Orlando City (7-5-7, 28 points) vs Chicago Fire (5-6-8, 23 points)
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Exploria Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
Radio: 96.9 The Game (English), Acción 97.9 FM (Spanish)
Let’s Make it Four
The Lions enter the weekend looking to make it four consecutive matches unbeaten against the Fire dating back to August 2021. In their current three-game stretch, the Lions have not conceded a goal to Saturday’s opposition, taking a pair of 1-0 shutout victories at Exploria Stadium along with a scoreless draw from Soldier Field. The two sides have not squared off since April 9 of last year, with Ercan Kara netting the eventual game-winner for the Lions in that contest. In their last three visits to Exploria Stadium, the Fire have gone home empty-handed, their last victory in downtown Orlando coming on Decision Day in 2019.
Squeaky Clean
Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese looks to continue his impressive run of form this weekend, going for his fourth-consecutive clean sheet on Saturday night. “El Pulpo” had to make just two saves to keep the Sounders off the board in his return from international duty this past weekend, tallying his seventh clean sheet in all competitions in 2023 and extending his own Club-record to 28 as a Lion. Prior to joining Peru for international duty, Gallese kept clean sheets against the New York Red Bulls on June 3 and the Colorado Rapids seven days later to begin his current shutout streak.
Protecting the Fortress
City will kick start the month of July looking to maintain its current home form that has seen the side go five matches unbeaten in The City Beautiful, a period that has extended over two months beginning on April 29 with a 2-0 shutout victory over the LA Galaxy. In that stretch, the Lions hold a +4 goal-differential with six different members of the side finding the back of the net.
Stretch to Stretch
Last weekend’s trip to Seattle saw the Lions complete a three-game week that took them from Foxborough for a meeting with the Revolution back to the City Beautiful to face the Union at the midweek before traveling to take on the Sounders last Saturday. This weekend’s match against the Fire will kick off a similar stretch for the Lions, looking ahead to a Tuesday fixture against Toronto FC on July 4 before heading back out west to face Real Salt Lake four days later on July 8.
Back in the Mix
This past weekend saw a trio of Lions make their return to the starting lineup after missing the previous two contests due to international duty, with Gallese, Facundo Torres and Wilder Cartagena all re-entering the fold. All three got the start, with Gallese and Torres going the full 90 for the side in their return. With an appearance on Saturday night, the latter would tally his 50th appearance in Major League Soccer.
Milestone Tracker
- Robin Jansson’s next appearance will serve as his 140th in all competitions, extending his own Club-record.
- Mauricio Pereyra’s next appearance will see him hit 100 in MLS regular season play.
- Facundo Torres’ next appearance will see him hit 50 in MLS regular season play.
- Rodrigo Schlegel sits two appearances away from his 90th in Orlando in all competitions.
- Ercan Kara sits two appearances away from 50 in all competitions as a Lion.
- Antonio Carlos sits five appearances away from 100 in all competitions in purple.
