Orlando City 3–1 Charlotte FC – A Night of Magic and Momentum in the Sunshine State

By Alonso Contreras

A hotly contested affair under the Florida lights ended with Orlando City securing a commanding 3–1 victory over Charlotte FC, as the Lions roared to life with fluid attacking football, inspired substitutions, and clinical finishing.

First Half – Orlando Set the Tone

Orlando City came out of the gates with conviction, immediately asserting dominance in the midfield through César Araújo and Rodrigo Schlegel. The early pressure paid off in the 8th minute when Luis Muriel opened the scoring with a spectacular strike. The Colombian forward latched onto a pass from Araújo, who had combined neatly with David Brekalo. From just outside the box, Muriel unleashed a right-footed effort into the lower right corner past Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina. It was a composed finish with an xG of 4%, a moment of real quality.

The Lions didn’t take their foot off the gas. Orlando's front line—Muriel, Ojeda, and Pašalić—were relentless. In the 24th minute, Martín Ojeda doubled the lead with a powerful left-footed shot from the left side of the area, curling his effort into the bottom right corner (xG 12%). A stunning move capped off a dominant spell of possession.

Charlotte FC, rattled but resilient, responded through Wilfried Zaha, who pulled one back in the 34th minute. After a strong build-up through Ashley Westwood and Idan Toklomati, Zaha unleashed a low right-footed drive from outside the box (xG 8%), sneaking it into the bottom left corner. It was a moment of brilliance from the Ivorian international, dragging Charlotte back into the contest.

The first half ended with both teams trading missed opportunities. Toklomati and Ojeda each had efforts fly just off target in stoppage time.

Second Half – Tactical Twists and Inevitable Impact

Charlotte made a change at halftime, introducing Patrick Agyemang in search of more forward thrust. The adjustment initially brought more directness to their play, but Orlando’s defensive core, particularly Robin Jansson and Alex Freeman, stood tall.

The second half saw plenty of action and several critical substitutions. Orlando introduced Ramiro Enrique and Kyle Smith, a move that would pay dividends. Despite Charlotte coming inches from leveling the match—Pep Biel hitting the crossbar in the 71st minute—it was Orlando who seized control again.

In the 82nd minute, Ramiro Enrique sealed the deal. After a sharp move down the left, David Brekalo played a well-weighted pass into Enrique’s path. With ice in his veins, Enrique struck a thunderous right-footed shot (xG 19%) into the upper right central zone, leaving Kahlina rooted. The goal sent the crowd into raptures and effectively put the game beyond Charlotte’s reach.

Defensive Resolve & Tactical Discipline

Charlotte’s attacking substitutions—introducing Nicholas Scardina, Kévin Vargas, and Eryk Williamson—failed to alter the tempo. Orlando’s midfield remained compact, with Joran Gerbet and Araújo putting in a tireless shift to snuff out attacks and launch countermeasures. While Araújo did pick up a yellow for persistent fouling, his presence was instrumental in controlling the center of the park.

The match's final moments included a few desperate set-pieces for Charlotte, including a 90+4’ corner from Williamson, but they came to nothing as Orlando saw out the win with poise.

Player of the Match: David Brekalo (Orlando City)

The central defender not only anchored the backline with authority but was also instrumental in attack—assisting the opening goal and the third. A true box-to-box performance from a defender who read the game impeccably.

Match Stats Snapshot:

• Goals: Orlando City 3 (Muriel 8’, Ojeda 24’, Enrique 82’) – Charlotte FC 1 (Zaha 34’)

• xG: ORL 1.32 – CLT 1.01

• Shots on Target: ORL 6 – CLT 3

• Possession: ORL 54% – CLT 46%

• Corners: ORL 5 – CLT 4

• Fouls: ORL 14 – CLT 13

• Yellow Cards: ORL 2 (Araújo, Gerbet) – CLT 1 (Zaha)

Final Whistle Thoughts

This was a statement win for Orlando City. With sharp interplay, clinical finishing, and a coordinated defensive performance, Oscar Pareja’s men proved too much for Charlotte FC. Despite flashes of quality from Zaha and Biel, Charlotte couldn’t find a way back after Enrique’s late dagger.

Orlando now looks forward with confidence, building momentum as the season intensifies. As for Charlotte, there’s plenty to reflect on—but also enough quality in the squad to bounce back quickly.