Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja praised his side’s “seriousness” of returning to winning ways ahead of welcoming New York City FC to Inter&Co Stadium this weekend.
The Lions recorded a fourth straight MLS triumph against Nashville SC last time out having won just one of their previous seven league encounters.
Orlando’s upturn in form has seen them bridge clear daylight between the sides below them and currently sit seventh in the Eastern Conference table, just five points behind New York Red Bulls.
Pareja is hoping to continue their upward trajectory on home soil this weekend, with his players’ maintaining their responsibilities highlighted as a key component to their recent success.
"We are really happy, indeed with the result, but most importantly with the seriousness of the team, the discipline, the responsibility that the boys have had on bouncing back from those difficult moments,” Pareja said.
“And not just bounce back, but just keeping the level and the feeling and the plays against a [Nashville] team that is very difficult. I thought we played a very serious game.
“I see that group just playing the way we are and keeping our responsibilities, but at the same time being productive for the group. Very complete game for us and we're happy and ready to move toward the next one.”
For NYCFC, they are now without a win in their last three league fixtures following their 2-2 draw with Atlanta United in midweek.
But the draw at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium did come with its positives. Daniel Rios and Saba Lobzhanidze had given the hosts a comfortable two-goal advantage heading into half-time.
However, Nick Cushing’s side showed their powers of recovery to score twice after the interval, with Talles Magno’s late penalty securing what could prove to be a very important point.
NYCFC are currently in fifth in the Eastern Conference table, and know a win is a must ahead of the Leagues Cup break next week.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Orlando City – Martin Ojeda
The Lions have been among the goals in their recent MLS fixtures, with Martin Ojeda key to their goal-scoring output.
Ojeda has registered four goal contributions in his last five league games (two goals, two assists), with one of those assists coming in the reverse fixture between the two sides back in June.
NYCFC – Talles Magno
Having suffered a knee injury in NYCFC’s opening game against Charlotte, Talles Magno had to bide his time for a return to first-team action, but he took that opportunity with both hands upon his return.
Magno scored a penalty in their draw with Atlanta and boasts an impressive record against this weekend’s opponents.
In his four games against Orlando, the Brazilian has scored two goals and provided two assists, losing just once against the Lions.
MATCH PREDICTION: ORLANDO CITY WIN
Orlando came into the contest with their confidence sky-high following their fourth consecutive league victory. Their last longer winning streak came between October – November 2023 when they won six on the bounce.
The Lions have scored 22 goals in their last eight league games, the most they have managed this season, as they continue to climb the Eastern Conference table.
NYCFC are enduring another period without a victory and have now gone three games without a win. However, they boast an impressive record over this weekend’s opponents and are unbeaten in their four meetings (W3, D1), with their last defeat coming in August 2022.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Orlando City – 46.5%
Draw – 26.5%
NYCFC – 27%
Michel proud Girona's Champions League bow despite late defeat
Michel has urged his team to be proud of their Champions League debut, despite a heartbreaking late defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
The visitors neutralised PSG's attack for much of the game, only for Paulo Gazzaniga, who had made a number of good saves, to let Nuno Mendes' tame delivery slip through his hands and into the back of the net.
The goalkeeper's own goal was the first in the 90th minute of a Champions League game since November 2022 (Porto's Ivan Marcano vs Atletico Madrid), while it was the first-ever such goal that proved to be the winner.
Despite the defeat, the Girona head coach praised his team's effort and the performance of his goalkeeper up until the goal.
"Now in the dressing room, people are a little bit down," Michel told reporters. "I told them that we have to be proud of the game we played.
"PSG subdued us, Gazzaniga made some good saves. There were two or three that could have been goals.
"We have to recognise that their victory is deserved but we are proud of the way we work.
"Let's see if we get another chance to come to Paris next year."
The Spaniard admitted his players were nervous in their first taste of Europe's elite club competition, but he was satisfied with their game as they faced a top-level team.
"At the start of the game, we were very nervous, you could see that. But as the first half went on, we found personality, commitment, attitude," he added.
"In the second half, we were tired. PSG pressed us more, we were continually defending a lot. We passed our first experience in the Champions League.
"We competed against a great team where the pressure can stiffen you and the team gave a good performance."
Girona face Feyenoord in their second league-phase fixture.
'Worse than giving birth' - Luis Enrique notes tough nature of PSG win
Luis Enrique compared Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League opener to childbirth as he admitted he did not enjoy watching their tense late win over Girona.
PSG secured victory after Girona's goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga, who had thwarted numerous efforts from the French champions, made a calamitous error in the final minutes.
Nuno Mendes' tame, low delivery into the box slipped through the goalkeeper's grasp and into the back of the net, snatching PSG all three points in a 1-0 win on Wednesday.
Though winning in fortuitous circumstances, PSG have now only lost one of their 37 home games in the group stage of the Champions League (W29 D7) since the start of the 2012-13 campaign, and Luis Enrique acknowledged the tough nature of this victory.
"I think we were superior, but Girona played us in circles and made us dizzy," Luis Enrique told Movistar Plus.
"At half-time, we said that if we didn't press, we were going to suffer. We had to win, and it was very difficult.
"It was very difficult. I told [Girona manager] Michel that this was worse than giving birth, with all due respect."
Under the new Champions League format, teams play eight matches against eight different opponents, with the top eight sides in the 36-team league automatically advancing to the last 16, and the next 16 playing a further knockout round.
Luis Enrique observed that the format creates uncertainty about the significance of results.
"Winning a match or any title is difficult, but we don't know the dimensions of this competition with this format," he added.
"We are going to have to play matches against teams that have easier schedules than ours. How many points are we going to need? There are many unknowns that need to be cleared up."
Despite the victory, PSG suffered a setback as striker Marco Asensio limped off just before half-time. However, Luis Enrique was confident in the strength of his squad.
"He felt a twinge. Marco had started the season well. This is professional football, and we have a very good squad."
PSG will next play Reims away in Ligue 1 on Saturday.
Atlanta United 2-2 Inter Miami: Miranchuk stunner ends visitors' winning run
Aleksei Miranchuk's stunning late goal salvaged a 2-2 draw for Atlanta United, ending Inter Miami's winning streak.
The visitors brought Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez off the bench in the second half but were unable to make it six wins on the bounce.
Miami had the better of the first half, with Julian Gressel forcing Brad Guzan into an acrobatic save before David Ruiz snuck in behind the hosts' defence to slot a lovely low shot into the bottom-right corner.
In the 56th minute, Saba Lobjanidze met Pedro Amador's whipped cross with a thumping header, nodding it through Drake Callender's legs, and the keeper arguably should have done better.
But just three minutes later, Miami were back in front – Leonardo Campana's free-kick from just outside the box took a huge deflection off the wall, giving the keeper no chance.
Messi led the search for a late third, with his low shot palmed away by Guzan straight into Suarez's path, but Amador was perfectly placed on the line to block it.
Atlanta then went straight up the other end, with Miranchuk floating a wonderful shot into the top-left corner after cutting inside from the right before Lobjanidze's late effort deflected off Ian Fray onto the post.
Miami are now eight points clear at the top of the Eastern Conference, while Atlanta sit in 11th.
Data Debrief: Campana makes Miami history
Campana may have got a bit of luck with his goal due to a wicked deflection, but he will not care one bit, as that strike was his 30th goal for Miami.
He now becomes the outright all-time leading scorer for the club, overtaking Gonzalo Higuain, though Messi is just three behind him.
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