese. El Pulpo was beaten three times on the night but frankly was blameless on all of the goals. Things could have gotten much worse right before halftime but he made a fantastic pair of saves to deny Yaw Yeboah and then Hernandez after the rebound from Yeboah made its way to the Colombian’s feet. He made several other stops throughout the night to help keep the scoreline from getting too out of hand, and was generally a massive presence when it came to keeping a disorganized back line from falling to pieces. He makes this team that much harder to beat and hasn’t missed a beat since being on international duty with Peru.

In Praise of Felipe

I’ll be the first person to hold my hand up and say that I haven’t been the biggest fan of Felipe for most of this season. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why he got the nod next to Cesar Araujo instead of Junior Urso, but I was happy to be proven wrong. His stats weren’t eye-watering as he finished with two tackles, a foul committed, a foul drawn, an assist, and a key pass while delivering his passes with 87% accuracy, but for me this was his best game in an Orlando City shirt by a country mile. He looked extremely comfortable and at ease, whereas in some of his substitute appearances he’s struggled to adapt to the pace of the match when coming on. I want to talk about the key pass though. That sweet, sweet key pass. His chipped ball sprayed out wide that sprung Ivan Angulo and led to Martin Ojeda’s goal was a thing of pure beauty, and I could watch it over and over. He was sacrificed for Facundo Torres with Orlando chasing the game, but it certainly wasn’t because he put a bad shift in. Bravo, and I’ll happily eat my words on this one.

Facu Lights the Fire

Speaking of Facu, my word does he make a difference for this team. The fans know it, the team knows it — hell, people walking around on Central Avenue might have been able to feel the shift in the game when he came on. The team immediately not just looked, but also felt more dangerous, and it wasn’t an accident that he found space almost instantly and got a shot away. Other guys, like Ojeda and Ramiro Enrique had as good as or more statistically impressive nights, with a goal and an assist and a brace and an assist, respectively, and they absolutely deserve their flowers. But Facu coming into the game immediately shifted things and the Lions kicked into a higher gear. If he can figure out some semblance of a weak foot, then good luck trying to contain him.

Cat’s Won’t Quit

The shift in the game that occurred when Torres came on made it all the more discouraging when Hernandez scored what looked to be the dagger in the 68th minute. A 3-1 deficit simply seemed like too tall of a task, and the air well and truly went out of Exploria Stadium. Credit the Lions’ resilience and mental fortitude though. They found an answer through Torres just five minutes later and were right back in it all of a sudden. When Enrique equalized you could practically feel the belief oozing out of both the players and the fans alike. Orlando City just doesn’t know when to give up and doesn’t seem to have an ounce of quit up and down the entire roster. It’s truly something to behold, and the number of gritty, hard-fought wins from this season is beginning to get difficult to keep track of. At this point, I don’t know when, if ever, I’d feel comfortable counting OCSC out.

I’ve been lucky enough to witness some truly memorable games from these Lions. Some personal favorites include the first game back with a full stadium in 2021, which resulted in a weather-delayed 5-0 beatdown of the San Jose Earthquakes, the 3-2 win over Atlanta courtesy of a late Nani header, and pretty much the entirety of last year’s run to the U.S. Open Cup. But man, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything like that.

With as hopeless as the game looked, only for things to build the way they did over the final 15 minutes and culminate with a winner on practically the last kick of the game? Plus, considering the stakes with an eye-wateringly tight race at the top of the East? The sheer delirium and bedlam that was unleashed where I was in The Wall was otherworldly and nigh incomparable. Hell, I’m writing this at 1:30 a.m. after getting home from the match and I’m still wide awake. Our Sean Rollins put it best: this was a “where were you when” game.

Those are my five big thoughts from a match that will surely go down as an all-timer in Orlando City history. Be sure to share your thoughts on this one down in the comments. Vamos Orlando!

Martin Ojeda also scored for the Lions, who managed to overcome goals by Julian Gressel, Diego Rossi, and Cucho Hernandez. The win extended Orlando City’s unbeaten run in league play to six matches (5-0-1) and lengthened the team’s home unbeaten run in all competitions to 11 matches (7-0-4).

“Today was another demonstration of the character of this group,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “And I want to honor that responsibility and that desire to overcome. It’s not easy to score goals when things don’t look good, and after (the Crew made it) 3-1, the team believed in the process, believed in the ways, and we kept the mentality intact.”

Pareja’s lineup had a few surprises. Pedro Gallese took his usual spot in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. With Wilder Cartagena suspended, Pareja opted to pair Felipe in central midfield with Cesar Araujo rather than Junior Urso behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, and Ojeda, with Ramiro Enrique up top. Duncan McGuire picked up a knock in training late in the week and did not dress, while Torres was away on international duty and started the game on the bench.

The Crew got the first shot of the game five minutes in when Rossi went for goal from a tight angle. Gallese had to be alert to fight it off for a corner kick. A minute later, Gallese again had to fight off a shot from his right as Yaw Yeboah smashed a laser toward goal.

The visitors took the corner short and the Lions stole the ball and should have scored in transition. Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte was well outside of his box when Angulo got onto the ball at midfield. Rather than trying for the open net from distance, he took a touch, which allowed the keeper to scramble back. Angulo’s subsequent pass on the break for Thorhallsson was badly off line and the attack evaporated.

Santos tried a shot from long range in the 12th minute but it fizzed just wide of the right post.

Four minutes later, the Crew opened the scoring after an Orlando turnover in its own end. Pereyra and Araujo looked at each other on a pass between the two but neither went for it, allowing the Crew to collect. Rossi chipped a ball over the top for Hernandez’s run and Thorhallsson was caught out of line with his defensive teammates, keeping the play onside. That left Gallese alone against Hernandez, who calmly chipped him to feed Gressel in front for the tap-in.

Orlando was sloppy throughout the first half, often placing passes between two teammates who weren’t sure who the pass was supposed to go to. That sloppiness nearly allowed the Crew to quickly double the lead. Yeboah smashed a shot just wide of the near post after another such turnover in the defensive end.

The Lions should have equalized in the 26th minute. A good transition attack ended up with Angulo down the right. The winger sent a good pass into the middle to Enrique, but he fired his shot low and in the center of the net, which was the only place Schulte could have gotten to it, and he did. The save preserved the Columbus advantage.

Orlando again fashioned a good chance in transition in the 34th minute but this time Angulo overcooked his pass toward the end line for Ojeda. The Argentine fired a shot/cross in front of goal that hit Schulte, deflected off another body and went right back to the goalkeeper.

Gallese came up huge in the 42nd minute to keep his team in the game. Thorhallsson got beaten badly and Yeboah was in alone. Gallese denied his shot and the rebound found Hernandez, who fired with his first touch but it was right at Gallese, who managed to stop it with his legs without givine up a rebound.

That was the last good look of the half for either team and the Crew took a 1-0 lead into the break.

Orlando City held the halftime advantage in possession (54.4%-45.6%) and passing accuracy (85.4%-81.9%), while the Crew had more shots (9-4), shots on target (6-1), and corners (3-2).

The Lions equalized just three minutes after the restart. Angulo got the ball on the right side of the box and fed it across from right to left. It found its way through to Ojeda, who quickly turned and sent it in with his right foot to make it 1-1 in the 48th minute.

Columbus got back on the front foot after Ojeda’s goal. The visitors were getting to almost every loose ball and working their way through the Orlando defense with good passing sequences and even better movement off the ball that often caught the Lions off guard.

Rossi paid off that attacking play in the 56th minute, putting Columbus back on top. Yeboah played a through ball for Rossi’s crafty run in behind Schlegel and he slotted past Gallese to make it 2-1.

Pareja introduced Torres moments after his team fell behind for the second time. The Uruguayan had a leg contusion and Pareja didn’t expect to have his Designated Player available for this game but he was able to recover in time to make the matchday squad.

Despite the move to bring on Torres, who immediately made Orlando City a more dangerous-looking team with a couple of quick shot attempts, the Crew extended their lead less than 10 minutes later. The Crew attacked in transition and Santos was caught up the field. Alexandru Matan got in behind down the Crew’s right side and sent a centering pass to give Hernandez a tap-in. The Crew’s lead bulged to 3-1 at 68 minutes.

Pareja sent Jack Lynn and Luca Petrasso onto the field in the 70th minute for Angulo and Santos as the Lions desperately chased the game.

Orlando City pulled a goal back moments later. A beautiful long ball by Pereyra hit off Lynn and fell to Enrique, who finessed the ball through a Crew defender to Ojeda. The Argentine passed up a chance to shoot and sent it to Torres, who fired home to make it 3-2 in the 73rd minute with his 12th goal of the season.

Pareja made one more move, sending on Michael Halliday for Pereyra, moving Thorhallsson into the midfield. Halliday made an immediate impact, intercepting a pass and starting an Orlando City break. Aidan Morris made a perfect form tackle — American football style — to pick up a booking in order to break up the play.

Just a few minutes later, Torres was fouled by Crew defender Yevhen Cheberko about 25 yards out on the right side. Ojeda’s free kick hit off of Cheberko’s head, but instead of clearing it, his sideways header fell at Enrique’s feet. The MLS U22 Initiative forward slotted it past Schulte to level the score in the 86th minute.

“No matter the amount of hard work that you put in, the first objective always has to be to push the group further, to do whatever you can to help the group achieve the most they can and continue onward,” Enrique said of his role through a club interpreter. Whether you’re selected as a starter, off the bench, or even sometimes out of the group, you have to do whatever is in the best interest of the team to continue pushing them further and towards more success.”

As time wound down, the Crew managed to win multiple corner kicks but the visitors could not make them pay off. Referee Rubiel Vazquez tacked six extra minutes onto the 90 for one of the teams to find a winner. Orlando City took advantage of that, but it required a seventh minute.

With the seconds winding down, Orlando City won a free kick about 25 yards out near the left sideline. Ojeda took the free kick and sent a good cross into the box. The ball somehow missed a flying Schlegel attempt and Schulte’s charge off his line to try to punch it, but Torres was right behind him and went low to head the ball back across the box. Once again the ball fell at Enrique’s feet and he swept it home in the 97th minute to send Exploria Stadium into euphoria.

Enrique’s brace doubled his season total of goals from two to four.

“Just absolutely pure happiness,” Enrique said after the game, about what was going through his mind. “Happy to score the goals and I think, first and foremost happy for the three points.”

Columbus kicked off and the game was over with the Lions smashing and grabbing all three points.

The Crew turned around the possession numbers in the second half and led in most of the game’s statistical categories. Columbus held the advantage in possession (52.4%-47.6%), shots (15-14), shots on target (10-7), corners (9-2), and passing accuracy (85%-83.1%).

“I think Columbus is a great team. Today they dominated us in the beginning of the first half,” Pereyra said. “For us it was difficult to press them. But then, after, we showed personality. We showed desire and a winning mentality that we are having in the last 10 or 15 matches. I think we’ve improved a lot.”

“A lot of things to get better, but today it’s a good demonstration of this character, and we’re proud,” Pareja said.

The Lions will have a quick turnaround before playing away at New York City FC on Wednesday at Citi Field.

Here’s what you need to know about the match.

History

The Lions are 9-6-3 in the all-time league series and 6-2-2 at home. Orlando City also has a home U.S. Open Cup win back in 2015 against the Crew for a 10-6-3 overall mark in all competitions (7-2-2 at home).

These teams met previously this season in Columbus on May 13, playing to a 2-2 draw. Orlando City fell behind 2-0 by halftime on goals by Darlington Nagbe and Jacen Russell-Rowe, but Ercan Kara pulled one back just a few minutes after the restart and Duncan McGuire leveled the game in stoppage time.

The two sides last met in Orlando on Decision Day 2022, with Orlando City erasing a 1-0 deficit on a Derrick Etienne Jr. goal to win, 2-1, and clinch a playoff spot. Junior Urso leveled the game in the second half and Facundo Torres struck from the penalty spot late. The meeting in Columbus that year took place on April 16, 2022, with the Lions winning 2-0 on goals by Rodrigo Schlegel and Kara.

The 2021 season series concluded on Oct. 27 in Columbus with the Crew winning 3-2. Columbus had lost five straight to Orlando prior to Lucas Zelarayan’s one-goal, two-assist performance. Miguel Berry and Etienne also scored for the Crew. Daryl Dike pulled a goal back from the spot and Robin Jansson struck late but it wasn’t enough.

The teams met at Exploria Stadium on Sept. 4, 2021, when the Lions won, 3-2. Orlando was cruising and built a 2-0 lead on goals by Dike and Silvester van der Water, but a bizarre own goal by Antonio Carlos threw the Crew a lifeline, and a Berry equalizer turned the game around. Urso provided the winner in the 69th minute.

City won the only meeting of 2020 when the 10-man Lions got a late Benji Michel goal to defeat the Crew 2-1 on Nov. 4. Chris Mueller gave Orlando the lead in that game but Harrison Afful was able to equalize just moments after referee Ramy Touchan had sent off Nani on a ludicrous call that was overturned by the MLS independent panel a few days later. Thanks to Michel’s goal, the officiating error didn’t end up costing the Lions, who clinched their first-ever MLS playoff spot with the win.

The Lions swept the season series in 2019, defeating the Crew 1-0 on a Michel goal on July 13, 2019, and two weeks previously getting their first road win in the series, 2-0. Nani assisted on goals by Mueller and Tesho Akindele in that one.

Orlando won 2-1 on Oct. 21, 2018 to start a five-game winning streak against the Crew on a pair of penalty kick goals. Yoshimar Yotún and Sacha Kljestan provided the spot kicks to offset Federico Higuain’s opening goal.

The last Crew win in the series prior to the Orlando winning streak was assisted by a horror call by Silviu Petrescu in the 88th minute on July 21, 2018, giving Columbus an equalizer from the penalty spot. Wil Trapp then scored the kind of goal in stoppage time that he’ll probably never score again to lift the Crew to a 3-2 victory in a game the Lions had stolen away from them on a call that Petrescu’s own organization said was an error.

Columbus got the better of Orlando in 2017, going 2-0-1. The Lions were 0-1-1 against Columbus in 2016 and 1-1-1 in the series in 2015.

Match Overview

Orlando City enters this match having gone unbeaten in its previous five league games (4-0-1), including an impressive 1-0 road victory at FC Cincinnati 14 days ago in the team’s last match prior to the international window. The Lions are 6-3-4 at home this season in MLS play and are currently riding an eight-game home unbeaten streak (5-0-3) in the regular season and a 10-match home unbeaten run in all competitions (6-0-4).

The Crew enter just 3-7-3 in road games this season, but they did manage a 4-2 win at CF Montreal in their last match, riding a Cucho Hernandez hat trick to an away victory north of the border on Sept. 2. Columbus is on a good run of overall form since being knocked out of Leagues Cup, going 3-1-0 since returning to league play, including shutout wins over Cincinnati and Toronto (both at home).

Crew Head Coach Wilfried Nancy’s system features a three-man back line with solid defensive positioning and an opportunistic attack that can win the ball in dangerous areas and exploit transition opportunities. Hernandez and Christian Ramirez are obvious threats but midfielder Aidan Morris has joined them as an attacking presence in 2023. Russell-Rowe, who played primarily for the team’s MLS NEXT Pro squad last season, is also a threat to score. The Crew lead the Eastern Conference in goals scored (54) and goal difference (+17). The addition of Rudy Camacho has bolstered the Columbus defense, while the midseason additions of Julian Gressel and Diego Rossi give the Crew even more attacking bite.

“They are a good rival who have been very well coached,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said ahead of the match. “We had a good result in Columbus and we had good experiences in that game, and we are trying to train, simulate, and prepare for the game. Like always, we want to optimize the players in the best way possible and use this time to allow some of the player to rest, but now it’s full steam ahead because we want to be ready.”

Orlando City will be without Wilder Cartagena (red card suspension), Antonio Carlos (lower leg) and Favian Loyola (arm), while Gaston Gonzalez (thigh) has been upgraded to questionable. Columbus will be without Will Sands (knee).

Match Content

• Our Intelligence Report provides more info about Columbus with the help of Pat Murphy from the now-independent Crew SC blog, Massive Report.
• The most recent episode of The Mane Land PawedCast includes our key match-ups and score predictions, along with a preview by Massive Report contributor Collin Johnson.
• Our David Rohe offered up his three keys to victory for Orlando City in this match.

Official Lineups:

Orlando City 4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.

Defenders: Rafael Santos, Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.

Defensive Midfielders: Cesar Araujo, Felipe.

Attacking Midfielders: Ivan Angulo, Mauricio Pereyra, Martin Ojeda.

Forward: Enrique.

Bench: Mason Stajduhar, Michael Halliday, Kyle Smith, Luca Petrasso, Abdi Salim, Junior Urso, Gaston Gonzalez, Facundo Torres, Jack Lynn.

Columbus Crew (3-4-3)

Goalkeeper: Patrick Schulte.

Defenders: Malte Amundsen, Rudy Camacho, Steven Moreira.

Wingbacks / Central Midfielders: Yaw Yeboah, Aidan Morris, Darlington Nagbe, Julian Gressel.

Forwards: Diego Rossi, Cucho Hernandez, Alexandru Matan.

Bench: Evan Bush, Max Arfsten, Yevhen Cheberko, Jimmy Medranda, Kevin Molino, Mohamed Farsi, Sean Zawadski, Jacen Russell-Rowe, Christian Ramirez.

Referees

REF: Rubiel Vazquez.
AR1: Andrew Bigelow.
AR2: Meghan Mullen.
4TH: Malik Badawi.
VAR: Daniel Radford.
AVAR: Mike Kampmeinert.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Exploria Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+

Radio: FM 104.1 Real Radio (English), Acción 97.9 FM, 810 AM (Spanish).

Twitter: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow along at @TheManeLand, as well as Orlando City’s official Twitter feed (@OrlandoCitySC).

Enjoy the match. Go City!

Don’t get me wrong though, I still miss waking up and walking across the street to the beach every morning when I lived in Florida. Whatever your own location is, I’m glad we all get to call Exploria Stadium our personal “home away from home.” Now enough of the lovey-dovey reminiscing stuff, let’s get into today’s links!

Lions Kick Off Slew of Matches at Home

Orlando City resumes league play tonight at 7:30 p.m. when it hosts the Columbus Crew at Exploria Stadium. The Lions and the Crew last squared off in May earlier this season, where City fought to a second-half comeback 2-2 draw. Former Orlando City forward Ercan Kara and rookie striker Duncan McGuire scored to solidify the club’s third-straight unbeaten match against the Columbus. Today’s match is the first of three in a nine-day span for Orlando as the Lions face a quick turnaround for Wednesday’s road match against New York City FC. The team then turns around to host Inter Miami in the Tropic Thunder derby on Sunday.

Lions Hunting for Milestones

We have officially reached the latter part of the season when players and coaches can start to look down their personal goals lists to see just how well they have done this year. Head Coach Oscar Pareja is hunting two more wins to reach the milestone of 60 as the Lions’ manager. Another milestone hunter is Designated Player Facundo Torres, who currently sits level with former forward Dom Dwyer for fourth on Orlando City’s all-time scoring charts. The Uruguayn’s next goal would mark his 25th and tie him with club legend and inaugural MLS captain Kaká for third in club history. For the team as a whole, Orlando City has made it 10 straight home matches without a loss, which is the club’s longest-ever run within a single season in the MLS era.

Orlando Pride Need Wins for Playoff Run

Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines is calling all supporters for the Pride’s must-win match at Exploria Stadium on Sunday. While the Pride have shown sparks of brilliance at times this year, they’ve lost 10 of their 18 games, leaving crucial points behind along the way. The club has massive six-pointers ahead against Angel City, Racing Louisville, and the Houston Dash. Gathering these pivotal wins would be necessary for the Pride to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2017.

Orlando Pride Releases 2023 Moniker Kits

In recent years, the Orlando front office has taken its merch game up a notch with Moniker jerseys of its different start players. This season, August NWSL Rookie of the Month Messiah Bright and captain Marta each earn the special edition honors. The kit includes a special design backing and a limited edition patch only attainable through buying the Moniker kits. Bright’s design is symbolic of a stained glass window, while Marta’s depicts her being the GOAT (greatest of all-time) of professional women’s soccer.

Orlando City B Clinches Playoff Spot with 1-1 Draw at Fire II

Orlando City B drew Chicago Fire II 1-1 last night at SeatGeek Stadium to clinch its spot in MLS NEXT Pro postseason play. The Young Lions were without the services of star striker Jack Lynn, who is likely suiting up for the senior team tonight following the departure of Ercan Kara. It only took 17 minutes for the Baby Sparks to find the net as Sergio Oregel finished off Billy Hency’s cross. In the 71st minute, Wilfredo Rivera stepped up in Lynn’s absence to level the match. Following full time, OCB’s 20-year-old Venezuelan keeper, Javier Otero, made two saves to secure the extra shootout point, 4-3.

Free Kicks

•  Inter Miami has signed Ecuadorian international Leonardo Campana to a contract extension through the 2027 MLS season with an option for 2028.
• U.S. Soccer plans to construct the nation’s first-ever designated national training center in the Atlanta area, funded in part by Atlanta United owner Arthur M. Blank’s $50 million contribution.
• Premier League club Everton has been sold to private equity firm 777 Partners in a deal reportedly worth more than $685 million.
• Arsenal is confident of finalizing a contract extension with 24-year-old midfielder Martin Ødegaard, whose deal expires in 2025. It would likely need to be a significant increase on his current £120,000-a-week wage.
• Spain has granted a restraining order to prevent former football federation chief Luis Rubiales from coming near forward Jenni Hermoso.
• Spanish police arrested three Real Madrid youth players for allegedly distributing a sexual video featuring a minor.
• Barcelona will play Real Madrid on Oct. 28 in the first El Clásico matchup of the 2023-24 season.
• The father of 22-year-old student Martin Podhajsky paid Czech third division side FK Usti nad Labem around $22,000 to secure his son a place in the senior squad and guarantee him at least 10 minutes of first-team action this season. His son has never actually played soccer before.

That’s all I have for you today. Let’s all enjoy the return of some first-time action tonight. Vamos Orlando!

A match against Columbus means that I spoke with Pat Murphy of Massive Report. As usual, Pat was very helpful in getting us caught up on what the Crew’s season has been like since these two teams last met back in May.

One of the biggest stories of the summer was Lucas Zelarayan’s surprise departure, with Diego Rossi brought in to replace him. How has Rossi performed so far?

Pat Murphy: He has been good but different. Despite his ability to score, Zelarayan was much more of a creator. He didn’t get a ton of assists for the Crew, at least not as many as no. 10s of the past, but he got the offense going and was a connector from the midfielder. He could do a little bit of everything. Rossi is creative but he’s a forward. He wants to be closer to the goal and put pressure on the back line

What Wilfried Nancy likes about him is that he’s willing to press and use his energy to cause problems for opposing back lines. Zelarayan would do that, but it didn’t come as natural as it does for Rossi, who is younger and has been asked to do this with other teams.
Rossi’s addition also allows the Crew to play a fluid front three. Before, the two in front of Zelarayan were able to move and rotate but the Argentine was generally in the No. 10 spot. Now with Cucho Hernadnez, Rossi, and Christian Ramirez on the field together, there are not set positions — more so roles that players are in which makes it harder to defender the Black & Gold.

Following Eloy Room’s departure, Patrick Schulte has further cemented himself as the starting goalkeeper. What style of keeper is he, and how has he looked?

PM: He’s pretty solid all around. He’s getting better as a shot stopper, or at least more confident doing it at the MLS level. He is decent with his feet and understands movement with the ball as a former basketball player that nearly played in college. He has not been scared to try some things from time to time with the ball, which has led to a couple of mistakes, but he’s done a good job of learning from those. The biggest thing lately has been Schulte’s leadership. He is much more vocal now that he knows he’s the guy in goal and is comfortable with his teammates. This makes quite the difference in terms of organizing the back line and helping Columbus play better defense.

As we get closer and closer to the playoffs, what are your expectations for this team? What would you consider a successful season?

PM: That’s a good question. This team changed way more in the summer window than I expected, with players both coming in and leaving. I honestly think it will be an interesting case study in how much you can overhaul your roster in the summer and have success.
I think this team is capable of making a deep run in the MLS Cup playoffs. The offense is elite and that always makes for a difficult out. I do still have concerns about this defense and how that side will handle postseason play. This was a focus on Nancy with his team over the past weekend and a half as the Crew didn’t play over the international window. We’ll see how much it helps.

I also think things will change in the playoffs because of the new format. I think it will be more difficult for the underdog to spring the upset, given it will be a best-of-three series instead of just one game.

With all that said, my expectation is this team gets in and wins a round. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Black & Gold goes far, but I could also see this team, due to all the changes, be better equipped to be really good next year with a full preseason with all of the new players and some motivation if they don’t get as far as they hoped this postseason.

Are there any players who will be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting XI and score prediction?

PM: We expect Columbus to be pretty healthy coming out of the weekend off. I would project the lineup to look like this: Patrick Schulte; Steven Moreira, Rudy Camacho, Malte Amundsen, Julian Gressel, Yaw Yeboah; Darlington Nagbe, Aidan Morris; Cucho Hernandez, Christian Ramirez, Diego Rossi.

Score prediction not provided.

Thank you to Pat for his help in getting us up to speed on the Crew. Vamos, Orlando!

Pedro Gallese Impressed During International Break

Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese stood out among the many MLS players who represented their countries during the recent international break. Gallese came up with six saves in Peru’s scoreless draw on the road against Paraguay, and then did well against Brazil in a 1-0 loss. It was further proof towards how important it was that the Lions signed him to a new contract last December, as Gallese’s form is consistent at the club and international level. Wilder Cartagena and Facundo Torres were also noted for receiving some valuable minutes with Peru and Uruguay, respectively.

Orlando Pride Focused Ahead of Sunday’s Match

The Orlando Pride are back in action Sunday night for a pivotal match with the North Carolina Courage at Exploria Stadium. After losing their past two games, the Pride are ninth in the league standings and need a win to insert themselves back in the playoff race. They take on a Courage team that is third in the league and just won the NWSL Challenge Cup. However, the Courage enter this game on short rest and have not won a league game since July 1 (0-2-2). Pride defender Emily Madril spoke on how the team is focused on winning its remaining four matches, starting with Sunday’s.

Orlando City and Orlando Pride Partner With Inter&Co

Inter&Co, which offers finance solutions and digital commerce services, was named the official financial institution of both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride as part of a new partnership. It’s the Brazilian company’s first partnership with an NWSL club, and it’ll be interesting to see what kinds of collaborations come from this partnership in the future. Fans can learn more about the company at tomorrow’s game between Orlando City and the Columbus Crew. It does feel a little wrong to partner with a company named Inter though.

Orlando City B Plays Chicago Fire II Tonight

Orlando City B has a chance to clinch a spot in the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs when it takes on Chicago Fire II tonight at 7 p.m. The same can be said for Chicago, making tonight’s match a critical one for both sides. The Young Lions have excelled offensively this year, recording 236 key passes and 56 goals. Of those goals, 11 have come from outside the box, the second most in the league. Forward Jack Lynn remains tied in the Golden Boot race with New York City FC II’s Matt Myers, with both sitting on 18 goals. Lynn is expected on the bench in Orlando on Saturday night, however, so he may not make the trip to Chicago. Hopefully the Young Lions can get the job done tonight on the road and qualify for the playoffs for the first time.

Free Kicks

•  EA Sports FC 24 player ratings are out and Martin Ojeda has the highest rating of Orlando City players. As for NWSL players, Marta has the 11th highest rating, while former Pride forward Alex Morgan takes the top spot.
• Sporting Kansas City re-signed Designated Player Alan Pulido to a three-year contract. The forward has been great this year, scoring 13 goals for Kansas City.
• The Vancouver Whitecaps signed versatile attacker Junior Hoilett on a deal through the rest of the 2023 season. A free agent, the 33-year-old most recently played for Reading in England and should give Vancouver a boost to its attack.
• Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Chara had a successful appendectomy and may miss multiple games while he recovers.
• A Colorado Rapids supporters group released a statement showing its dissatisfaction with the club and ownership during an abysmal season.

• American defender Sam Vines won’t be taking part in Antwerp’s Champions League games in the group stage due to an error.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points at home against the Columbus Crew?

Score All the Goals

Though I doubt that Oscar Pareja agrees with me, the Orlando City attack is hanging on for dear life. The departure of Ercan Kara was a big blow to Orlando City’s postseason. The Lions are in a good position to make the playoffs, but how far the club is able to go will in large part be determined by which players contribute goals. Losing and not replacing a DP-level striker — whether he was starting or not — doesn’t help.

The match against the Crew is the opportunity for others to chip in on the attack. Duncan McGuire is the obvious choice, but Big Dunc hasn’t scored in a few matches and needs to put the scoring boots back on. Facundo Torres needs to continue his run of form. Most importantly, Ramiro Enrique and Jack Lynn need to turn a corner in their careers starting this weekend. The training wheels are off, and it’s time to ride, boys.

Stop Hernandez and Co.

Cucho Hernandez scored a hat trick in Columbus’ last match against CF Montreal. Is Orlando City’s defense better than Montreal’s? Absolutely. That doesn’t mean Hernandez is not a threat to score multiple goals, because he absolutely can. Limiting his opportunities to do so will be crucial.

Oh, and let’s not forget about Darlington Nagbe, Diego Rossi, Aidan Morris, and Christian Ramirez. All of those players are a threat to score at any point. The Crew have scored an Eastern Conference-high 54 goals so far this season. That is 13 more goals than Orlando City has on the year. The defense is going to have to be solid once again if the Lions are hoping for a victory at home.

The Battle of the Midfield

Columbus is no slouch in the midfield. I already mentioned Morris and Nagbe, but the Crew also have Julian Gressel and Yaw Yeboah. How this match plays out might depend on which team is able to control the midfield, on both offense and defense.

Mauricio Pereyra’s form will be critical, because even though Torres is the star, Pereyra is the linchpin. We will most likely see Ivan Angulo on the left doing Angulo things — taking on defenders and being speedy on the wing. The attack starts with these players so it’s up to them to create chances.

Defensively, Orlando City will be missing Wilder Cartagena due to the red card he received in the match against FC Cincinnati. That means it will be up to Cesar Araujo to do more and with someone else in the midfield. It might be Felipe, but it will likely be Junior Urso. Bossing the defensive midfield without Cartagena will be a challenge, but it will be necessary.

That is what I will be looking for this weekend as Orlando City looks for a sixth result in a row. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Getting to Know Dagur Dan Thorhallsson

Orlando City’s Dagur Dan Thorhallsson was the latest Lion to sit down for the club’s video series focused on learning more about the players. Soccer has always been a part of his life, as his father played professionally for various clubs in Iceland. Thorhallsson, who has played at right back in recent weeks for the Lions, spoke on his versatility and how it was used often in Breidablik’s championship run before he joined Orlando from Iceland’s top flight. The 23-year-old admitted that the heat was the first thing on his mind when he was asked to play in Orlando, but noted the club’s stadium and atmosphere as well. Thorhallson also talked about his fear of sharks, Duncan McGuire’s golf game, and how his teammates are teaching him Spanish curse words.

Lions Drop in Latest MLS Power Rankings

Despite not playing this past weekend, Orlando City fell a spot to sixth in the MLS power rankings. St. Louis City, which blew a lead and held on for a 2-2 draw with LA Galaxy, jumped up three spots to overtake both Orlando and the Columbus Crew. The Lions beat both league-leading FC Cincinnati and St. Louis in recent weeks and have only lost two of their past 17 league games, yet somehow remain outside the top five in the power rankings. I don’t think Orlando is the only team that probably deserves to be a bit higher either. Minnesota United is on a seven-game unbeaten run, but is down in 14th. The New England Revolution have the second-most points per game in the league and still dropped four spots to 12th after a draw with the Loons.

Orlando Pride Sign McKinley Crone Through 2023 Season

The Orlando Pride have inked goalkeeper McKinley Crone to a deal that will last through the remainder of this season. Crone has previously been a National Team Replacement Player for the Pride and has trained with the team throughout this season. The decision to sign her comes after the Pride signed goalkeeper Kaylie Collins to a new contract and loaned her to Sydney Wanderers FC in the A-League Women in Australia. It’s unlikely we will see Crone in action for the Pride, as Anna Moorhouse and Carly Nelson both sit above her in the depth chart.

A Tale of Two American Goalkeepers

Ethan Horvath was not named to Nottingham Forest’s 25-player roster for the English Premier League season, meaning he can’t play in the league until at least the winter transfer window. It’s tough news for Horvath, as he was a crucial part of Luton Town’s promotion last season while on loan, only for Luton Town to decide not to exercise the option to buy on his loan. Meanwhile, fellow American Zack Steffen was included in Manchester City’s roster, joining Ederson and Stefan Ortega as the club’s goalkeeping unit. The 28-year-old still remains out due to undergoing knee surgery this summer

Free Kicks

• Orlando City is seventh in the league in terms of outperforming its expected goals so far this season. St. Louis tops the list, while no team has underperformed its expected goals more than the Colorado Rapids.
• Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi were a couple of the players who had strong performances in the USMNT’s past two friendlies.
• Fernando Santos’ tenure as Poland’s manager lasted less than nine months, as he was fired during a disappointing Euro 2024 qualifying campaign that has included losses to Moldova, Albania, and the Czech Republic.
• Here’s a list of potential candidates to become Germany’s next manager before the nation takes on the USMNT in a friendly on Oct. 14.
• We’ll end today’s links with truly bizarre news. CF Montreal midfielder Matko Miljevic has reportedly been playing in an amateur league under a false name and was then suspended for punching a player.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week.