Orlando City (0-1-1, 1 point) at Minnesota United (1-0-1, 4 points)
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: INTER&Co Stadium, Orlando, FL
Radio: Real Radio 104.1, (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish)
Everything you need to know for Orlando City's 10th season in "The Road Ahead" driven by Audi:
Milestones
- Pedro Gallese’s next appearance will tie him with Chris Mueller (126) for fourth in club history. Gallese earned his 37th Orlando City clean sheet against Tigres on Tuesday.
- Facundo Torres’ next appearance will be his 85th for Orlando City in all competitions. Torres’ next goal will be his 30th for the Lions.
- Kyle Smith is four appearances away from becoming the second Lion to reach 150 games played for Orlando City, after captain Robin Jansson.
Stats & Storylines
- Orlando City bounced back strong from their 5-0 loss away to Miami last weekend, earning a crucial home clean sheet in a 0-0 draw with Tigres UANL in CONCACAF Champions Cup action on Tuesday night. The Lions have achieved a result in their next game following each of their four five-goal losses in club history.
- City are still hunting their first MLS goal of the season following the goalless draw against CF Montréal and the loss in Fort Lauderdale. Orlando did not score in open play until their third match of the 2023 season, when Duncan McGuire grabbed his first career goal in a 1-1 draw away to D.C. United.
- Counting the away leg at El Volcán next Tuesday night, Orlando City will play seven games in the first 21 days of the 2024 season, the most condensed run of matches to start a season in club history.
- Orlando have gone unbeaten in 13 consecutive MLS regular season matches at home. Their last loss at Inter&Co Stadium in regular season play came on April 22, 2023 against D.C. United. The club record for consecutive regular season home games without a loss is 17, set across the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Series History
All-time vs. Minnesota United - 2-2-1, +1 GD (0-1-0, -1 GD home)
MLS only vs. Minnesota United - 1-2-1, -1 GD (0-1-0, -1 GD home)
- 2017: L 1-0 (A)
- 2018: L 1-2 (H)
- 2019: D 1-1 (A)
- 2020: W 3-1 (N/MLS is Back Semifinals)
- 2023: W 1-2 (A)
Meet the opponent: Minnesota United
- Minnesota United returns to Inter&Co Stadium for the first time in nearly six years this weekend. The Loons took that game 2-1, with Ethan Finlay notching a brace to overcome a Yoshimar Yotún penalty kick.
- The two teams squared off last season in Minneapolis. Orlando City came from behind to take that one 2-1 behind goals from Iván Angulo and Duncan McGuire, the latter of whom won the match in the 88th minute.
- Saturday will mark the first time Orlando faces Minnesota without legendary former Lions head coach Adrian Heath. The Englishman managed Orlando City to three trophies during the USL era and coached the Lions through their first season-and-a-half in MLS. Heath spent nearly seven seasons on the touchline in Minnesota, going to the 2019 Lamar U.S. Open Cup final and qualifying for the MLS Cup Playoffs on four occasions. He was fired in October 2023.
- The Loons’ new manager is 32-year-old Welshman Eric Ramsay, who may or may not debut on the touchline for Minnesota on Saturday, pending the approval of his work visa. Ramsay was previously an assistant at Manchester United, a position he reached at the age of 29.
- Ramsay is the youngest permanent MLS head coach ever. Four players on the Loons roster are older than Ramsay, including DP center forward Teemu Pukki and starting center back Michael Boxall.
- If Ramsay is not cleared to manage on Saturday, interim head coach Cameron Knowles will remain in charge on the touchline. Knowles managed Minnesota’s MLS Next Pro team each of the past two seasons before taking over the first team upon Heath’s firing.
- Pukki leads the line for Minnesota after scoring 10 goals in just 14 MLS appearances upon signing last summer. Pukki is a legend in his native Finland, scoring 39 times in 118 appearances for the national team. He scored 88 goals for Norwich City, including 22 in the English Premier League.
- Several of the Loons’ other attacking players have been missing in action to start the year. DP No. 10 Emanuel Reynoso has missed the first two matches of the campaign with a knee injury; South African starlet Bongi Hlongwane has been working back to full fitness and has yet to appear; and wingers Robin Lod (leg) and Franco Fragapane (thigh) have also missed time with injuries.
- Despite being without those four key figures, Minnesota is off to a strong start to 2024. The Loons were the only away team to win on opening weekend, defeating Austin FC 2-1 on goals from Lod and Alejandro Bran. They followed that up with a last-gasp equalizer last Saturday against the defending champion Columbus Crew; Tani Oluwaseyi hooked in a loose ball in the box on the final play of the game to earn a 1-1 home draw.
