Lions look for MLS victory in Toronto
The last four matches for Orlando City have been a roller coaster.
After losing their third home game of the season against the New York Red Bulls in April, the Lions have beaten Charlotte FC, lost to CF Montreal on the road by three, and beaten the best team in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia Union, in the US Open Cup this past Tuesday.
On Saturday the Lions will be back in Canada for a 3 p.m. game against a Toronto team that has been plagued by injuries and has lost four of its last five games.
“Toronto, like always, is going to be a difficult rival,” coach Oscar Pareja said following Tuesday’s Open Cup victory. “Today, the message is the same. We cannot stay here. We have to move on now and think about Toronto. They have changed the model a few times. They have been rotating some players due to some difficulties that they have with injuries. I bet their coach, like us, is trying to find a team. We’re all dealing with that at this stage of the season.”
The Lions have had issues playing at Toronto’s home grounds, BMO Field. In their seven games there since 2015, they have never won (0-4-3). The only match Orlando played in Toronto under Pareja ended in a 1-1 draw.
Despite the Reds’ record (3-2-6, 11 points), they have found a danger man up top in Jesús Jiménez, who leads MLS in 7 goals in 11 games. Injury updates: Forward Tesho Akindele is off the injury report after spending the last six matches out with a thigh injury. The Canadian international could be called upon for this match, especially with the Lions having played two games in the past seven days prior.
Orlando may also be without two of their wingers for this match. Benji Michel posted a photo of himself in a walking boot after tweaking his left ankle in practice. He is officially listed as questionable for this match.
Meanwhile, Dutch winger Silvester van der Water will be out with a left leg injury. He has been sidelined since the last moments of the Charlotte FC match at the end of April.
U.S. Open Cup: The Lions will host Inter Miami CF on May 25 at 7 p.m. in their next U.S. Open Cup match for the teams’ first meeting of the season. Orlando was undefeated against Inter Miami in 2021.
If the Lions win, they will host the winner of Nashville SC vs. Louisville City FC, a former Orlando City affiliate from 2015.