ORLANDO, Fla. (Sept. 20, 2025) – Duncan McGuire’s stoppage time goal helped Orlando City SC (14-7-9, 51 points) earn a dramatic 3-2 victory over Nashville SC (15-11-5, 50 points) on Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. The result lifts the Lions over their Eastern Conference rivals in the standings to sixth place, two points behind third with four games remaining in the regular season.
Midfielder Martín Ojeda led the charge for the Lions with a first-half brace. His opening goal came in the 30th minute, curling a free kick off the right post and into the net. With that strike, the Argentine international set a new club record for goal contributions across all competitions (73), surpassing former teammate Facundo Torres (72). Just two minutes later, Ojeda extended the record to 74, finishing a one-touch effort from the edge of the six-yard box. That goal also marked his 20th of the season, tying the Club’s single-season scoring record.
Nashville responded with a goal from Hany Mukhtar in first-half stoppage time, followed by Jacob Shaffelburg’s tap-in in the 51st minute off a cross from Daniel Lovitz, leveling the match at 2-2.
The decisive moment came in the final seconds of second-half stoppage time. Tyrese Spicer drove down the left flank and delivered a pinpoint pass to Duncan McGuire, who flicked the ball at the near post over goalkeeper Joe Willis to seal the win. It was McGuire’s second goal of the season and a crucial one for Orlando.
Orlando City now heads to Ohio for a key matchup next Sunday against second-place FC Cincinnati (17-9-4, 55 pts).
Scoring Summary:
30’ Martín Ojeda – ORL 1, NSH 0
32’ Martín Ojeda (Kyle Smith, Luis Muriel) – ORL 2, NSH 0
45+1’ Hany Mukhtar – ORL 2, NSH 1
51’ Jacob Shaffelburg (Daniel Lovitz, Sam Surridge) – ORL 2, NSH 2
90+5’ Duncan McGuire (Tyrese Spicer) – ORL 3, NSH 2
Head Coach Oscar Pareja:
“I want to congratulate the players today. It was such an important victory against a very good rival. Also, to our fans who supported us the whole time. In those last 10 minutes, I felt the push that our crowd had on the players. They are a part of our games that much. I also want to congratulate Martín [Ojeda] on the contribution he has made with his goals for this franchise, how important he has been for the Club and how important he has been this year. Regarding the game, it was a very competitive game from the first minute. I thought we started with a sense of the playoffs for all of us. We will keep pushing. There were a bunch of things that happened in the game that we want to happen again. I saw them, the boys felt them and just going again in that direction will help us the rest of the regular season.”
Match Notes
- Midfielder Martín Ojeda netted his 15th and 16th goals of the 2025 MLS regular season, bringing his total across all competitions this year to 20.
- With his brace, Ojeda set a new club record with 74 all-time goal contributions across all competitions, surpassing former Lion Facundo Torres.
- Ojeda’s two-goal performance also made him the first player in Club history to record 30 goal contributions in a single season.
- Forward Duncan McGuire scored his second goal of the season, delivering the game-winner in the final minute of second-half stoppage time.
- Forward Tyrese Spicer recorded his first career assist for Orlando City, setting up McGuire’s decisive goal.
- Defender Kyle Smith registered his third assist of the 2025 MLS regular season, assisting on Ojeda’s second goal.
- Forward Luis Muriel added his eighth assist of the season, also contributing to Ojeda’s second goal.
- Forward Iván Angulo reached a career milestone in the second minute, becoming the sixth player in Orlando City history to surpass 10,000 minutes played across all competitions. He joins César Araújo, Pedro Gallese, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel and Kyle Smith.
- Head Coach Oscar Pareja made two changes to the Starting XI from the previous match against D.C. United, reintroducing Luis Muriel and Kyle Smith to the lineup.
