ORLANDO – July 24 – Orlando City SC (6-8-6, 24 points) will return to league play on Sunday, July 26, in a marquee match-up against fellow expansion club New York City FC (5-9-6, 21 points) – showcasing some of Major League Soccer’s biggest stars. The game will mark City’s first-ever match at Yankee Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET.
The match will broadcast live nationally on FOX Sports 1. In addition, the fixture will be transmitted locally in English on Real Radio 104.1 FM and in Spanish on La Grande 1030 AM.
“It’ll be slightly different as there won’t be the euphoria of opening day and their team will be a lot different from when we first played each other,” said head coach Adrian Heath. “Obviously if Lampard and Pirlo play, it makes a huge difference in terms of their experience and quality on the field. But, as I said, we can’t control what they can do, we can only just try and get our players in the right frame of mind to go and play.”
Orlando City heads into Sunday’s primetime fixture with hopes of returning back to its winning ways after suffering defeat twice in its previous three league matches. So far this season, the Lions have been one of the most successful teams on the road in MLS, however, boasting the second best away record in the league (3-3-3, 12 points).
City will also have more players available for selection than in previous matches this month, with Darwin Cerén and Cyle Larin returning to the squad after being called up by El Salvador and Canada for the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Larin, who was controversially sent off in City’s home game against the New York Red Bulls last weekend, will not face suspension after his red card was recently rescinded by an independent review panel.
The team will be led by assistant coach Mark Watson for the first time this season, due to head coach Adrian Heath’s sending off against the New York Red Bulls last weekend.
The upcoming contest will signify the second meeting between Orlando and New York so far this season, providing another crucial opportunity for both clubs to gain valuable points as they continue their push for a playoff berth.
Orlando City and New York City previously met on the first weekend of league play before 62,510 fans at the Orlando Citrus Bowl.
Mix Diskerud gave the visitors a 1-0 lead in the second half, stunning the crowd, however Orlando’s playmaker Kaká scored a free-kick in the final minute of the game to level the final score in dramatic fashion.
Currently sitting in ninth place in the East, NYCFC has secured three points only once in their past four matches, recently falling 1-0 to the New England Revolution. However, the Club has recently added more firepower to the roster with the arrival of England National Team and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard, along with Italian great Andrea Pirlo, to compliment lethal striker David Villa and Diskerud.
Villa currently leads the team in goals with 10 – ranking third in MLS – behind Kei Kamara and Sebastian Giovinco.
