**ORLANDO, FL – (July 20, 2024)** – Orlando City SC (9-9-7, 34 points) played to a 1-1 draw against New York City FC (11-9-5, 38 points) on Saturday night at INTER&Co Stadium, extending its unbeaten streak to a season-high five games.
Orlando entered the match aiming for their fifth straight win and looking to avenge a 4-2 drubbing at Yankee Stadium on June 28th, the same match where goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar severely injured his leg, ending his season.
Early in the game, New York started with a press on the Orlando side. Orlando was aggressive on each ball, charging passes and players quickly. The Pigeons seemed unfazed by the challenges, easily passing around them and pressing back into the Orlando side.
Orlando, on the other hand, had difficulty getting through the New York press. Through the 18th minute, Orlando had yet to get a good chance on goal, with New York displaying their usual strong defense.
In the 21st minute, the Lions had a chance when Lidiero crossed a ball to Angulo, but he only managed a side net shot. In the 28th minute, Araujo sent a ball inside for Enrique, but Freese dove on the ball before Enrique could touch it. The Lions found their footing in the past 10 minutes, creating multiple chances that were fended off by New York.
In the 36th minute, Enrique beat a Pigeon player on a ball and sent it to Angulo. Angulo took the ball and shot it into the lower left corner of the goal, but Freese made a diving save to deny him. Orlando and New York continued to battle through the end of the first half, reaching a 0-0 score at halftime.
To start the second half, Lions Head Coach Oscar Pareja pulled out Lidiero and brought in Facundo Torres.
In the 52nd minute, Orlando finally broke the tie with a goal. Ivan Angulo sent a ball in from the right, Marin Ojeda sent it in, but the ball touched Ramiro Enrique, going past Freese for the game’s opening goal, 1-0. It was Enrique’s second lone goal for Orlando and his fourth consecutive match with a goal. He joins former Lions Dom Dwyer, Nani, and Daryl Dike as the only players in club history to score in four straight league matches.
In the 57th minute, New York equalized. Following some sloppy play by Cartagena and a soft pass, an Orlando turnover in its defensive third allowed Alonso Martínez to gain possession at the top of the box and give a lead pass to Hannes Wolf behind the Lions’ defense, who snuck in a shot past goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, making it 1-1.
With Facundo Torres back on the pitch for the second half, Orlando had a more solid footing offensively, creating several chances. However, the sturdy New York defense held strong. Similarly, Orlando’s defense had its weaknesses, but with Kyle Smith coming in during stoppage time, Orlando managed to hold their side.
The Pigeons seemed content with the tie, taking measures to extend the clock in the second half.
Orlando Head Coach Oscar Pareja seemed content with the result, acknowledging his team’s efforts with three games in eight days.
“Big effort from the players after these couple weeks that we had been playing every three days,” said Pareja. “I would like to value that effort. Two teams tried to put a good performance, and from our side, in the first half, we had control, but we were not as dangerous as we were in the prior games. They kept possession sometimes in their half, but not in a dangerous place, so we were in control. But we wanted more. Nico [Lodeiro] was helping us just to do a job, in a position that is not very frequent for him, but I think he did great. In the second half, we brought more energy, started creating better chances, and had the game 1-0, which has been a challenge for us this year to open the games. Then the goal we conceded left us with a sensation of frustration because it was not that they did a lot to tie the game… We had a few very clear options, including that last one that I, and we all, thought was Luis [Muriel’s] moment to unbalance the game. We work with a bit of frustration, but we are very proud of what the boys have done.”
The Lions will next break from league action for Leagues Cup 2024, set to host CF Montréal at INTER&Co Stadium on Friday, July 26.
