ORLANDO, Fla. – March 9, 2016 – Following a thrilling start of the season in front of 60,147 fans, Orlando City SC (0-0-1, 1 point) will face Eastern Conference foe Chicago Fire (0-1-0, 0 points) on Friday night at the Orlando Citrus Bowl, looking to extend their dominant home-game unbeaten streak to nine.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Tickets are available at www.OrlandoCitySC.com or calling 855-ORL-CITY. The game will be broadcast live on UniMás and on Real Radio 104.1 FM in English, and will be transmitted in Spanish on La Grande 1030 AM.
“We know if we approach the game properly, we can get something out of this game, but we are going to have to play well and we are going to have to be really concentrated,” said Head Coach Adrian Heath. “On the counter attack, they’ve got a lot of pace on their side, a lot of athleticism. They’ve got a lot of talent in their forward areas, so ‘concentration’ has been a really important word over the week and for the weekend.”
Facing a team that has not earned a road victory since July 12, 2014, the Lions will look to extend their longest home-unbeaten streak in the MLS era to nine, remaining undefeated at the Orlando Citrus Bowl since July 18, 2015 and having won six of their last 10 fixtures.
Most recently, City battled back from being two goals down in the waning moments to draw 2-2 against Real Salt Lake, featuring heroic goals from Cyle Larin – who earned MLS Team of the Week honors – and Adrian Winter in the fourth and fifth minute of added time.
The Lions’ efforts were catapulted by the Club’s second-consecutive home opener sellout, with 60,147 that filled the Bowl again – the fifth largest crowd in the world and the highest attendance in Major League Soccer over the weekend.
Orlando City is unbeaten against Chicago in league play, recording two wins and one draw last season. Both of City’s victories arrived in dramatic fashion – coming back in the last 10 minutes to win 3-2 on the road, featuring a curling outside the box finish from Cyle Larin and an Adailton own-goal forced by Carlos Rivas on June 6, and a late game-winning goal by Bryan Róchez on Sept. 19.
The match is expected to feature the debut of Italian midfielder and former AC Milan player Antonio Nocerino, after nearly a week of training with the Lions under his belt.
Additionally, the 2015 MLS Rookie of the Year Cyle Larin will be looking to continue his success when facing the Fire, after being involved in four of the six goals scored against Chicago last season.
The Men in Red visit the ‘Soccer Capital of the South’ having fallen 4-3 on their previous match against New York City FC at home, when goals by Razvan Cocis, Kennedy Igboananike and David Accam were not enough to earn their first points of the season.
Accam, who notched two goals and one assist against the Lions last year, will want to continue his positive start of the 2016 campaign, after scoring a penalty kick and notching an assist against NYCFC – earning a spot on the bench of the MLS Team of the Week.
