Orlando City (3-2-2, 11 points) vs. New York Red Bulls (3-2-2, 11 points)
When: Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
Radio: AM 810 Fox Sports Radio, (English), Mega 97.1 (Spanish)
Here are five storylines to watch on Saturday as the Lions get set to host the New York Red Bulls:
Level Footing
The Lions and the New York Red Bulls enter this weekend’s matchup with identical 3-2-2 records through the first seven matches of 2025. Orlando City holds the first tiebreaker at this early point in the season with a +3 goal differential to the Red Bulls’ +2 goal differential, while the Lions have also scored six more goals than the New Jersey-based side to date. The Lions also hold the edge in goal contributions from Designated Players, receiving 18 from Luis Muriel, Martín Ojeda and Marco Pašalić, while the Red Bulls have received a total of eight from Emil Forsberg and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
Pulpo Power
Throughout Head Coach Oscar Pareja’s tenure with Orlando City, the Lions have had great goalkeeping behind the defense from goalkeeper Pedro Gallese. The Peruvian international showed his skills again in the side’s draw at Philadelphia Union last weekend, making four saves and keeping the Lions’ first clean sheet of the 2025 campaign to take a point on the road. The shutout served as Gallese’s 49th across all competitions since arriving in Orlando ahead of the 2020 season, by far the most of any Lions’ goalkeeper in the Club’s MLS era with the next closest being Joe Bendik at 13.
MVP Caliber
Midfielder and Designated Player Martín Ojeda has started 2025 on one of his best runs of form for Orlando City since arriving in the City Beautiful ahead of the 2023 campaign. Through the first seven matches of the 2025 MLS season, Ojeda has scored four goals and provided three assists and leads the league with seven goal contributions. The Gualeguaychú, Argentina native ranks sixth in the league in key passes to date and top 20 in expected goals. In his last 24 regular season starts, Ojeda has tallied seven goals and added 12 helpers.
Never Hunt Alone
Orlando City SC has been one of the premier attacking teams in 2025 in MLS action through the first seven matches, scoring 15 goals to date, tied with Western Conference side the San Jose Earthquakes. The Lions are fifth in expected goals, third in key passes and are tied for second in assists. Prior to last weekend’s scoreless draw against the Philadelphia Union, Orlando City had scored at least once in 14 consecutive regular season games, scoring at least twice in 13 of those matches and getting three or more in seven of them. Six different players have found the back of the net for Orlando City in 2025, with four of those players scoring multiple goals.
Pathway to the Pros
Entering the match late in the second half of last Saturday’s scoreless draw against the Philadelphia Union, Orlando City Homegrown midfielder Colin Guske officially made his competitive debut for the Lions’ First Team. Guske, 18, signed his contract for the Orlando City First Team in December of last year after spending the 2024 season in MLS NEXT Pro with Orlando City B. Guske’s older brothers, Owen and Liam, both played for Orlando City B previously, but Colin, a 2024 MLS NEXT All-Star, is the first of the family to play for the First Team.
Milestone Tracker:
- Martín Ojeda (26) is one helper away from taking over second place all-time for most assists in Club history across all competitions, currently tied with former captain Nani.
- Duncan McGuire (26) sits fourth on Orlando City’s all-time scoring list and is five goals away from tying former captain Nani (31) across all competitions for third.
- Pedro Gallese’s next clean sheet will be his 50th across all competitions for the Lions.
