New York City vs Orlando in The Bronx

New York City FC are again house in The Bronx to host Orlando City after a profitable two-game street journey to open the 2026 season, drawing at LA Galaxy and profitable at Philadelphia Union. To put that in context, house groups had an eye-popping document of 21W-5D-4L within the first two weeks of the Major League Soccer season: NYCFC had been certainly one of simply 4 groups to win on the street (Inter Miami, LAFC, and Red Bull New York had been the others) out of 30 video games.

Later in the present day, NYCFC will play in entrance of their followers in a fixture that they dominate: New York City are 8W-2D-1L in home openers, with 24 targets scored and simply seven allowed.

If New York City are so as to add one other to the win column, they will have to proceed to determine rating with out a No 9 making runs within the heart. It labored on Sunday, when Agustín Ojeda’s strong performance on the left wing led to each of the group’s targets.

They’ll face a shaky Orlando protection that gave up six targets in two video games. While the general vibes usually are not sturdy in Orlando, the assault nonetheless has some chew: They have three targets in these video games, the identical complete as NYCFC.

Guido Gonzales, Jr. would be the referee in the present day. In the 4 New York City matches he officiated final yr, NYCFC’s document was 3W-0D-1L. Gonzales Jr. oversaw the 1-0 win over Philadelphia at Citi Field on Matchday 8, the 2-0 loss to Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium on Matchday 21, the 3-2 win over Red Bull New York at Sports Illustrated Stadium on Matchday 32, and the 1-0 win over Philadelphia at Subaru Park within the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Gonzales Jr. is exceptionally in keeping with the whistle, calling precisely 9 fouls on NYCFC in every of these 4 video games, for a complete of 36; he known as a mixed 48 on their opponents. He handed out 18 yellow playing cards in these video games, 9 to New York City and 9 to the opposition.

New York City will put on the sky-blue Excelsior Kit for the second time this season, and the thirty fourth time in league play. The group’s general document within the package is 18W-4D-12L, for a win share of 52.9%. And in the present day will function the general public introduction of Sky, the plush pigeon and Bronx native that is the group’s new mascot.

For these of you not in attendance at Yankee Stadium, fan favourite Ian Joy will be in the Apple TV broadcast booth. It’s his first time calling a New York City recreation for Apple and his first time calling NYCFC motion for the reason that last 2022 regular-season recreation in Atlanta.

Ian Joy on first New York City FC broadcast for Apple: ‘A special moment’

The longtime YES Network announcer discusses calling his first NYCFC match on Apple this weekend and gives his take on the current state of the New York City squad.

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New York City vs Orlando H2H

New York City have a decisive benefit within the head-to-head between the 2 golf equipment, with a document of 11W-10D-7L — these 10 attracts are essentially the most with any membership. NYCFC’s 49 targets towards Orlando is the joint-most towards (equal to Toronto FC), and the +16 purpose differential is the joint second-most, behind solely CF Montréal (+19), and equal to Chicago Fire and DC United.

New York City’s document within the final 5 matchups is a near-perfect 4W-1D-0L, with 9 targets scored and 4 allowed. Those outcomes feed right into a seven-game undefeated streak that dates again to August of 2022, which was the final time Orlando beat NYCFC.

The final time Orlando earned a lead to New York City was 2019, when an early Nani purpose helped the away group to a 1-1 draw in The Bronx. NYCFC’s house document towards Orlando is 8W-2D-3L. One of these losses contains Orlando’s 3-1 win in 2020, through the pandemic, after they had been the designated away group on the Wide World of Sports Complex in Florida through the pandemic.

But current matchups have been tightly contested: NYCFC received 2-1 in Matchday 3 final yr, then 2-1 once more in Matchday 22. New York City’s final clear sheet got here in 2023, when a group that struggled to seek out its kind comfortably beat Orlando 2-0 behind targets from Mounsef Bakrar and Talles Magno.

Safe at Home: NYCFC’s impressive record in home openers

New York City FC’s record of 8W-2D-1L in home openers incudes some spectacular wins: Here are the 5 best home opener games in NYCFC club history.

New York City Scouting Report

• Player Availability: Andrés Perea (leg), Alonso Martínez (knee), and Malachi Jones (leg) are out.
• We can anticipate to see the identical Starting XI that confronted Philadelphia on Sunday. But will Pascal Jansen start the sport with Ojeda on the left? The head coach began Ojeda on the suitable in each matches performed this season, then switched the winger to the opposite aspect throughout play.
• Will we see extra minutes from Talles Magno? The former youth phenom is working his manner again to health: He regarded gassed in his cameo in Los Angeles two weeks in the past, however he was sharper towards Philadelphia, feeding the ball to Ojeda for the game-winning help.
• More on NYCFC’s spectacular 4 factors on the street to open the season: New York City had been certainly one of seven groups to play Matchdays 1 and a couple of because the away group, and the one one to win a match. The different six mixed for 2 attracts and 10 losses.

Why Agustín Ojeda should play on the left

Twice, the winger was started a game positioned on the right. And twice, Ojeda became more dangerous after he was switched to the left by Pascal Jansen.

Orlando Scouting Report

• Player Availability: Midfielder Wilder Cartagena (thigh) Midfielder Joran Gerbet (knee) and defender Robin Jansson (foot) are out. Defender Adrián Marín (thigh) is questionable. In addition, midfielder Colin Guske is serving a suspension after incomes two yellow playing cards in final week’s loss to Inter Miami.
• Is Orlando’s Oscar Pareja within the scorching seat? The head coach might be in bother after a gap day loss to Red Bull New York at house, then an much more disappointing implosion final week after they went up 2-0 over Miami, solely to permit 4 unanswered targets. Orlando are actually winless of their final seven matches relationship again to the 2025 season, with their final win approaching September 20 vs Nashville SC.
• Duncan McGuire has one thing to show. The striker took only one shot in two begins. The 25-year-old had three targets in 19 appearances, down from 10 targets in 32 appearances in 2024.
• Tiago Souza is one to look at. The striker joined from Esporte Clube Bahia initially of the season, and is at the moment coming off the bench. The 20-year-old has one purpose in 25 minutes performed.
• Looking to study extra about Orlando? Be positive to learn “Oppo Research: 5 Things about Orlando City” with Ben Miller of The Mane Land.

Oppo Research: 5 Things about Orlando City

An Orlando City defense hollowed out by transfers and injuries has allowed six goals in two games. Ben Miller of The Mane Land tells us about a back line that looks vulnerable, an attack that has some bite, and why time is running out for striker Duncan McGuire.

Update 2:00 pm ET: The Starting XIs are out for each groups.

New York City’s Pascal Jansen makes one change, swapping out Raul Gustavo from his backline in favor of Kai Trewin, who makes his first MLS begin as a defender (he performed within the midfield on Matchday 1 vs LA Galaxy). Otherwise it is an unchanged XI from the group that received in Philadelphia.