Orlando City SC takes three points from Charlotte FC with speed and balance | OneFootball

Charlotte FC tried switching formations against Orlando City SC. It was a strategy that scored, but didn’t win.

Early in the match against Orlando City SC, Charlotte FC tended to line up with a back-three formation. The idea was to plug up the midfield and deny the Lions’ attempts to control space. Everyone expected them to favor a 4-3-3 against Orlando’s 4-2-2 double six.

For the entire first half, it was a suspect strategy for Charlotte but not a bad one. Forward Luis Muriel got through in the eighth minute for a score, assists to Cesar Araujo and David Brekalo. Then Orlando outran the Charlotte midfield again in the 24th minute.

That was when striker Martin Ojeda made it 2-0, hitting from the left side of the box. Ojeda is now tied with Tesho Akindele in the club’s eighth place with 21 goals in all competitions. He is two away from Chris Mueller in seventh place.

May 14, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando City midfielder Martin Ojeda (10) celebrates after scoring a goal against Charlotte FC in the first half at Inter&Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

But before the half, Charlotte winger Wilfried Zaha shot a ball past goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, assisted by Ashley Westwood and Idan Toklomati. It was a 34th-minute score. They went to the locker room close at 2-1.

In the back of every Orlando City supporters’ mind was the second-half hex that has afflicted the players at times. It troubled them last season.

The Lions had played a speedy, well-balanced first half. And they kept the speed up in the second half.

Still, they needed another score – what Major League Baseball calls an insurance run.

Defender David Brekalo grabbed the ball as the clock ticked toward the 82nd minute and decided to try for it. He already had the second assist on Luis Muriel’s goal. He hit a perfect through ball to forward Ramiro Enrique. But Charlotte players hadn’t yet given up.

They converged on Enrique, who paused, appeared to switch feet, then hit a high, right-footed drive that entered the upper-right of the net.

It’s the three points that Orlando City SC players and supporters have been hunting. They’re now unbeaten in 11 games, just one away from the 12-match unbeaten streak in 2020. They’ll make it.