Three in Three
Forward Daryl Dike has found the back of the net in each of the Lions’ last three matches, including a stoppage-time game-winner against D.C. United in the side’s last outing. Dike trails only Nani (9) on the side with six goals this season, now with 14 goals in his MLS career. Dike’s stretch of three-consecutive contests with a goal matches the longest stretch of consecutive games with a finish by a Lion this season, with Nani having done so two separate times from April 23-May 8 and June 19-25.
A Favorable Matchup
Lions captain Luis Nani will face off against an opposition he has enjoyed much success over in FC Cincinnati on Saturday. In four matches against the Orange and Blue, the Portuguese international has scored four goals and tallied one assist, recording a goal contribution in each of the four contests. In the last matchup between the two sides on Aug. 7, Nani scored the goal to level the two sides to earn the Lions a road point.
Against the Opposition
City will look to remain unbeaten against FC Cincinnati when it travels to TQL Stadium on Saturday, holding a 2-0-2 record through four matches. The Lions took a 3-0 shutout victory at Exploria Stadium earlier in the year, with Tesho Akindele, Nani and Júnior Urso all scoring for the side, before taking a 1-1 draw in The Queen City on Aug. 7.
Never Out of It
The Lions have found the back of the net in stoppage time now in back-to-back matches, both instances that have altered the result of their respective contest. The stretch marks the first time the side has found the back of the net after 90 minutes in consecutive contests since the 2017 campaign, earning late draws against the then-named Montreal Impact and Seattle Sounders on June 17 and June 21, respectively. In this span, City is one match shy of tying a Club-record of consecutive fixtures with a stoppage-time goal, having done so in three straight matches from May 29 to June 25, 2016.
The Viking
Robin Jansson scored his second goal of the 2021 season in the Club’s last outing against D.C. United, bagging the rebound from a Lions corner to level the two sides. The finish marked Jansson’s third across all competitions since joining the side in the 2019 campaign in what served as the seventh goal scored by a City defender this season.
Back in the Mix
Chris Mueller made his first appearance for the Lions since Sept. 15 in the side’s last match, tallying the assist on Daryl Dike’s eventual game-winner. The helper served as Mueller’s fifth of the campaign and also moved him into sole possession of the Club assist record with 23 in his City tenure. The match also served as his 120th in all competitions, extending his own Club-record.
Milestone Tracker
- Mauricio Pereyra’s next assist will be his 11th for the year, setting a new Club record for assists in a single season.
- Pereyra’s next assist will be his 23rd as an Orlando City player, which would tie Chris Mueller for second all-time in club history.
- Nani is one goal away from 10 for the 2021 season, which would make him the second player in club history after Cyle Larin to record multiple double-digit goal seasons for the club in the MLS era.
- Tesho Akindele is two goals away from 20 in his Orlando City career.
- Pedro Gallese’s next clean sheet will be his 10th for Orlando City.
- Orlando City’s next clean sheet will set a new club record with 8 in a single season. 2021 marks the fourth time Orlando City has recorded 7 clean sheets in a season, along with 2015, 2017, and 2019.
