Orlando City (5-8-6, 21 points) at New York City FC (9-8-2, 29 points)
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m
Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Radio: 96.9 the Game FM, (English), Mega 97.1 (Spanish)
Everything you need to know for the Lions' Friday night match at New York City FC in "The Road Ahead" driven by Audi:
Milestones
- César Araújo’s next appearance will be his 100th for Orlando City in all competitions. Araújo has four goals and seven assists in 99 appearances since joining the Lions in 2022. Famously, two of his four goals came in the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals against the New York Red Bulls. Araújo earned his first-ever senior cap for Uruguay earlier this month.
- Duncan McGuire, currently at 22 Orlando City goals in all competitions, is two tallies away from catching Dom Dwyer for fifth in club history and three from pulling even with Kaká in fourth.
International Update
- David Brekalo and Slovenia advanced to the UEFA Euro 2024 knockouts for the first time in history with a draw against England this past Tuesday. Slovenia will face Portugal in the Round of 16 on Monday, July 1.
- Pedro Gallese and Wilder Cartagena are facing elimination from Copa América 2024 with Peru after a 1-0 defeat to Canada on Tuesday. Peru faces Lionel Messi and Argentina on Saturday, June 29, needing a win and a Canada loss or draw against Chile to secure a spot in the quarterfinals.
Stats & Storylines
- The summer of Facu is officially on! Facundo Torres was nominated for MLS Player of the Week for his spectacular brace in Saturday’s 4-2 win over Chicago Fire FC. Torres had more goal contributions last week (four) than he did in his first 15 MLS regular season appearances this year combined.
- 22 of Torres’ 35 career goals for Orlando City have come between the months of June and September. El Cuervo has also recorded 10 of his 20 career assists in the summer months.
- Mason Stajduhar broke an eight year-old club record with 11 saves on Saturday against the Fire. Stajduhar is 9-5-7 all-time as Orlando City’s starting goalkeeper, with a 3-1-1 record in 2024. The Homegrown was in his first full season on the roster when Joe Bendik recorded 10 saves in a game for the Lions on May 15, 2016 against Sporting Kansas City.
- Luis Muriel has recorded a goal contribution in three consecutive games, following up back-to-back assists against LAFC and Charlotte with his first Inter&Co Stadium goal against Chicago.
- The Chicago game marked the first time Orlando City has scored four goals in a match since September 16, 2023, the famous 4-3 victory over Columbus in which the Lions rallied from 3-1 down in the 70th minute.
- The victory moved Orlando City up four places in the Eastern Conference table, from 14th to 10th. The Lions are even on points with Atlanta United for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
- With Saturday’s win, the Lions have now won five consecutive home matches against the Fire going back to 2020.
Series History
All-time vs. NYCFC - 7-8-9, -12 GD (2-6-2, -13 GD away)
MLS only vs. NYCFC - 7-8-7, -12 GD (2-6-2, -13 GD away)
2015 - D 1-1 (H), L 5-3 (A), W 2-1 (H)
2016 - W 0-1 (A), D 2-2 (A), W 2-1 (H)
2017 - W 1-0 (H), W 1-2 (A), L 0-3 (H)
2018 - L 2-0 (A), L 3-0 (A), L 0-2 (H)
2019 - D 2-2 (H), D 1-1 (A), D 1-1 (5-4) (H/USOC)
2020 - W 3-1 (N), D 1-1 (H), D 1-1 (6-5) (H/MLS Cup Playoffs)
2021 - D 1-1 (H), L 5-0 (A)
2022 - W 2-1 (H), L 2-1 (A)
2023 - D 1-1 (H), L 2-0 (A)
Meet the opponent: NYCFC
- Orlando City and NYCFC face off for the 25th time in all competitions this Friday night at Yankee Stadium, the most matches the Lions have played against any opponent.
- New York’s baseball stadiums have been a house of horrors for Orlando in recent years. Since 2018, Orlando City is 0-5-1 with a -13 goal difference in NYC, with all but one of those games taking place inside the House That Ruth Built (version 3). Last year’s away match was played at Citi Field in Queens, where Orlando fell 2-0 in a mid-week contest.
- Facu Torres, now in his favorite summer season, has a goal and two assists in four career games against NYCFC. Felipe is the only other Lion with a goal against the Pigeons.
- NYCFC attacking midfielder Maxi Moralez has been a thorn in the Lions’ side over the years, recording 6 G/6 A in 13 matches in all competitions against Orlando City. The 37-year-old Moralez made his first start of 2024 this past weekend, returning after suffering an ACL tear shortly after his return to the Bronx last summer.
- The Pigeons have largely enjoyed a strong season after missing the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2023. From April 13 through May 31, NYCFC was the hottest team in Major League Soccer, winning eight of nine matches, including five in a row from May 11 through the end of the month. However, since the international break, NYC has lost three in a row, most recently falling 1-0 in Nashville this past Saturday.
- NYCFC’s resurgence has been led by DP attacking midfielder Santiago RodrÃguez, who has 7 G/6 A through 19 games. Goalkeeper Matt Freese has been sturdy between the sticks, posting a robust .763 save percentage.
