1. A hot start, a cold middle and a warm finish. That's the tale of the tape for Orlando City SC as the Lions remain undefeated against St. Louis CITY SC, winning 4-2 on the road.
2. The way the game started, it seemed like Orlando would end up running away with the game. Three unanswered goals in the first 22 minutes had the Lions flying high as the game progressed. However, some small mistakes ended up costing them as in the blink of an eye, it was 3-2 heading into halftime. That 23-minute span will be a sticking point for Head Coach Oscar Pareja as the team heads into the next match.
3. At his best, Ramiro Enrique is one of the best active forwards in the league. Early on, that was on display in transition just seven minutes into the game. A quick ball from Marco Pašalić found Iván Angulo wide and in space. A one-time pass to Martín Ojeda got the Argentine into the box. A quick glance saw Enrique in the box with no one around, and in the span of a second, the ball was tapped in by Ramiro off the Ojeda pass.
4. The weapon strikes again. Marco Pašalić took it upon himself to score the second goal of the night, taking the ball straight from midfield, driving into the teeth of the defense and firing a near-post shot to beat Roman Burki and double up the lead just nine minutes into the match. The run and finish from Pašalić shows just how much of a gamechanger he has been for the Lions this season, notching his seventh goal on the season.
5. Remember Enrique and his activity? Well, in the 22nd minute, that pressing action helped to create another goal for himself. A forced miscue by Enrique turned the ball over to Eduard Atuesta in the St. Louis box. A quick touch back to Enrique found space and time for the Argentine to blast an uncontested shot into the far post, beating Burki again. His persistence and quickness up front are his bread and butter, and with Duncan McGuire out for the next few weeks, getting Enrique going will be a big boost to the Lions' attack.
6. It almost all fell apart after the initial outburst, but after conceding twice heading into the locker room, the Lions were able to settle things down and play their game defensively. A lot of times, the game felt slow and deliberate (which could partly be blamed on the heat in St. Louis) but the Lions were able to maintain control over the game and didn't allow the home side back into it again.
7. It took all the way into the 82nd minute before Orlando finally put the game away and it was none other than Pašalić. Yet another transition moment for the Lions, this time Atuesta leading the charge. Once again, no one stopped the ball as Atuesta drove from midfield into the heart of the defense. Then, just as they closed him down, he found Pašalić on the wing. After a quick dribble in, the Croatian laced his shot near post, rooting Burki to the spot and giving the Lions a two-goal cushion.
8. And what a game it was for Atuesta. Three assists on the night, helping both of the Pašalić goals and the second Enrique finish. In just 13 games played, Atuesta has six assists on the season, tying him for the most he's ever had in an MLS season. He has been such a game-changer on both ends of the pitch for Orlando, and tonight was a prime example of his importance to the team's offense.
9. Although he didn't play tonight, Orlando does have more to celebrate. Just before kickoff, Homegrown defender Alex Freeman was named to the 2025 MLS All-Stars, the first Homegrown to carry the honor and the first since Pedro Gallese and Nani back in 2021 to get the distinction. Pareja spoke after the game about it, saying how proud he and the club is of him and how, "I think he'll represent us in a great manner."
10. The Lions now have a quick turnaround as they fly home to prepare to host FC Cincinnati on Saturday night for Pride in Our City night, presented by Circle K. Kickoff for that game is slated for 7:30 p.m. ET at Inter&Co Stadium.
