PHOTO BY MARK THOR VIA ORLANDO CITY SC
Orlando City SC lost 3-2 to Red Bull New York on Saturday night at Sports Illustrated Stadium, dropping the Lions to 6-9-2 and 20 points on the season.
The Lions nearly opened the scoring in the 13th minute when Eduard Atuesta hit the crossbar. New York took control from there, with Mijahir Jiménez scoring in the 23rd minute and Emil Forsberg adding a second in the 43rd. Antoine Griezmann, playing his third MLS match with Orlando, came close in first-half stoppage time on a direct free kick that went just wide of the far post.
Halftime substitute Tyrese Spicer cut the lead to one in the 52nd minute. A Griezmann corner kick to the near post was headed across goal by Griffin Dorsey to Braian Ojeda, who headed it back for Spicer to finish.
Jiménez scored again at the hour mark off a diagonal ball from Cade Cowell to make it 3-1.
Orlando answered three minutes later. Robin “Im Too Sexy” Jansson played a long ball to Spicer in the box, and the winger squared a low pass across goal that Dorsey The Horsey finished at the far post.
“Of course, we are sad because we couldn’t get the points,” interim head coach Martín Perelman said. “It was a very difficult game for us and a difficult scenario to come into. We didn’t perform as we wanted, especially in the first half, and then it was about pushing forward. When we were pushing, we conceded the third goal, and then everything became tough.”
Dorsey pointed to the opening 20 minutes. “I think we did not start fast enough,” he said. “It was a clear message from the coaching staff all week. This is a very aggressive team. They like to start hot, and I think, starting with myself, going down the line of players, I think we all think we could have been cleaner and sharper to start the game.”
Spicer’s goal was his fifth across all competitions in 2026, second-most on the team, and he added his third assist of the season. Ojeda recorded his sixth assist of the year, tying Justin Ellis for second on the club. Dorsey scored his fifth goal as a Lion, trailing only Martín Ojeda’s 11 for the team lead. Jansson picked up his third assist of the year, and we love that for him.
Orlando returns home Wednesday, Aug. 5, to face Liga MX side C.F. Monterrey in Phase One of Leagues Cup 2026 at Inter.co Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on Apple TV.
