ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 27, 2024) – Orlando City SC defeated Cavalry FC 3-1 on Tuesday night at INTER&Co Stadium to advance to the Round of 16 of the Concacaf Champions Cup 6-1 on aggregate. The Lions will welcome Mexican powerhouse Tigres UANL to INTER&Co Stadium in a week on Tuesday, March 5. The second leg is slated for Tuesday, March 12 at El Volcán in Monterrey.
Tickets to the match will go on sale on Wednesday, Feb. 28 to Season Ticket Members, Premium Season Ticket Members and Recognized Supporters Groups. Fans will be contacted directly by their Member Services Representative about their exclusive pre-sale time. Season Ticket Members will receive a preferred rate during their exclusive pre-sale. Public on sale will commence on Thursday, Feb. 29 at 10 a.m. ET at the link here.
The match saw offseason acquisition Nico Lodeiro find the back of the net for the first time in a City kit. He followed up his goal by also earning his first assist with the Club, providing the helper on Ramiro Enrique’s finish later in the match. The goal counted as Enrique’s first of the year.
Defender Kyle Smith scored his fifth goal of his career and first of the season, sealing the match with an 88th-minute strike. Facundo Torres, who came on as a substitute in the second half, earned the assist on the goal counting for his first of the 2024 campaign.
The Lions’ new Designated Player, Luis Muriel, made his Orlando City debut in the match, earning the start. He tallied his first assist with the Club by finding Lodeiro at the top of the box on the first goal of the match. Midfielder Shak Mohammed also made his Lions’ First Team debut by earning the start.
Scoring Summary:
48’ Nico Lodeiro (Luis Muriel) – ORL 1, CAV 0
The Lions took the lead shortly after halftime with new Designated Player Luis Muriel going on the break down the right wing, before passing it centrally at the top of the 18-yard box to Nico Lodeiro who finished in the lower left corner for his first tally as a Lion.
64’ Myer Bevan (William Akio) – ORL 1, CAV 1
The visitors leveled the match a little while later, with Myer Bevan just getting on the end of a low, centered ball from William Akio and sliding it into the back of the net for the equalizer.
71’ Ramiro Enrique (Nico Lodeiro) – ORL 2, CAV 1
Just seven minutes later Orlando City struck again, with Ramiro Enrique finding the back of the net for the first time in 2024. Nico Lodeiro slid the ball to Enrique just outside the left corner of the 18-yard box, where Enrique ripped a shot past the goalkeeper and into the top right corner of the net.
88’ Kyle Smith (Facundo Torres) – ORL 3, CAV 1
With the end of the game approaching, Facundo Torres took the ball to the endline and sent a pass centrally to Kyle Smith, who came down and struck a shot past the goalkeeper from 12-yards out.
Head Coach Oscar Pareja:
“First, congratulations as well to Tommy [Wheeldon Jr.] and his team tonight. They created a lot of difficulties for us in a vital part of the game. The way they complicated things was remarkable. Not an easy task to do after the result we got in Canada that, for us, was difficult as well. Knowing we wanted to keep the same intensity, the same level and the same aggressiveness and being fine in the last third, as we all committed too. As the game went on, we found better timing to do it. Finally, in the second half, we found that goal that released the anxiousness that we had to score, but the reaction from them was fine too. So, it was very competitive. We achieved a lot today with rotating different players, trying to time our week that is, as you know, difficult with the game coming and we just played last Saturday here. So, I’m happy with the group, I think we all refreshed today with the group playing and those who have not played and the ones who have been resting. I’m happy now just thinking about the next game and we’ll think about the next steps in Concacaf next week.”
Match Notes
- The goal from Nico Lodeiro is his first for the Club since joining the Lions in the offseason. He also earned his first assist with Orlando City in the match. Lodeiro was named Man of the Match for his efforts.
- Ramiro Enrique found the back of the net for the first time this season and the fifth time in his Lions’ career.
- Defender Kyle Smith recorded his fifth goal of his professional career with City and his first of the season.
- Facundo Torres earned his first assist of the 2024 season. He contributed to three of the Lions’ six total goals in their Round One matchup against Cavalry, with two goals and one assist.
- Midfielder Shak Mohammed made his competitive debut for the Lions, earning the start on the night.
- The match saw the Lions' newest Designated Player Luis Muriel make his Orlando City debut. Muriel also picked up his first assist with the Club on the Lodeiro finish.
