Orlando City (1-0-1) vs Charlotte FC (0-1-1) (MLS Cup Playoffs)
When: Saturday, 6:00 p.m
Where: Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, Fla
TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Radio: Real Radio 104.1, (English), Mega 97.1 (Spanish)
Everything you need to know for the Lions' Game 3 playoff match on Saturday night vs Charlotte FC in "The Road Ahead" driven by Audi:
Milestones
- Facundo Torres was a tight offside flag away last Friday night from becoming the first Orlando City player to score 20 goals in a single season. He’ll get another shot at it this Saturday as he tries to send the Lions through to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
- Orlando City assist tracker:
- 2. Nani - 26
- 3. FACUNDO TORRES - 25
- 4. Chris Mueller - 24
- T-5. MARTÍN OJEDA - 23
- T-5. IVÁN ANGULO - 23
- Pedro Gallese will go for his third straight clean sheet and fifth clean sheet in five Best of 3 First Round games on Saturday. Gallese is three clean sheets away from 50 as a Lion.
- Robin Jansson is three appearances away from becoming the first Lion ever to reach 200 career appearances in all competitions.
Stats & Storylines
- Orlando City will play a decisive Game 3 in the MLS Cup Playoffs Best of 3 First Round for the first time ever this Saturday. The Lions earned home field advantage for the pivotal game by finishing in fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
- Including penalty shootouts, the Lions are 10-8 all-time in single-match elimination games under Oscar Pareja, including 7-3 at Inter&Co Stadium. Orlando’s lone win in an MLS Cup Playoffs elimination game was the famous Rodrigo Schlegel Game in 2020 against New York City FC.
- After starting 9-0 in penalty shootouts from the start of the MLS era through this summer, Orlando City has lost two straight spot kicks, against Cruz Azul in the Leagues Cup and against Charlotte last Friday night. Orlando had never made fewer than four penalties in a shootout before Friday, when it went just 1 of 4.
- Despite the controversy surrounding Facundo Torres’ waived-off stoppage time goal, Orlando City was officially shut out last Friday night, the first time the Lions had been blanked since August 24 in Kansas City. Even with the 0-0 against Charlotte, Orlando City has failed to score just three times in its past 23 matches going back to the June international break.
- The last MLS team to shut out Orlando City at Inter&Co Stadium was the Columbus Crew back on May 25. The Lions have scored in 11 straight home matches against MLS opposition.
- Orlando has still not allowed a single goal through four Best of 3 First Round matches since the format switch last season. The Lions are the only team in MLS to have reached the Best of 3 round at least once and not concede, and their four clean sheets are more than any other side (Seattle Sounders have three).
- Wilder Cartagena will have to be extra careful in Saturday’s match – should he pick up a yellow card and Orlando City advance to the next round, Cartagena would be suspended from the conference semifinal due to accumulation.
Series History
All-time vs. Charlotte FC - 4-2-2, +4 GD (1-1-2, 0 GD away)
MLS only vs. Charlotte FC - 2-1-2, +1 GD (1-0-2, +1 GD away)
2022 - W 2-1 (H), W 1-2 (A)
2023 - L 1-2 (H), L 1-0 (A/USOC), D 1-1 (A)
2024 - D 2-2 (A), W 2-0 (H), W 2-0 (H/MLS Cup Playoffs), D 0-0 (A/MLS Cup Playoffs)
Meet the opponent: Charlotte FC
- Charlotte FC has not scored a goal against Orlando City in three consecutive matches over the past two months, failing to find the back of the net again on Friday night. The Crown survived to the decisive Game 3 thanks to winning the penalty shootout, taking it to 4-0 all-time in spot kicks.
- Charlotte has never allowed more than three penalties in a shootout. Charlotte opponents are a stunning 7 for 17 (41.2%) on penalty kicks in shootouts – for reference, the worldwide average for converting is about 79%.
- DP No. 10 Pep Biel will be eligible for selection on Saturday after missing Game 2 due to his Game 1 red card for kicking out at Robin Jansson. Biel had 2 G/3 A in Charlotte’s final five regular season contests, though he’s been held off the scoresheet in two games against Orlando City.
- Facundo Torres has been involved in half (6/12) of Orlando City’s all-time goals against Charlotte, and he would have had his fifth career goal against the Crown had the offside flag not been raised on Orlando City’s potential stoppage time series-clincher in Game 2. Martín Ojeda (3 G/1 A) and Duncan McGuire (2 G/1 A) have also experienced success against Charlotte in the past.
