After an evaluation of club structure following their acquisition of the club during the 2021 season, the Wilf family announced the hiring of Jarrod Dillon as president of business operations, a newly created position, on November 30, 2021.[1]
On December 1, 2021, Orlando City announced the club had exercised 11 contract options and declined the contract options of seven players, most notably captain and Designated Player Nani after three seasons. Four players including Orlando's only other DP, Mauricio Pereyra, were out of contract at the end of the 2021 season with all but club-record appearance maker Chris Mueller, who had already agreed a pre-contract with Hibernian in July 2021, in discussions to return.[2] Pereyra re-signed on a one-year deal on December 17 with Pato also later re-signing on a one-year contract on January 15.[3][4]
On December 6, 2021, it was announced Orlando City's reserve affiliate team Orlando City B would be returning from hiatus for the inaugural 21-team MLS Next Pro season starting in 2022.[5]
On January 1, Orlando finalized the permanent transfer of Daryl Dike, the club's top goalscorer during the previous season, to English EFL Championship team West Bromwich Albion.[7] The fee was reportedly an initial club-record $9,500,000 plus performance bonuses and a 20% sell-on clause.[8] Six days later, Orlando made their first signing of the season, acquiring Uruguayan midfielder César Araújo from Montevideo Wanderers for a reported $2,000,000.[9][10] The move was the first Orlando had made under the new MLS U22 initiative launched the previous April which allowed clubs to sign three young players to lucrative contracts at a reduced budget charge.[11]
On January 24, Orlando made another purchase from Uruguay, this time for new designated playerFacundo Torres from Peñarol on a four-year contract.[13] He joined for a reported club record $9,000,000 fee. It broke the previous record of $3,000,000 set by the purchase of Josué Colmán in January 2018.[14] Three days later, Orlando signed another DP: Austrian striker Ercan Kara from Rapid Wien for a reported $800,000.[15] Orlando had acquired an international roster spot from CF Montréal earlier in the week in exchange for $200,000 in 2022 General Allocation Money and the natural third-round pick in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft.[16] Orlando's only other signing in the offseason was 17 year old academy product Alex Freeman.[17]
February
Having ended the 2021 regular season with a 2–0 victory away at CF Montréal, Orlando opened the 2022 regular season with a 2–0 home victory against the same opposition. Alexandre Pato, who missed the majority of his first season in Orlando with an injury sustained on opening weekend, marked his first start since that day by scoring Orlando's first goal of the season and his first as a Lion early in the second half. Fourth-year homegrown Benji Michel added a second in the 59th minute before Montreal's Romell Quioto was sent off for punching Robin Jansson in the chest in the 66th minute with the Swede also receiving a yellow card for his part in the altercation. Both sides finished the game down to 10 players when Jansson later received a second yellow in the 81st minute for shoulder checking Joaquín Torres on the counter. The result preserved Orlando's opening day unbeaten streak since joining MLS in 2015 (2W 6D 0L).[18]
March
Orlando's first road game of the season was away to Chicago Fire FC at Soldier Field on March 5. After a goalless first half, Orlando thought they had taken the lead through a long-range Júnior Urso strike in the 73rd minute. As Chicago were about to restart the game, VAR intervened and asked the referee to consult the monitor. After a lengthy 3 minute 40 second stoppage, the referee adjudged Ercan Kara to have controlled the ball with his arm instead of his chest in the build up and disallowed the goal. After the game, head coach Óscar Pareja disputed the clear and obvious nature of the review given it took so long for the video assistant to scrutinize a play the referee was so close to in real time and none of the Chicago players initially appealed, questioning how something as significant as a goal can be overturned without a conclusive angle. The Professional Referee Organization later stated in an analysis of the incident: "PRO does not feel there was enough evidence for the VAR to intervene and would have preferred for the on-field decision to stand."[19] Meanwhile, Urso lamented the physicality of the opposition, claiming they were more interested in fighting than playing after committing 21 fouls and receiving five yellow cards.[20] With another shutout, Pedro Gallese tied Joe Bendik's club-record 13 all-time in 49 appearances compared to Bendik's 92. He also became the first Orlando City goalkeeper to keep three successive clean sheets in regular season play dating back to the final game of the previous season.[21] On March 12, Orlando welcomed the visit of FC Cincinnati, a team on a 14-game losing streak stretching back to September 15, 2021, and without a goal through the opening two games. Brandon Vazquez gave the visitors an early 13th-minute lead having been played in on goal by Luciano Acosta. Having had a goal disallowed the previous week, Júnior Urso scored his first goal of the season, heading home a Facundo Torres cross to level the scores before the break. Despite outshooting the opposition 18 to 9, Orlando were dealt their first defeat of the season as Vazquez scored the only goal of the second half when Dominique Badji shrugged off Ruan before firing in a cross for Vazquez to glance past Gallese. Cincinnati goalkeeper Alec Kann recorded five saves.[22] Roles reversed in the next match as Orlando traveled to LA Galaxy and were forced to soak up pressure, conceding 63% possession and 20 shots although only three were on target. The Lions made Galaxy's wastefulness pay, taking all three points as Facundo Torres scored his first goal for Orlando, finishing off a swift 9th minute attack, one of six shots Orlando had in the game.[23] A third clean sheet in the opening four games meant Pedro Gallese moved past Bendik outright for the club's clean sheet record. It also marked the team's first win in California at the seventh attempt since joining MLS in 2015.[24] Orlando ended March with a second consecutive weekend playing out west, this time against Portland Timbers. It was the first meeting between the teams since the MLS is Back Tournament Final. Short-handed through the loss of Pedro Gallese, Sebas Méndez and Facundo Torres during a FIFA international window, the game saw Mason Stajduhar deputize in goal. After an even but goalless first half with few clear cut chances, Orlando struck early in the second half as Alexandre Pato lifted to ball into the Portland penalty area for Urso to take a touch and pick his spot. Having picked up a yellow card for wrestling Pato the floor five minutes earlier, Josecarlos Van Rankin was dismissed in the 76th minute for a second yellow on Pato after cynically tugging the Brazilian back. Despite the man advantage, Orlando quickly found themselves level just four minutes after the sending off when substitute Andrés Perea tripped Cristhian Paredes in the box; the Paraguayan calmly rolling the resultant penalty kick down the middle past Stajduhar. Although both teams carved out good chances in the closing minutes, neither found a winner as the game finished 1–1.[25]
April
Orlando began April by hosting Los Angeles FC. Having lost starting central defender Antônio Carlos to injury in the 18th minute, the Lions' defense struggled to hold up, conceding two first half goals from two Ruan lapses. However, the teams went into the break level as Orlando hit back twice: first through a volley from Pato who had earlier had a goal narrowly called offside before João Moutinho, who had been drafted by LAFC in 2018 and notably scored his only other Orlando City goal against his former club in 2020, was picked out alone in the box and found the bottom corner. A dart from the top of the box by Ilie Sánchez gave LAFC their third lead of the evening early in the second half and, despite having had their goal peppered by shots forcing Maxime Crépeau into some acrobatic saves, made the points safe in stoppage time when Kwadwo Opoku eventually scrambled the ball home as the visitors hit with numbers on the counter.[26] It was announced on April 7 that Antônio Carlos would be ruled out for 12 to 16 weeks with the hamstring injury he had sustained during the match although he did not need surgery.[27] The Lions remained at home the following week for the visit of the as yet undefeated Chicago Fire FC on April 9. The teams had already met five weeks earlier to play out a goalless draw in Chicago. The home side benefited from a numerical advantage as Brian Gutiérrez, the teenage replacement for the injured Xherdan Shaqiri, was sent off for two first-half yellows: one for cynically blocking the taking of a freekick in the fifth minute, something Fire head coach Ezra Hendrickson later called "inexcusable" and "a learning moment," before being dismissed after stepping across Araújo to prevent a breakaway in the 43rd minute. A man up, Orlando dominated possession and ended the game with 21 shots in total but were largely wasteful, only running out 1–0 winners as offseason DP signing Ercan Kara scored his first goal for the club. It came just before the hour mark from a well worked freekick as Pato peeled away to the back post, heading the ball back across goal and into the path of the waiting Austrian.[28] Orlando earned a second consecutive shutout victory, the first time the team had won back to back games without conceding since June 2015, on the road at Columbus Crew the following weekend. Columbus looked dangerous in the first half hour as Derrick Etienne saw a close range effort blocked by Kyle Smith and Lucas Zelarayán hit the crossbar from a freekick but Orlando grew into the game and eventually found the lead as Rodrigo Schlegel scored his first goal for the club, finishing from inside the six-yard box on a recycled set piece in the 37th minute. Orlando's second came in the 51st minute as Pereyra, Torres and Kara strung a tiki-taka passing sequence together to pick their way through the Crew defense culminating in Kara powerfully striking past Eloy Room on the swivel. With a two-goal lead, the Lions largely controlled the second half to see out the game. Thomas Williams made his debut in stoppage time. At 17 years, 245 days old, he broke the previous youngest first-team appearance record of 18 years, 127 days set by Michael Halliday in the previous season.[29] With the return of the U.S. Open Cup for the first time since 2019, Orlando entered in the third round and were drawn against rivals Tampa Bay Rowdies of the USL Championship. The Lions had won all six previous competitive meetings as a USL Pro franchise: once in the 2013 Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic, once in the 2014 Open Cup third round, and four times in the two-legged preseason I-4 Derby tournament.[30] Pareja fielded a fairly strong lineup but took the opportunity to hand starts to the likes of Stajduhar, Smith, Williams, Perea and van der Water who had started the season as backups. After a lackluster first half, Orlando made three halftime changes including Pereyra who played Michel in behind the Tampa defense to see Aarón Guillén drag him down for a penalty. Pato converted to give Orlando a 52nd-minute lead which was doubled when Pereyra's chipped pass fell to Urso six yards out ten minutes later. The Rowdies retaliated immediately and scrambled a goal back through Lucky Mkosana but struggled to trouble the Orlando goal again as they pushed for an equalizer and saw head coach Neill Collins, who received a yellow card in the first half for dissent, sent off in stoppage time for running on to the pitch to retrieve the ball and had to watch the last moments of his team's 2022 cup run from the stands.[31] The fourth round draw was conducted the following day, pairing Orlando with Philadelphia Union who were a new entrant for the fourth round as one of the eight highest seeded MLS teams from the previous season. Orlando returned to MLS play on April 24 and were beaten by a club-record equalling three goal margin at home for only the fourth time as New York Red Bulls dominated in a 3–0 victory for the visitors.[32] Orlando closed out April hosting new expansion team Charlotte FC. The Lions took a two-goal lead into halftime with Ruan breaking the deadlock in the 16th minute having made a late run at the back post to meet a Michel pull back before wheeling off to the sideline to celebrate by donning a Flash mask in recognition of his nickname. He showed the speed that earned him the nickname for the second goal in first half stoppage time, sprinting away on the counter before unselfishly playing in Torres for a tap in, his second goal of the season. The visitors pulled one back on the hour mark via a Christian Fuchs penalty after Alan Franco split the defense and was brought down but Orlando held on for all three points.[33]
May
On May 5, Orlando acquired a natural first round pick in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft, $500,000 in General Allocation Money, Discovery Priority to an unnamed player from Chicago Fire FC as well as a potential additional $150,000 in General Allocation Money for performance-based conditions and a percentage of any future transfer fee in exchange for the MLS priority to former Lions forward Chris Mueller who was returning to MLS as a free agent after four months with Hibernian.[34] Later that day, Orlando acquired Jake Mulraney in a trade with Atlanta United FC in exchange for $200,000 in General Allocation Money with a potential further $75,000 in GAM pending performance-based conditions.[35] The club also announced the signing of Gastón González from Unión Santa Fe as an U22 initiative player on a three-year contract although he was immediately placed on the Season Ending Injury list having torn his ACL in what was scheduled to be his final appearance for Unión on April 19.[36] The team's first match in May was a bruising 4–1 defeat to CF Montréal who jumped Orlando to move third in the conference. The hosts dominated the first half but only held a one-goal lead through Joel Waterman before doubling it through Djordje Mihailovic on the counter shortly after the restart. Orlando pulled one back when Moutinho headed home a corner but Montreal piled on two late goals in the closing stages through man of the match Joaquín Torres and Zachary Brault-Guillard.[37] Three days later, the Lions returned to US Open Cup action, hosting Philadelphia Union, one of eight MLS teams to begin at this stage. The deadlock wasn't broken until the 54th minute when Kara pounced on a loose ball in the box before Andrés Perea's 30-yard laser three minutes later doubled the lead. The Union found a consolation goal from a recycled freekick but Orlando held out to progress to the round of 16.[38] Returning to Canada for a consecutive weekend, Orlando stole all three points from Toronto FC as a game high in chances (Orlando outshot Toronto 17–8) was goalless until second-half stoppage time when Kyle Smith glance home the winner from a corner.[39] On May 22, Orlando played 2021 expansion franchise Austin FC for the first time having not met the previous season. The Lions took an early lead at Q2 Stadium when goalkeeper Brad Stuver gifted Orlando possession and Ercan Kara capitalized with a simple tap in before Ruan doubled the lead in the 22nd minute. The game changed when referee Joseph Dickerson intervened, first showing two yellow cards to Schlegel within minutes of each other for handballs with the second gifting Austin a penalty which was scored by Sebastián Driussi. Dickerson then went to VAR to send off Araújo for kicking out at Alexander Ring in the 69th minute. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Orlando held on to the lead until stoppage time when Dickerson inexplicably awarded Austin a corner which Moussa Djitté found a 90+5th-minute equalizer from. After the game, Óscar Pareja called the officiating "unbelievable," claiming Dickerson had given Austin the game with the questionable awarding of a penalty and sending off of Schlegel, and the decision to incorrectly give Austin the corner the equalizer came from.[40] Off the back of an emotional draw, Orlando hosted Inter Miami in the US Open Cup Round of 16 three days later. Goalless in regulation, Miami took the lead in extra-time but were immediately pegged back by Facundo Torres. Level after 120 minutes, Orlando prevailed in the penalty shootout as all four Lions scored while Mason Stajduhar made a stop on Bryce Duke and DeAndre Yedlin shot over the bar.[41] Orlando played their sixth and final game of a busy month on May 28 as Pareja's former club, FC Dallas, came to town. Kara headed Orlando in to the lead in first half stoppage time, connecting with a Pereyra freekick. Dallas mounted a comeback led by Paul Arriola, scoring three unanswered goals in the second half to take the victory. Both teams wore Adidas x Parley for the Oceans jerseys made from recycled materials which also included remembrance patches to honor the victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting which had happened in Uvalde, Texas earlier that week.[42]
June
After a two-week international FIFA break, Orlando returned to action on June 15 away at New England Revolution. Goalkeeper Gallese notably started the match despite playing in Peru's World Cup qualification playoff shootout defeat to Australia two days earlier in Qatar. The game finished 1–1 as both teams scored in the first half: Carles Gil gave New England the lead, curling a shot from outside the box past Gallese in the 22nd minute before Jansson struck back, recycling a cleared corner and firing low between the legs of Djordje Petrović in the 35th minute.[43] Orlando returned home three days later to host Houston Dynamo, claiming a 2–1 victory off the back of a Kara brace. The opener saw all three designated players combine when Pereyra played in Torres to cut back to Kara who slid the ball in to the goal. The Lions doubled their lead in the second half when a fierce Pereyra shot deflected off the heels of Kara to wrong-foot Steve Clark. Houston halved the deficit less than two minutes later, Sebastián Ferreira cushioned a header in to the bottom corner. Both teams hit the woodwork before Kara and Michel missed gilt-edged chances. Houston piled on the pressure looking for an equalizer, momentarily thinking they found one in the final minute of stoppage time via a Darwin Quintero bicycle kick but the linesman quickly flagged for offside, denying Houston a late point.[44] All MLS teams wore commemorative Juneteenth jersey numbers during the weekend's games.[45] On June 24, Orlando played away at FC Cincinnati without key players such Pereyra as well as three starting defenders; Carlos (long-term injury), Jansson (yellow card accumulation) and Moutinho (injured in warm-up). Defensively unsettled, Gallese made a spectacular eight saves, earning him a place as a substitute in the MLS team of the week despite the Lions succumbing to a 1–0 defeat as Brenner capitalized on a rebound after Gallese saved a Luciano Acosta shot.[46] Three days later, Orlando returned to U.S. Open Cup play to finish off June at home to Nashville SC in the quarter-finals. A slow first half gave way to a chaotic second: Hany Mukhtar gave the visitors the lead in the 52nd minute with a far post tap in as Schlegel was too busy playing the man to deal with a seemingly harmless Alex Muyl cross. Schlegel turned hero in second half stoppage time, instinctively swinging his foot at a knock down from a freekick, sending the game in to extra-time. Referee Mark Allatin brandished 13 yellow cards to players, 10 of which went to Nashville, with all but one coming after halftime. The flurry of cards ultimately led to the dismissal of Sean Davis who earned a second yellow in the opening minute of extra-time for dragging down Torres on the counter. Despite the numerical advantage, Orlando could not break the deadlock and the game was decided by a penalty shoot-out. Muyl shot over and Perea had his saved by Elliot Panicco as the kicks went to two rounds of sudden death before Gallese made the stop on Eric Miller to secure the Lions' progress.[47]
July
After going the full 120 minutes in the Open Cup, Orlando had four days rest before returning to MLS action on the Fourth of July, hosting D.C. United. The game tied the club record for highest scoring game as Orlando lost 5–3. Taxiarchis Fountas scored a brace inside the opening 10 minutes, twice taking advantage of a disjointed Orlando defence failing to pick him up in the penalty box. He secured his hat-trick early in the second half off a freekick fired low to Gallese's right through the wall. Orlando battled back to within a goal first through substitute Torres who then got the assist as Kara rose to meet his freekick. D.C.'s two-goal lead was briefly restored by a breaking Kimarni Smith before Pato pulled the Lions back to within a goal from the penalty spot. Despite forcing Rafael Romo into some impressive saves, Orlando could not equalize before D.C. secured the win in stoppage time through Nigel Robertha.[48] Five days later, the Lions hosted intra-state rivals Inter Miami CF, taking the victory on a 90+2-minute own goal from Damion Lowe, the first time a one-goal game had been decided by a stoppage time own goal in MLS history.[49] Next on the slate was two road trips in the space of five days, away to Colorado Rapids on July 13 and Atlanta United FC on July 23. Orlando drew both games 1–1 having held the lead in both at half-time as the team struggled to build on leads and see out games defensively.[50] Gallese was named to MLS team of the week for his six-save performance against Colorado before making a further three in Atlanta including a spectacular leaping stop on former-Lion Dom Dwyer.[51][52] Three days later, Orlando hosted a friendly against English Premier League team Arsenal who were taking part in the 2022 Florida Cup as part of their preseason tour. Having conceded early to Gabriel Martinelli, a largely full strength Orlando held Arsenal 1–1 at the break before eventually falling 3–1.[53] With three first-team departures; selling Silvester van der Water to Cambuur, Matheus Aias to Racing Santander and most notably, trading Ecuador international Sebas Méndez to Los Angeles FC;[54] On July 20, Orlando completed the free transfer Nicholas Gioacchini, a forward with eight caps for the United States who had most recently spent the 2021–22 season in France with first division Montpellier, on loan from Caen.[55] On July 23, Orlando hosted Philadelphia Union in league play. The visitors won 1–0, scoring with their only shot on goal.[56] On the end of a flick on from a corner, Dániel Gazdag had originally been called offside. But despite no definitive angle to overturn the decision, referee Alex Chilowicz decided to award the goal after consulting VAR in the 39th minute. Despite a barrage of crosses, Philadelphia hang on and were relieved to once again be on the right side of refereeing controversy when, in second half stoppage time, Gazdag appeared to pull down Antônio Carlos by his shirt in the penalty area, preventing him from reaching a header on a corner. Chilowicz was sent to the monitor but, after consulting the replays, opted against awarding Orlando a penalty and instead motioned that Carlos had dived. However, when questioned later by reporters, he instead claimed he had determined Carlos had pulled on Gazdag's shirt and awarded a foul. Coach Paeja called the decision "incredible... It frustrated us all."[57] With only one win in their last seven matches in all competitions, Orlando entered July 27's U.S. Open Cup semi-final against New York Red Bulls, a team sat 3rd-place in the East, in poor form. The Lions had only reached the semi-final stage once before, in 2019, ending in a 2–0 defeat to Atlanta United. On a rain-soaked night, an even but open first half saw the deadlock broken by the visitors in stoppage-time as Lewis Morgan arrived at the far post to fire a fierce strike past Gallese. Orlando responded immediately, going on the attack and forcing an equalizer on a corner when offseason signing César Araújo reacted to a rebound to score his first ever senior career goal. After a flurry of action to end a tight first half tied at 1–1, Orlando took the lead less than two minutes after the break as Pereyra stabbed Moutinho's pull-back past a helpless Carlos Coronel. Araújo doubed the lead with his second career goal on 62 minutes, again capitalizing on a loose ball from a corner. Growing increasingly dominant, Orlando piled on two more goals through Torres and Michel to run out emphatic 5–1 winners and send the team to its first Open Cup final, to be held at Exploria Stadium in September.[58] Orlando ended July by returning to MLS action on the road at D.C. United, featuring Wayne Rooney on his coaching debut for the team he had scored two goals and three assists for in three appearances against Orlando during his brief MLS stint. The Lions took the lead early through Urso and looked to be seeing out the game before capitulating, conceding twice in second-half stoppage time to fall to a 2–1 defeat.[59]
August
Orlando's run of league games without a win extended to five matches as New England Revolution visited Exploria Stadium on August 6 to inflict a third successive MLS defeat on the Lions as the visitors cruised to a comfortable 3–0 win. The result dropped Orlando below the playoff line for the first time since March 12.[60] The winless streak ended on August 13 when Orlando visited New York Red Bulls. Despite New York creating the majority of the chances, outshooting the visitors 15 to two, it was Torres who scored the only goal of the game, squeezing a shot from a narrow angle underneath Coronel and in off the post. Gallese's eighth clean sheet of the season set a new club single-season record.[61] The team won back to back league games for the first time since April the following week, traveling to Charlotte FC for the first time and winning 2-1. DP striker Kara returned from injury after two games out and opened the scoring after Urso picked him out ghosting in behind the Charlotte defensive line in the 62nd minute only for Charlotte to respond four minutes later through a powerful McKinze Gaines header. Substitute Akindele grabbed his first goal of the season on his 23rd appearance, breaking away on the counter and burying the rebound after his first shot was parried by goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina to claim all three points as the Lions moved up to 5th place.[62] Akindele again provided late heroics the following week as Orlando beat New York City FC at home 2–1 with a 90+6th-minute winner. Urso had given Orlando an early 7th-minute lead with an emphatic volley after a give and go with Torres. Shortly after VAR had intervened to rescind an Antônio Carlos red card, NYCFC capitalized on a turnover in midfield, slicing open the Orlando back line for Maxi Moralez to run in behind and score. Summer signing Iván Angulo registered his first assist from a corner as the Lions claimed all three points at the death with Akindele flicking a near post header on and past Sean Johnson.[63] Three days later, on August 31, Orlando hosted Western Conference strugglers Seattle Sounders FC. In a game delayed by weather by nearly two hours, Albert Rusnák gave Seattle a halftime lead, perfectly whipping a freekick over the wall, between Gallese and the goalpost. Orlando had the chance to level when Nicholas Gioacchini won a penalty but captain Pereyra was denied by Stefan Frei in the 32nd minute having previously failed to convert his only other non-shootout penalty for Orlando in July 2021. Raúl Ruidíaz doubled the lead early in the second half, as Jordan Morris steamed past Schlegel before crossing with Ruidíaz bumbling the ball past Gallese at the second attempt in the 52nd minute. Orlando responded in 93 seconds courtesy of Torres who was found by Moutinho at the top of the box. The Lions were level by the 68th minute when Morris committed a handball in the box and this time Kara stepped up to convert the penalty, tying the game. Orlando claimed a fourth consecutive MLS victory and third in the final minutes, when Kyle Smith chopped inside off the right and fired a speculative left-footed shot which deflected in off Seattle defender Jackson Ragen. Initially called offside on Kara, referee Alex Chilowicz awarded the goal after consulting VAR and deemed the Austrian to not be active during the play.[64]
September
On September 7, Orlando City won the 2022 U.S. Open Cup, winning 3–0 against USL Championship side Sacramento Republic in the final. It was the first trophy the Lions had won in their MLS era having last won the 2014 Commissioner's Cup and marked the first time a team from outside the top division of American soccer had contested a final since Charleston Battery did so in 2008. Despite controlling the first half and peppering the Sacramento goal, Orlando had to wait until midway through the second half to open the scoring through Torres in the 75th minute when Angulo pressed Dan Casey into turning the ball over. Torres then doubled the lead from the penalty spot five minutes later when Casey slid in and took out Orlando City homegrown Benji Michel who himself added a third in stoppage time, rolling the ball into the bottom corner as Sacramento once again paid for giving up possession in their own half.[65] On the back of the Open Cup win, the Lions traveled to Eastern Conference leaders Philadelphia Union three days later. Pareja made six changes to the lineup including a second MLS appearance of the season for backup goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar. By halftime the Union led Orlando by two goals courtesy of a Moutinho own goal that looped high over Stajduhar and then Mikael Uhre who caught the Lions on the counter. Dániel Gazdag added a third early in the second half from the penalty spot when Stajduhar fumbled a cross and was adjudged to have taken Uhre down trying to recover. Alejandro Bedoya added another with a stooping header before Orlando pulled one back in the 75th minute as Perea found the top corner from the top of the box. The game finished 5–1 after Jack Elliott scored Philadelphia's fifth from a corner in the closing minutes, handing Orlando their biggest loss of the season.[66] A second consecutive defeat followed four days later as Orlando fell to a 1–0 defeat at home to Atlanta United FC. Despite outshooting the visitors 20–10, the Lions' wastefulness was punished when Thiago Almada scored the only goal of the game, playing a give and go off Andrew Gutman before dribbling his way past Carlos to leave himself one on one with Gallese. It marked the first time Atlanta won back to back games in 2022.[67] Although remaining in 5th place after the defeat, Cincinnati's 6–0 victory over San Jose the previous weekend meant the teams were level on 42 points with four games left to play each. After back to back defeats, Orlando registered a first win since the Open Cup final on September 17, beating Toronto FC 4–0 at home to sweep the Canadian side in 2022. The Lions scored early through Torres cutting inside from the right wing and firing past Quentin Westberg from outside the box. The lead was doubled in the 22nd minute when Pereyra played a through ball behind the Toronto defence to find the onrushing Kara. Shortly after the break, Lukas MacNaughton scored an own goal, turning a Moutinho cross into his own net for a third goal and Orlando's largest winning margin of the season was equaled six minutes from time through substitute Akindele. Orlando City became the first team in MLS history to have at least one 10-goal scorer in each of the club's first eight regular seasons with Ercan Kara's 10th goal of the campaign.[68]
October
Orlando entered the final month of the regular season in 6th place, having dropped one point behind FC Cincinnati following Cincy's tie with Seattle Sounders on September 27, level on points with Inter Miami in the final playoff spot, and three points ahead of Columbus Crew and the playoff line. A 2–1 defeat to New York City FC at Red Bull Arena on October 2, inflicted in the 81st minute by Talles Magno strike, clinched a home playoff game for NYCFC and interim head coach Nick Cushing[69] while setting up a win and in scenario against in-state rivals Miami for Orlando with two games remaining.[70] Two days later, Orlando traveled to Fort Lauderdale but had the worst possible start, conceding in 35 seconds when Leonardo Campana outsprinted Carlos and Schlegel to a loose ball and chipped Gallese from 35 yards. Gonzalo Higuaín added one either side of half time and including from the penalty spot when referee Victor Rivas adjudged Ruan to have handballed when the ball flicked up and rolled across his upper arm from close range. Ariel Lassiter added a fourth before Kara netted a consolation in a 4–1 defeat.[71]
Decision Day
All Eastern Conference games kicked off at 2:30 p.m. ET with Orlando City v Columbus Crew selected to be nationally televised on Fox Sports 1 and Fox Deportes. At the start of the day Orlando sat in 8th, one point below the playoff line and decision day opponents Columbus as well as FC Cincinnati. A win would leapfrog the Lions above the Crew and secure a postseason berth while a draw would rely on Cincinnati losing against bottom-of-the-table D.C. United with the Lions holding the tiebreaker between the two.[72] In the first half, both teams were limited to few opportunities but Columbus went into the break with a one-goal lead when Lucas Zelarayán drew four defenders before playing in a free Derrick Etienne who slotted past Gallese. With FC Cincinnati holding a comfortable 4–1 lead at D.C. United at the half, Orlando knew only a win would put the team in the playoffs. Urso got the Lions back level in the 56th minute with a smart turn and shot. The game was decided in the 84th minute when Facundo Torres converted a penalty to secure a 2–1 victory and send Orlando to the postseason. Appeals for the penalty had originally been ignored by referee Alex Chilowicz but, after VAR recommended he go to the monitor, a quick review confirmed Miloš Degenek had blocked a fierce Benji Michel shot with an outstretched arm and the spot kick awarded.[73] Having dropped out of the playoffs, Columbus head coach Caleb Porter was fired after the match.[74]
Playoffs
For the third consecutive season, Orlando qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs under the stewardship of Óscar Pareja. Entering as the #7 seed, Orlando traveled to #2 CF Montréal in the first round. The Lions bowed out of the 2022 season with a 2–0 defeat. The game lacked any real offensive quality with Orlando failing to register a shot on target while Montreal scored with their only two shots on target. It took until the 68th minute for the hosts to break the deadlock when some neat interplay between Kei Kamara and Djordje Mihailovic opened up space for Ismaël Koné to steal into the box and score. A Moutinho trip on Mihailovic deep in stoppage time gifted Montreal a penalty to seal the win.[75]
Orlando City preseason opened on January 18. Seven friendly matches were scheduled, all to played behind closed doors. The New York City FC scrimmage scheduled for January 23 was later canceled.[77] On January 28, Orlando announced the friendly against Colorado would no longer be played behind closed doors and instead be open to the public.[78] On April 19, it was announced Orlando City would host a game against Premier League side Arsenal on their preseason tour on July 20 as part of the "FC Series" expansion of the Florida Cup.[79]
Outside of the club, Charlotte FC joined the league as an expansion franchise, bringing the total number of MLS clubs to 28. Orlando's first meeting with Charlotte will be at home on April 30 with the first away trip on August 21. Orlando will also play 2021 expansion franchise Austin FC for the first time on May 22 on the road, having not met during the previous season. The Lions were not scheduled to face six Western Conference teams during the 2022 regular season: Sporting Kansas City, Minnesota United, Nashville SC, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes and Vancouver Whitecaps. The top seven teams from each conference will qualify for the playoffs.
Following a two-year hiatus as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Open Cup returned in 2022. Orlando entered in the third round, a round earlier than in previous years, along with all but the eight highest seeded MLS teams from the previous season's regular season standings. All MLS teams were drawn against a lower division team in their allocated regional group for the third round.[82]
Traded in exchange for $300,000 GAM with a potential $450,000 GAM pending performance-based conditions. Orlando retain an undisclosed sell-on percentage
