By Kelvin Loyola
Atlas are looking to bounce back from their defeat to Inter Miami, while Oscar Pareja’s side is hoping for a significant leap in the standings with a win over Atlas.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
- First-ever meeting between the two sides
- Record at Leagues Cup: Orlando City (4-3), Atlas (3-4)
LAST FIVE GAMES
- Orlando City:
- 2 Wins, 1 Draw, 2 Losses
- Coming off PK loss to Pumas in the second matchday
- Were outshot 17-7 by Pumas in the first match
- Atlas
- 1 Win, 2 Draws, 2 Losses
- Lost to Inter Miami in their first game after controversial late VAR decision
MAIN STORYLINES
- Atlas needs to adjust their defense. After giving up two goals against Inter Miami, Gonzalo Pineda’s side have not kept a clean sheet in 16 consecutive matches
- Martín Ojeda continues to be the main source of Orlando City’s attack. It will be up to Atlas’ unbalanced defense to stop the Argentine midfielder
- Serbian Uroš Đurđević needs to step up and be more dangerous for Pineda’s side, he currently has one goal in 3 Apertura games prior to the Leagues Cup
- Orlando City has scored the 2nd most goals among Eastern Conference is the second team with the most goals in the Eastern Conference with 46, behind only Inter Miami, and will need their firepower to put Atlas away
KEY FACTORS
- Atlas:
- Atlas’ defense needs to hold firm. Against Inter Miami, the team gave up 19 shots; against Monterrey in league play, 25 shots; and before that, 29 shots to Cruz Azul
- Paraguayan Diego González is one of the team’s biggest offensive threats, with 2 assists and 1 goal in three Liga MX 2025 Apertura games, but has been dropped from the squad due to disciplinary issues
- Fans have not been happy with the team’s performance and were not thrilled after the match with Matías Cóccaro’s comments praising Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. Gonzalo Pineda is also under scrutiny, as the team remains a defensive liability
- Orlando City:
- Oscar Pareja needs to find a way to get his two top players, Ojeda and Ramiro Enrique, into scoring opportunities
- Uruguayan César Araújo will be called upon to keep the Atlas attack contained in midfield. The 24-year-old is usually up to these challenges
- Luis Muriel will need to be an X-factor to get the Lions over the hump and try to get three points against Atlas
What to Expect
A leaky Atlas side will need to play a strong defensive game, but with a lot of internal and external issues surrounding the team, how will Pineda’s side respond to the mounting pressure?
For Orlando City, it’s about freeing up their attacking third of the lineup and getting their key players into scoring positions. Atlas, who have recently been giving up over 10 shots per game, will be a good opponent to try and open up and execute against.
Will Pineda “park the bus”? Will Orlando City “go for broke”? It’s a game that will see both teams take their chances, but they’ll need to make sure their defenses hold firm if either side wants to walk away with a win.
