Orlando City (1-1-0) at New York City FC (0-1-1)
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m
Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
Radio: AM 810 Fox Sports Radio, (English), Mega 97.1 (Spanish)
Here are five storylines to watch on Saturday as the Lions head out to the Empire State:
Flying High
Through the first two games of the 2025 Major League Soccer season, Orlando City is tied for second in the league with six goals scored, trailing only the Philadelphia Union, who followed up their win over the Lions last weekend with a 4-1 thumping of pre-2025 Supporters’ Shield favorites FC Cincinnati. Orlando City currently also ranks third in the league in expected goals (5.22) and second in both shots (33) and shots on target (14) in 2025. Going back to the halfway point of the 2024 season, Orlando City has scored 48 goals in its past 19 MLS regular season games, a rate of more than 2.5 per contest. The Lions have notched three goals or more in 10 of those 19 games and hold a 12-5-2 record in that span, a 2 point-per-game pace.
Art by Araújo
Uruguayan defensive midfielder César Araújo played in his 123rd match as a player for the Lions across all competitions in Orlando City’s 4-2 win over Toronto FC last weekend, producing his second-ever match with both a goal and an assist to his name. Araújo knocked in a stunner of a free kick in the 33rd minute to open the scoring for the Lions, before providing the game-winning assist from deep in midfield to spring midfielder Martín Ojeda in on goal. Araújo’s other game with one goal and one assist also came against Toronto FC, coming back on July 4, 2023 against Toronto FC. The midfielder was named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for his performance.
“He Did What?”
Homegrown defender Alex Freeman earned his first-ever start across all competitions for Orlando City last weekend, totaling five appearances prior to his taking his spot in the starting XI for the First Team. The 20-year-old defender joined Araújo on the MLS Team of the Matchday, being named to the bench, and was also named Heineken Star of the Match by Orlando City fans after making the most of his first start with his first MLS goal in the 35th minute.
Rocking on the Road
As the Club heads out on the road for the first time in its 2025 Major League Soccer campaign, Orlando City SC will look to build upon its recent road success in this weekend’s away match at Yankee Stadium. The Lions are 17-10-7 in MLS regular season road games over the last two seasons, claiming a total of 58 points over those 34 combined matches. Only fellow Eastern Conference side FC Cincinnati, who have grabbed 63 points on the road in 2023-2024 and the 2023 MLS Supporters’ Shield, has earned more away points over the 2023 and 2024 seasons than Orlando City.
Rivals of Old
Orlando City and New York City FC, who both came into Major League Soccer together back in 2015 and played their inaugural matches against each other at Camping World Stadium that same year, have played 26 times across the past 10 seasons across all competitions, the most of any opponent for the Lions. When counting both knockout draws as wins for the Lions (penalty shootout victories in the 2019 Lamar U.S. Open Cup and the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs), the series is exactly even, with each team winning or advancing nine times.
Milestone Tracker:
-Martín Ojeda (24) is one helper away from tying Facundo Torres (25) for third-most assists across all competitions in Club history.
- Duncan McGuire (26) sits fourth on Orlando City’s all-time scoring list and is five goals away from tying former captain Nanii (31) across all competitions for third.
