Milestones, storylines and more ahead of the Lions’ away trip to Yankee Stadium in “The Road Ahead” driven by Audi:

Milestones

– Homegrowns Colin Guske and Tahir Reid-Brown and 2026 first-round pick Nolan Miller all made their first-ever starts for the first team against Inter Miami this past weekend. Reid-Brown was making his very first appearance for Orlando City, while Miller made his first professional start after debuting in Matchday 1 against Red Bull New York.

– Duncan McGuire’s next appearance will be his 100th for Orlando City in all competitions, making him the fourth player on the active roster to reach the century mark (Robin Jansson, Iván Angulo, Martín Ojeda). McGuire’s next goal, his 31st in all competitions for Orlando City, will tie Nani for fourth place in club history.

Stats & Storylines

– Orlando suffered a difficult defeat on Sunday night, losing a 2-0 halftime lead and falling 4-2 to archrivals Inter Miami. The match marked the first time out of 423 competitive matches in club history in which the Lions lost a game after leading by two goals. Orlando is 0-2-0 to start an MLS regular season for the first time ever.

– Two Orlando City Designated Players scored their first goals of 2026 early on. Marco Pašalić snuck a low shot past Dayne St. Clair off an Iván Angulo cross to open the scoring, and Martín Ojeda followed up shortly after with a deft finish on a ball from Griffin Dorsey. The goal was Ojeda’s 34th for the club, putting him 10 behind Cyle Larin for second place. Angulo is third in club history with 33 assists. Dorsey recorded his first Orlando City assist in just his second appearance.

– Orlando started two teenagers in the game, handing first starts to Colin Guske and Tahir Reid-Brown. Guske was sent off controversially late in the game after soft contact on Lionel Messi while Reid-Brown went the full 90 in his Orlando City debut.

– The Lions will go out on the road for the first time in 2026 this weekend. Only FC Cincinnati has more away wins than Orlando’s 23 over the past three MLS regular seasons. The Lions have had a winning record away from home in four of Oscar Pareja’s six seasons in charge, including each of the past three, and have won on the road at least five times in every full season this decade.

Series History

All-time vs. NYCFC – 7-11-10, -16 GD (2-8-2, -16 GD away)

MLS only vs. NYCFC – 7-11-8, -16 GD (2-8-2, -16 GD away)

2015 – D 1-1 (H), L 5-3 (A), W 2-1 (H)

2016 – W 0-1 (A), D 2-2 (A), W 2-1 (H)

2017 – W 1-0 (H), W 1-2 (A), L 0-3 (H)

2018 – L 2-0 (A), L 3-0 (A), L 0-2 (H)

2019 – D 2-2 (H), D 1-1 (A), D 1-1 (5-4) (H/USOC)

2020 – W 3-1 (N), D 1-1 (H), D 1-1 (6-5) (H/MLS Cup Playoffs)

2021 – D 1-1 (H), L 5-0 (A)

2022 – W 2-1 (H), L 2-1 (A)

2023 – D 1-1 (H), L 2-0 (A)

2024 – L 4-2 (A), D 1-1 (H)

2025 – L 2-1 (A), L 1-2 (H)

Meet the opponent: New York City Football Club

– If any team has emerged as a boogeyman for Orlando City in the Oscar Pareja era, it’s NYCFC. The Lions’ inaugural rivals are unbeaten in seven against Orlando and are 5-2-5 overall in the series since 2020. Orlando City’s last win at Yankee Stadium came all the way back in 2017.

– The Pigeons won a thriller over the weekend, conceding a late equalizer at Philadelphia only to take all three points on a 90’+9’ goal from right back Tayvon Gray. NYCFC has four points over its first two matches, also drawing LA Galaxy 1-1 on Sunday Night Soccer on February 22. This Saturday’s match will be NYCFC’s home opener.

– There is a possibility this weekend’s game is Orlando’s very last trip to Yankee Stadium. NYCFC has announced the all-new Etihad Park will open in time for the 2027-28 season, which is set to begin in July 2027 after MLS switches to the fall-to-spring calendar. Orlando could face NYCFC away in the shortened spring 2027 transitional season, but that is not guaranteed at this time.

– NYCFC features several familiar faces, including club legend Maxi Moralez, central midfield staple Keaton Parks, and goalkeeper Matt Freese, who has started regularly for the United States men’s national team over the past several months. Star center forward Alonso Martínez is set to miss most of the 2026 season after tearing his ACL while on international duty in November.