Orlando City SC took a tough 4-3 loss against Columbus Crew that, for most, was nothing short of painful. But if you take a closer look, maybe the problem’s a bit bigger than just a one-goal difference. The final score hides a lot about what’s really happening with this team and what this game says about where they are right now.
Columbus Crew, the reigning MLS Cup champs, aren’t just any opponent. This team is packed with talent and has a home crowd that turns the stadium into a fortress. So, losing there isn’t exactly shocking. Still, the way Orlando let things slip early on and then scrambled desperately at the end raises some serious questions. It was one of those “almost” losses, the “if we had just a few more minutes” kind of game, and those are the ones a team that wants to be relevant in the league just can’t keep losing. Or worse, they can’t get used to it.
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Three goals at the end? Really, Orlando? Three goals in the final minutes of the second half, all from subs, including two from Luis Muriel. It shows the team’s got depth and talent, and they definitely have heart. But on the flip side, when you’re already down 3-0 and only start reacting around the 70th minute, the damage is already done. It’s like trying to shut the barn door after the horse is gone. Sure, you can chase it, but the odds of catching it are pretty slim.
Why’s it always this desperate fight at the end? It feels like Orlando only plays with real intent when their backs are against the wall. That’s a dangerous pattern for any team with ambitions in the MLS. You can’t be the team that’s always playing catch-up because, more often than not, you’ll run out of time. And that’s the biggest problem. Orlando plays like a team that reacts, not one that imposes its will from the start.
On the other hand, hats off to Columbus Crew. Diego Rossi, Christian Ramírez, and Cucho Hernández were clinical. They’re a team that knows how to close out a game and pounce on an opponent’s mistakes without mercy. Those first three goals came almost too easily—perfect passes, impeccable positioning, textbook finishing. This just shows Orlando wasn’t ready for Crew’s deadly counter. They knew how to exploit the gaps, and when Orlando threw everything forward, they got punished.
Cucho, coming off the bench, was an absolute nightmare for Orlando’s defense, and that also says a lot about how much quality Columbus has to shuffle around mid-game. They knew how to control the tempo, and when Orlando opened up, the floodgates opened wide.
Oscar Pareja said after the game that the team showed “heart” and that the players “tried everything” to pull off the tie. Fair enough, we could see that on the field. But the fans are tired of hearing the same old story. How many times have we heard the “we fought till the end” speech? That’s the bare minimum! At some point, the team’s gotta start winning the big games, against the tough opponents, not just scrambling to come back from behind.
The truth is, Orlando City plays with a “maybe it’ll happen” mindset. They start off sitting back, playing defensively, waiting to see what the opponent does. Against a team like Columbus, that’s a recipe for disaster. It’s no wonder Orlando went into the half down 1-0 and came back to get hit with two more goals early in the second half. By the time they decided to attack, it was already too late.
This loss might seem like a fluke, just one of those “almost” games. But if you look at the recent history, you’ll see Orlando City’s been specializing in these kinds of games. They’ve got the talent, but something’s missing. Consistency. A winning mentality. That swagger the big teams have. When you get a chance to score first and don’t take it, like they did multiple times in the first half, you end up paying the price.
The team hit the post three times before they even started scoring. That’s not just bad luck. That’s a lack of precision, of focus. Against weaker teams, maybe you get away with that, but not against Columbus Crew. And MLS is full of teams like the Crew. If Orlando doesn’t fix this attitude problem soon, it’s going to be another season of “almosts,” just like so many before. It’s not enough to fight at the end; you’ve gotta want to win from the start.
Now, Orlando City’s got a match against FC Dallas coming up. Another tough one, on the road. If they stick to the same strategy of waiting for the opponent to strike first and then trying to react, we already know how that’s going to end. Pareja needs to shake up this team, not just the players, but their mentality.
Luis Muriel’s in good form and needs to be used better from the get-go, not just as a super sub. But the real problem isn’t just the players themselves, it’s how they’re being used. This team needs more boldness, more risk-taking early in games, to stop being so passive. If they keep only playing the last 20 minutes, they’re going to keep losing these “almost” games. And that’s not taking them anywhere.
Orlando’s got the talent to compete, they’ve got the pieces to go far. What’s missing is the desire to win from the very first whistle, not just when they’re chasing the score. If they can fix that, they could really push for the top. If not, it’s just going to be another season of frustration for the fans.