1. No matter the year, no matter the coach and no matter the players. It seems like Orlando City SC always has a flair for the dramatics. A game-tying goal deep into stoppage time and a penalty-shootout win sends the Lions to the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoff Semifinals.
2. ¡El pulpo es enorme! Pedro Gallese came up with back-to-back penalty saves to start the shootout that really set the tone en route to the result. It also helped that all the Lions players took their penalties absolutely perfectly.
3. Speaking of the penalties, it was a stark comparison from last time out against Charlotte in the shootout. Head Coach Oscar Pareja switched up the order, putting Luis Muriel and Kyle Smith as the first two to shoot, which worked well. After Facundo Torres buried his penalty, it came to Rafael Santos, who's stutter-step penalty beat Kristijan Kahlina to win it for Orlando.
4. It was almost disaster for the Lions after Karol Swiderski found the game's opener in the 81st minute. A quick counter-attack by Charlotte caught out the Orlando defenders, and the visitors took a late lead. It was exactly what Charlotte was looking for all game.
5. On the other side of things, it was a struggle for the Lions to break down the Charlotte defense, who sat back and defended in a low block for most of the game. Orlando ended regulation with a whopping 34 crosses and 20 shots but only six on target. Even Pareja after the game said that Gary Smith's side "complicated things" with their game plan and made things difficult for Orlando at home.
6. It came down to one of the final plays as Orlando was searching for a game-tying goal. Duncan McGuire was pulled down in the box, earning a penalty in the 97th minute. It came at a bit of a personal cost to McGuire, who dislocated his shoulder on the landing. After having five-or-so athletic trainers try and put it back into place, he had to go to the locker room to get it sorted, which cost him a spot in the penalty shootout.
7. The ensuing penalty was taken by Torres, who has been money his entire career from the spot. This time, however, Kahlina guessed right and made the save to deny the Uruguayan the game-tying goal. Luckily for Facu, the ball bounced out perfectly for him to put into the back of the net and tie the game with the latest goal in Orlando City history.
8. The Lions now move on to the 2024 Audi MLS Cup Playoff Semifinals. After upsetting Inter Miami CF, Atlanta United will now come to Inter&Co Stadium in two weeks as the Lions will host them on Nov. 24, with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
