Orlando City (12-6-8, 44 points) at FC Cincinnati (17-3-6, 57 points)
When: Saturday, 7:30 PM
Where: TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
Radio: 96.9 The Game (English), Acción 97.9 FM (Spanish)
Everything you need to know for Orlando City at FC Cincinnati in "The Road Ahead" driven by Audi:
Milestone watch
-- Robin Jansson’s next appearance for Orlando City will be his 150th in all competitions. Jansson, the club record holder in minutes and appearances, will be the first player to reach that milestone.
-- César Araújo and Facundo Torres are both in line for their 70th Orlando City appearance in all competitions if they play on Saturday in Cincinnati.
-- Torres is one goal shy of Dom Dwyer for fourth on the all-time club scoring charts. The Uruguayan is two tallies back of Kaká for third.
Stats and storylines
-- With Wednesday night’s draw in Charlotte and Real Salt Lake’s loss at Portland, Orlando City can now claim to be MLS’ best road team, leading the league with a 6-3-4 record. The Lions put that record on the line on Saturday against MLS’ best home team, FC Cincinnati, who is a stunning 12-0-1 at TQL Stadium this season.
-- Orlando City moved up to third place in the Eastern Conference on Wednesday when Philadelphia fell at Toronto. Orlando is two points back of New England for second, which would mean guaranteed home field advantage in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Revs do have a game in hand on the Lions.
-- Martín Ojeda has been moved into a reserve role over the past few months, but proved with his goal Wednesday he remains one of MLS’ most dangerous super-subs. Ojeda now has 5 G/8 A in 1340 league minutes this year. The Argentine is tied for fifth in MLS in assists per 90 minutes, ranking above players like Luciano Acosta, Hany Mukhtar, and Nico Lodeiro.
SERIES HISTORY
All-time vs. FC Cincinnati - 3-2-3, +4 GD (1-1-2, 0 GD away)
MLS only vs. FC Cincinnati - Same
- 2019 - W 5-1 (H), D 1-1 (A)
- 2021 - W 3-0 (H), D 1-1 (A), W 0-1 (A)
- 2022 - L 1-2 (H), L 1-0 (A)
- 2023 - D 0-0 (H)
Meet the opponent: FC Cincinnati
-- FC Cincinnati has enjoyed a dream 2023 season, clinching a playoff berth with eight games to go after Wednesday night’s comeback win in Atlanta. Heavily favored to win the Supporters’ Shield, Cincinnati is currently on pace to break 2021 New England’s single-season points record of 73, needing 17 points over its final eight matches.
-- Cincinnati is led by dynamic No. 10 Luciano Acosta, a long-time Orlando menace who leads MLS with 24 goal contributions this year (13 G/11 A). Acosta is supported by American forward Brandon Vazquez, who has broken out of a spring slump to score seven goals in his last seven matches in all competitions. Acosta and Vazquez have a combined five goals against Orlando in their careers.
-- Orlando City dominated Cincinnati while the latter were MLS bottom-dwellers, but the Blue and Orange flipped the script on the Lions in 2022, taking both matches in the season series. The two clubs played to a 0-0 draw at Exploria Stadium in early March of this year.
-- Júnior Urso has feasted against Cincinnati over the years, scoring three of his 14 career Orlando City goals against the Blue and Orange. Urso scored the winner in City’s lone win at TQL Stadium back in October 2021.
