Orlando City (2-4-3, 9 points) vs FC Cincinnati (5-2-3, 18 points)
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: INTER&Co Stadium, Orlando, FL
TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (free)
Radio: Real Radio 104.1 FM, (English), Mega 97.1 (Spanish)
Here are five storylines to watch on Saturday when Orlando City SC host FC Cincinnati:
Great Shot Kid, That Was One in a Million
2023 MLS SuperDraft selection Duncan McGuire scored his 20th goal across all competitions for Orlando City this past weekend, taking sole possession of eighth on the Club’s all-time scoring chart and passing former Lions Daryl Dike and Benji Michel. The forward’s next goal will be his 21st tally and will tie him with Tesho Akindele for seventh, while he is currently two goals away from tying Chris Mueller for sixth all-time on the chart at 22 goals for the Club across all competitions.
Twice the Goals, Double the Wins
Since FC Cincinnati joined Major League Soccer in 2019, Orlando City has gotten the better of the Ohio based side in the matchup between the two Lions, posting a 4-2-3 overall record against FC Cincinnati and 2-1-1 record at home. The Lions from the City Beautiful have also posted a total goal differential of +7, scoring 13 total goals and only conceding six tallies for an average of .66 goals conceded per game against Cincy.
There’s Always a Bigger Fish
Uruguayan forward Facundo Torres will be looking to climb the ranks even further on Orlando City’s all-time scoring chart in Club history this weekend. Torres’ next goal will be his 32nd all-time for the Lions and will take him past former captain Nani for sole possession of second place in Club history. Torres has already scored four goals across all competitions in 2024 and has played two consecutive games in which he’s contributed to a goal, with one goal and an assist across that span.
Always in Motion, is the Future
Entering as a second-half substitute in the match against Toronto FC, midfielder Nico Lodeiro officially appeared in his 200th Major League Soccer match. Since joining Seattle Sounders and Major League Soccer in 2016, the Uruguayan midfielder has made 184 starts in 200 MLS matches, scoring 42 goals and providing 82 assists. So far this season with Orlando City, Lodeiro has tallied one goal and three helpers in nine appearances in league play.
The Shroud of the Dark Side Has Fallen
The Lions of Orlando handled their business against the Lions from southwest Ohio last season, going undefeated against the eventual 2023 Supporters’ Shield winners, including a scoreless draw at home early in the year and 1-0 shutout win later in the season at TQL Stadium. City’s win in Cincinnati was their first defeat at TQL Stadium in 2023 and snapped a 20-game unbeaten run at home across all competitions, not including penalty-kick shootouts. Across both matches, Orlando City’s defense remained solid and kept Cincinnati from scoring against the Club in 2023.
Milestone Tracker:
- Facundo Torres' next goal will be his 32nd across all competitions, giving him sole possession of second all-time in Orlando City history.
- Duncan McGuire is one goal away from tying Tesho Akindele (21) for seventh on Orlando City’s all-time scoring list and two away from tying Chris Mueller (22) for sixth
- Pedro Gallese’s next win will be his 50th in MLS regular-season action and his 60th overall
