In their last four games played at Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando City has failed to capitalize on 1-0 leads. On this occasion, however, the Lions recovered early in the second half rather than late in the game, and they went on to defeat Atlas FC 3-1. Just seconds after Ivan Angulo put Orlando ahead, Martin Ojeda and Marco Pasalic doubled the lead in the last moments of regulation time. This occurred just after halftime, when Matias Coccaro equalized the score.
Orlando City earns four points in the 2025 Leagues Cup League Phase with this win. There is still time for the Lions to save their season with a single encounter remaining.
A few minutes into the match, Thorhallsson committed an error close to the penalty area’s corner, resulting in a free kick for Atlas. This was Atlas’s initial opportunity to meet the individual. Jorge San Martín’s header narrowly missed the right post after a quality cross entered the penalty area in the fourth minute.Rodriguez attempted to set up Orlando’s opening shooting at the six-minute mark by cutting in from the right side, but Rivaldo Lozano made a fantastic save. The Lions received a corner kick, but Enrique’s speed allowed them to send the ball wide. Even Ojeda’s long-range effort was blocked after the ball had fallen outside the area. Schlegel received the ball shortly after the Lions won a corner kick. After that, he sent a looping header wide of the net.
The game ended goalless after Angulo scored from the subsequent penalty kick. Jansson created a turnover in the attacking third as Orlando applied significant pressure on the ball. Angulo received the ball in the ninth minute and scored a goal by shooting with his left foot, spinning it just inside the right post.
Three minutes following Angulo’s opening goal, Rodriguez ought to have doubled the advantage. After receiving a superb pass from Araujo, the youthful left winger sprinted past his defender and into the penalty area. While Rodriguez got past goalkeeper Antonio Sanchez in the 12th minute, his effort went just wide of the right post. With an over-the-top ball, Matias Coccaro attempted to go underneath Jansson, similar to Rodriguez. Since the referee failed to award the forward a penalty despite his knowledge of his own downfall, the Lions were awarded a corner kick.
After Atlas fouled Orlando in the 26th minute, Gustavo Del Prete had a fantastic opportunity. Del Prete had acres of free space to shoot, but his shot was off.
Slower play marked the second half, during which both sides had opportunities to score but came up short. Enrique set up Angulo for a run behind the defense with a long pass in the 41st minute. From that point on, scoring was out of the question for both sides. Sanchez produced two fantastic saves, denying the Colombian two opportunities to score.
In the 45th minute, following 45 minutes of possession, Del Prete had a chance to shoot, but his shot went just wide of the crossbar. This opportunity came after Brekalo’s poor pass allowed the ball to be moved.
Shortly after halftime, Orlando City scored. Enrique, following Brekalo’s blocked header, headed a long pass from Araujo toward the goal. The shot was intended to score, but Sanchez made a sliding save at his near post in the 47th minute.
As has been the case in many of Orlando’s home games as of late, Atlas made the Magic pay for opportunities that they had previously missed. Brekalo had to protect himself from an opponent, so he couldn’t clear what appeared to be an easy pass into the area. The game was tied in the 50th minute when Coccaro headed home a cross from Schlegel. As he saw the ball land, the others of his team did the same.
The Lions had a golden opportunity to reclaim the lead in the 54th minute when Araujo was set up. Still, the left-footed attempt from the Uruguayan went wide of the top left corner. Following the removal of Thorhallsson and Rodriguez, Pareja substituted in Alex Freeman and Pasalic.
Shortly after halftime, Diego Gonzalez attempted a long-range shot, but it went high.
By the 57th minute, the adjustments had been successful. Pasalic skillfully drew in two defenders before setting up Freeman for a run down the right side. Enrique was shouting for it from the center of the field, despite the fact that there was a yard separating him from it. Ojeda received the ball after Freeman produced a deft pass. His thunderous shot narrowly missed the goal, but he made it 2-1.
In the 59th minute, Atlas continued to press for an equalizer, and Alonso Ramirez missed the target with a long-range attempt.
The Argentine failed to make a good touch with his effort after Pasalic chipped the ball exquisitely in the 61st minute. The rebound was easily saved by Sanchez. Enrique sent the ball to Angulo in the center after waiting two minutes to shoot. The right goal was narrowly missed by the Colombian’s effort. Quickly following that, Atlas appeared in a video review for what appeared to be a handball. Nevertheless, due to Enrique’s minor offside, the call was reversed.
An additional goal from the Lions was still within reach in the 70th minute. As Ojeda advanced down the left flank, he had an opportunity to shoot past Sanchez. Although he kindly sent Pasalic up front, the Croatian’s initial contact was poor. Soon after he stood up again, Pasalic fired a shot that went wide as Sanchez stopped it. Despite being offside at the time of his shot, Ojeda was the first player to recover possession of the ball.
Pasalic attempted to extend the lead in the 81st and 87th minutes by shooting from outside the penalty area. On the first, he failed to make a firm contact. He took a quick shot for the second, but Sanchez made a fantastic diving stop.
Because the video review took so long, the referee extended the game by at least ten minutes. In the fourth minute of extra time, Atlas made a strong challenge on Brekalo in the penalty area, and the situation quickly deteriorated. Jansson attempted to intervene, but he was forcefully pushed to the floor. As a result of the altercation between the two squads, Ojeda took a hit to the face. Coccaro was dispatched and Jansson and Ojeda were alerted after an extended period of waiting. Quite battered, Ojeda appeared. After the altercation, he sustained a cut to the face.
Orlando remained composed and attempted to score at restart of the game as Atlas attempted to equalize while missing a player. The eleventh minute of extra time saw Angulo attempt a shot, but the ball was deflected for a corner kick. There was a two-minute pause, and then Pasalic yelled out “game.” Once again, it was Ojeda’s job to assist Pasalic inside the penalty area. To make it three goals to two in the twelfth minute of extra time, Pasalic smashed the ball into the top right corner.
It was the most recent goal scored by Orlando City. The previous record was held by Facundo Torres in a playoff game against Charlotte FC on November 9, 2018, in the 12th minute of extra time. This equaled the record. As soon as Pasalic scored, the game was finished.
On Wednesday, Orlando City will play host to Necaxa in the 2025 Leagues Cup’s final League Phase encounter. The Lions will experience yet another rapid turnaround.
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