Amid all the usual questions about tactics, personnel and matchups in the leadup to the start of Orlando City’s Round One Best-of-3 Series with Charlotte FC in the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs, one of the simplest was also one of the biggest.
Which version of the Lions would show up?
The potent squad that won 10 of their last 14 regular-season games, becoming arguably the hottest team in MLS, or the flawed outfit that stumbled to a home loss to Atlanta United on Decision Day, reminiscent of the group that lost five of their first nine league matches at Inter&Co Stadium earlier this year?
The OCSC home faithful got the good Lions in Sunday night’s Game 1 — a composed side that managed the high stakes, held their nerve and gave CLTFC precious little to work with in a 2-0 victory delivered by goals from Facu Torres and Martin Ojeda.
“We’re very happy with the result, but much more for the way we did it, against a tough rival in a very difficult postseason game,” head coach Oscar Pareja told reporters in his postgame press conference.
“I’m very happy with the group and this momentum. I’m very happy with the way we’re playing, but this one game, we have to analyze it and just prepare the next one. This is, first, a good step.”
In his five years in charge, Pareja has elevated the Lions from chronic underachievers into playoff regulars. Remarkably, however, this marked the first time in the club’s MLS history they’ve scored more than one goal in a postseason match.
Terrific Torres
Torres’ clinical 32nd-minute opener proved massively influential, as it provided both key leverage against Charlotte’s defensive-oriented outlook and timely proof OCSC’s leading protagonists are ready to step up in these clutch scenarios. It puts Orlando in the driver’s seat moving into Friday’s Game 2 at Bank of America Stadium (7:40 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
“The playoffs started today and we wanted to get off to a good start and continue showing what we have been doing during the season. The team is very confident and today, luckily, things worked out,” said Torres in Spanish.
“We have worked all season to be ready for this…
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