ORLANDO, Fla. (May 13, 2022) - Orlando City SC (5-4-2, 17 points) heads back out on the road, this time to face Toronto FC (3-6-2, 11 points) on Saturday, May 14 in a 3 p.m. ET kickoff at BMO Field. The match is set to be televised locally on FOX35 PLUS and LionNation TV, while being transmitted on 96.9 The Game in English and Acción 97.9 in Spanish.
“Toronto, like always, is going to be a difficult rival. Today, the message is the same [as it has been all this week]. We cannot stay here and we have to move on now and think about [the match ahead],” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said following Tuesday’s Open Cup victory. “[Toronto] have changed the model a few times, rotating some players due to some difficulties that they have had with injuries. Like us, they’re trying to find the team and we’re all dealing with that at this stage of the season.”
The Lions will look to make it five straight unbeaten against the Reds dating back to 2019, taking a pair of victories a year ago. The two sides faced off in a pair of matches at Exploria Stadium last campaign, one of which the Lions played as the road side, defeating Toronto 3-2 off a game-winner from Júnior Urso on June 19 in that match.
City enters the weekend facing yet another quick turnaround, having taken a 2-1 victory on Tuesday night over Philadelphia Union in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play. Ercan Kara and Andrés Perea each scored for the Lions on the night to help punch City’s ticket to the Round of 16 of the nation’s oldest cup competition.
With his finish on Tuesday, Kara now sits tied with Urso and Alexandre Pato for the team lead in goals scored in all competitions this campaign, each with three. Pedro Gallese remains tied for the league lead in clean sheets with five in total in 2022.
Toronto comes into Saturday’s match looking to bounce back from a 1-0 loss at the Vancouver Whitecaps last Sunday. The two sides looked to be on the way to splitting the points on the day, but a 90th-minute game-winner from Tosaint Ricketts swayed all three points in favor of the home side.
Jesús Jiménez sits tied for the league lead in goals scored in MLS this season with seven, while Jonathan Osorio leads the side in assists with four.
Following Saturday’s match, the Lions will finish off a three-game road slate in league play with their inaugural visit to 2021 expansion side Austin FC on Sunday, May 22 in an 8 p.m. ET kickoff at Q2 Stadium.
