With the Leagues Cup in the rearview mirror, Orlando City returns to MLS action with a tough matchup Saturday against visiting FC Cincinnati.

The Lions (6-10-2, 20 points) and FC Cincinnati (7-6-5, 26 points) kick off at Inter.co Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Orlando City is tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference with Columbus. Cincinnati is sixth in the East.

“Excited to come back to MLS. Looking forward to compete in the best way as possible,” Orlando City interim head coach Martín Perelman said. “Of course, get the points for us, which is what we always want, and even more when we play at home.”

The Lions went 2-1 in the Leagues Cup matches against sides from Mexico’s Liga MX, but did not advance to the knockout rounds of the tournament.

Orlando City is 4-7-2 against Eastern Conference opponents. The Lions rank eighth in the Eastern Conference with 82 shots on goal, averaging 4.6 per game.

Cincinnati is 5-5-4 against Eastern Conference teams. Cincinnati is second in the MLS with 106 shots on goal, averaging 5.9 per game. Cincinnati is also first in MLS play with 45 goals.

The Lions have a record of 5-5-4 all-time against Cincinnati, but was on the losing end back in May in a devastating 6-2 road defeat before the World Cup. The Lions have not won at home against Cincinnati since 2021. Cincinnati has won three and drawn one at Inter.co Stadium over the last four seasons.

The Lions have added global star Antoine Griezmann to settle and direct the offense, and have seen improved performances from the defense. However, there has still been some inconsistency that a team like Cincinnati can exploit. Orlando is allowing 2.61 goals per game in MLS, the worst rate in the league.

The Lions is 2-1 in MLS matches since the return to play after the World Cup. They will be without leading scorer Martin Ojeda, who remains sidelined with a thigh injury. Tyrese Spicer, who has become something of a super sub, has scored in the last two MLS matches and has four goals on the season in MLS play.

“We know them; they know us. So it’s going to be a tough game like always against them. They have really good players, really good coach,” Perelman added. “We respect them, but we prepare our team… We will fight, and we will play, and we will try to win, and hopefully we can do it.”

Cincinnati is averaging 2.5 goals per game this season, led by Evander (11 goals, 10 assists) and Kevin Denkey (11 goals, two assists). However, Cincinnati has also struggled defensively, allowing 2.44 goals per game. Orlando has the offensive firepower to break through a leaky backline, but they will need to be solid defensively against such a potent attack.

Orlando needs to attack early if they want to earn three points and start the climb back into the playoff spots. They are three points out of the ninth and final playoff position, but a negative 17 goal differential will make it impossible to jump DC United this weekend even with a win.

This match is the first of a three-game MLS homestand for the Lions, with matchups against the Chicago Fire and newly signed international star Robert Lewandowski on Wednesday, and Real Salt Lake next Saturday on the horizon.

Orlando City trades defender

Orlando City SC has traded homegrown defender Tahir Reid-Brown to St. Louis City SC for $150,000 in guaranteed 2027 General Allocation Money, with the potential for an additional $300,000 in conditional GAM if certain performance-based metrics are met. Orlando would also retain a sell-on percentage in any future transfer of Reid-Brown.

Reid-Brown, 20, departs Orlando after spending the last six years within the club’s development pathway. The Orlando native joined the Orlando City Academy in 2020 before signing a first-team contract as the club’s 15th homegrown player in January 2024.

Across all competitions, Reid-Brown made nine appearances for Orlando City SC, making his first team and Major League Soccer debut against Inter Miami on March 2, 2025. The defender earned his first MLS start in the match.