June 16, 2021 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Orlando City SC News Release
Orlando City (3-1-3, 12 pts) will play an away game in their own building this Saturday, facing off in a closed-door match against for-now neighbors Toronto FC (1-4-2, 5 pts) at Exploria Stadium. The game is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised locally with coverage beginning at 7 p.m. on FOX35 PLUS and LionNation TV. Radio coverage will be available from 7 p.m. on FM 96.9 the Game in English and Acción 97.9 FM and 810 AM in Spanish.
Here’s everything you need to know about Toronto FC:
Key Transactions and Player News
Key Additions – Head Coach Chris Armas (New York Red Bulls), LW Yeferson Soteldo (Santos), LB Kemar Lawrence (Anderlecht), CF Dom Dwyer (Orlando City)
Key Departures – LW Pablo Piatti (Elche), CB Laurent Ciman (retirement)
Player News – These two teams matched up just four weeks ago, with Orlando City coming away with a 1-0 victory. Toronto’s most dangerous player that night was new DP Yeferson Soteldo, but the Reds will have to make due without the winger this weekend, as he’s with the Venezuelan national team for Copa América. The good news for the Reds is that reigning Landon Donovan MLS MVP Alejandro Pozuelo could be on track to make his season debut this weekend after missing out on their first two months due to injury.
Take a look at Toronto FC’s full roster here.
Team Form
Toronto FC finished second in the Eastern Conference in 2020, but they’ve found themselves mired near the bottom thus far in 2021. After dropping two straight heading into the international break, the Reds are 12th in the East, six points below the red line and just a point ahead of bottom-dwelling Chicago Fire FC and FC Cincinnati. TFC also bowed out in the quarterfinal round of the CONCACAF Champions League to Cruz Azul.
Head-to-Head
While Toronto has held a huge historical edge on Orlando City, winning more games and scoring more goals against the Lions than any other team in MLS, Orlando turned the tables on May 22, with Tesho Akindele’s goal sufficient enough to secure a 1-0 win. Silvester van der Water contributed his first MLS assist on the goal. It was Orlando’s first win against Toronto since July 14, 2018.
Rasmussen University Fact
Toronto FC sports not one, but two former Orlando City players. Dom Dwyer scored 24 goals in 69 appearances in all competitions for the Lions from 2017-20, while Richie Laryea has excelled since TFC moved him to right back, even working his way into the Canadian national team.
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