Here's what you need to know for the Lions' rivalry matchup with Inter Miami in "The Road Ahead" driven by Audi:
Milestones
- Colin Guske, Nolan Miller, Tiago, and Zakaria Taifi are among those who could be in line for their first career Orlando City starts this Sunday. Miller would be making his first professional start should he appear on Oscar Pareja’s teamsheet.
- Duncan McGuire’s next goal, his 31st in all competitions for Orlando City, will tie Nani for fourth place in club history. McGuire is two appearances away from reaching 100 for the club in all competitions.
Stats & Storylines
- Orlando City stumbled on opening weekend, falling 2-1 to Red Bull New York despite a strong second half in which the Lions nearly scored multiple times before debuting U22 Initiative forward Tiago finally broke the dam in second half stoppage time. Tiago’s goal marked the second year in a row a new Lion scored in the home opener, following Marco Pašalić’s brace in 2025.
- New starting goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau tied Joe Bendik and Mason Stajduhar’s club record with 11 saves in the game. Crépeau also holds the MLS record for saves in a game, stopping 16 shots for Vancouver on August 24, 2019 against San Jose. The Canadian conceded just twice against a staggering 5.63 expected goals on target.
- Six players made their Orlando debuts in the game. Crépeau, midfielder Braian Ojeda, center back Iago, and right back Griffin Dorsey all started, while Tiago and Nolan Miller subbed into the match. Dorsey arrived in a trade from Houston Dynamo three days before the game.
- Orlando City Homegrown Zakaria Taifi notched his first career goal contribution, assisting Tiago’s goal in the dying moments of the match. Taifi, a boyhood Lions fan, came up through the club’s academy pathway, starring for Orlando City B before appearing nine times for the first team in 2025.
- Orlando created 2.36 expected goals in the second half, more than all but four sides on Matchday 1 created for the entire game.
Series History
All-time vs. Inter Miami - 7-6-5, -2 GD (3-0-5, +5 GD home)
MLS only vs. Inter Miami - 7-4-4, +2 GD (3-0-4, +5 GD home)
2020 - W 2-1 (N), L 2-1 (A), W 2-1 (H), L 2-1 (A)
2021 - W 1-2 (A), D 1-1 (H), D 0-0 (H)
2022 - D 1-1 (4-2) (H/USOC), W 1-0 (H), L 4-1 (A)
2023 - W 1-3 (A), L 3-1 (A/LC), D 1-1 (H)
2024 - L 5-0 (A), D 0-0 (H)
2025 - W 0-3 (A), W 4-1 (H), L 3-1 (A/LC)
Meet the opponent: Inter Miami CF
- Orlando City destroyed Inter Miami in both legs of their MLS regular season series last season, cruising to a 3-0 win in Fort Lauderdale before blasting the Herons 4-1 at home. The teams met a third time in the Leagues Cup semifinals, with Miami advancing in controversial fashion. Up 1-0 midway through the second half, a clear Orlando penalty shout from Sergio Busquets on Iván Angulo was ignored before Tadeo Allende was granted a questionable PK of his own, allowing Miami to level up the game and go on to win.
- Miami star and global sporting icon Lionel Messi has famously never played in Orlando, missing each of the three games at Inter&Co Stadium between the two sides since his arrival. Messi is in line to appear in Orlando for the very first time this weekend after going 90 minutes in Miami’s season-opening 3-0 loss to LAFC. Messi has 6g/1a in four career appearances against the Lions in all competitions.
- Marco PaÅ¡alić scored three times against Miami last season, striking in each of his three appearances. MartÃn Ojeda has also enjoyed success against the Herons, notching 2g/2a in six MLS appearances against Miami (four starts).
- Miami had a busy offseason despite lifting MLS Cup in 2025, bidding farewell to retiring legends Busquets and Jordi Alba while adding significantly at each level of their team. Up top, the Herons spent a reported $15 million on DP striker Germán Bertarame from Monterrey, where the forward scored 68 times in 153 career appearances. Miami also held onto Allende, who scored a league-record nine times, on a permanent non-DP deal. In midfield, IMCF snagged David Ayala in a trade with Portland, and the Herons shored up their backline with free agent goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair and center back Micael.
