MONTERREY, Nuevo Leon, Mexico (March 12, 2024) – Orlando City SC saw its run in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup come to a close on Tuesday night, falling 4-2 to host Tigres UANL at Estadio Universitario in Monterrey, Mexico. Entering the match tied 0-0 on aggregate, the two-goal defeat saw the Lions eliminated from the international tournament, bowing out in the Round of 16.
The Lions’ first goal of the match came off the foot of Facundo Torres, with the Uruguayan scoring on a 24th-minute penalty kick after captain Robin Jansson drew a foul in the box. Orlando City got a second from the spot late in the second half, with Jansson again drawing the call, and Martín Ojeda putting it away.
The Lions will quickly return to Major League Soccer regular season play, traveling to Georgia to take on Atlanta United FC on Sunday, March 17, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Lions and the Five Stripes will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the match being broadcast on FS1 and MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Scoring Summary:
13’ Marcelo Flores (Rafael Carioca) – UANL 1, ORL 0
The hosts started things off 13 minutes into the match after turning over Wilder Cartagena in the Lions’ own half. Rafael Carioca picked up a pass in the midfield swinging it over to Marcelo Flores on the left wing. Flores took a touch inside before firing a bouncing strike to Pedro Gallese’s lower-left corner.
20’ André-Pierre Gignac (Penalty Kick) – UANL 2, ORL 0
Tigres added to their lead just seven minutes later when a Tigres player was brought down in the box and referee Ivan Barton awarded the hosts a penalty. André-Pierre Gignac stepped up, sent Pedro Gallese to his right and sent it to Gallese’s left.
24’ Facundo Torres (Penalty Kick) – UANL 2, ORL 1
Earning a penalty kick of their own four minutes later, the Lions were able to get one back. André-Pierre Gignac made an error himself, pushing down defender Robin Jansson in the box on a corner kick, setting up Facundo Torres to bury the spot kick and get the Lions an all-important away goal.
68’ Pedro Gallese (Own Goal) – UANL 3, ORL 1
Tigres added one more to their tally in the 68th minute, after a headed ball came off the bar and straight down onto Pedro Gallese after a diving effort. The ball bounced off Gallese and was deemed to be over the line when he grabbed onto it.
81’ Sebastián Córdova (Juan Vigón) – UANL 4, ORL 1
The home side made it a three-goal game late in the match after gaining possession at midfield. Juan Vigón found Sebastián Córdova, who capitalized on the transition to make it 4-1.
90+1’ Martín Ojeda (Penalty Kick) – UANL 4, ORL 2
Martín Ojeda added a second for the Lions just into second half stoppage time, after Robin Jansson’s attempt off a corner was deflected by a Tigres’ defender hand. Ojeda easily put the ball away to cut the lead to two goals.
Head Coach Oscar Pareja:
“One of the things that we remarked a lot during the days that we were preparing for the game was trying to be more concentrated on the start. The [recent] games have been sloppy for us. Somehow today, despite the willingness to do it and the concentration that we expected to have, Tigres found a place where they scored two goals. It was hard for us to adapt to the field, to the climate, to the [stadium] atmosphere. We felt Tigres came [at] us and we didn’t have an answer in that moment. But after that I thought we leveled the game very well. We were close to tying it and then we started matching them up much, much better. But the start of the game just cost us a lot...So, at this point we need to rejoin, move on and concentrate on the league [play].”
Match Notes
- Facundo Torres scored his third goal of the year in the match, all of which have come in Concacaf Champions Cup play.
- The two penalty kick goals marked the first time since October 21, 2018, that the Lions have scored two goals in one match from the spot.
- The matchup marked the second-straight year Orlando City and Tigres have met in the tournament’s Round of 16, with Tigres advancing last year on the away goals tiebreaker.
- The Lions played the final 18 minutes of the match up a player, after a straight red card was given to the home side in the 72nd minute.
- Head Coach Oscar Pareja made six changes to his starting lineup from his side’s last match against Tigres UANL, with David Brekalo, Wilder Cartagena, Nico Lodeiro, Luis Muriel, Kyle Smith and Facundo Torres all getting the start.
