Milestones, storylines and more ahead of the Lions match on the road in Nashville in "The Road Ahead" driven by Audi:
Milestones
- Interim head coach Martín Perelman will look to become the first coach, permanent or interim, in Orlando City history to win each of his first two matches in charge.
- Duncan McGuire’s next goal, his 32nd in all competitions for Orlando City, will pass Nani for fourth place in club history. McGuire has 27 MLS regular season goals, one behind Nani and current teammate Martín Ojeda for third in club history.
Stats & Storylines
- Orlando City won its first game of the season last weekend against CF Montréal, kicking off Martín Perelman’s time in charge of the club with a 2-1 victory. Duncan McGuire scored his first goal since Decision Day 2025 to open the scoring, while Martín Ojeda put away the game-winner after a spectacular move from Iván Angulo that earned a nomination for MLS Goal of the Matchday.
- Orlando’s backline put up its best performance of the season, ending a run of six consecutive matches (including playoffs) allowing multiple goals dating back to the end of last season. Homegrown goalkeeper Javier Otero, deputizing for the suspended Maxime Crépeau, made four saves to earn his third career win in as many starts. The Lions are still hunting their first clean sheet since the August 20, 2025 Leagues Cup quarterfinal against reigning Liga MX champions Toluca.
- Despite the slow start defensively, the Lions have been pretty good going forward through four games, ranking fifth in the Eastern Conference in goals and sixth in expected goals. Ojeda (2g), Angulo (3a), and Marco Pašalić (1g/1a) lead a balanced effort in goal contributions thus far.
- Perelman handed Orlando City B striker Pedro Leão his MLS debut late in the game. Leão is the ninth Lion to make his debut through the first four matches of 2026 and the fourth Brazilian, joining U22 Initiative players Iago, Tiago, and Luís Otávio. Leão has already scored a goal in two appearances for OCB.
- Orlando City kicks off its longest road trip of the season this week in Nashville. The Lions will head out west to face LAFC after the international break, then finish the trip the following week in Columbus. Orlando’s next home game is on April 18 against Houston. Orlando’s longest homestand is set for August, when the Lions are scheduled to play three Leagues Cup Phase One matches and three MLS regular season games at home in an 18 day span from August 5-22.
Series History
All-time vs. Nashville - 7-5-5, +2 GD (3-2-3, -1 GD away)
MLS only vs. Nashville - 5-3-4, +3 GD (2-1-3, 0 GD away)
2020 - W 3-1 (H), D 1-1 (A), L 2-3 (H)
2021 - D 1-1 (A), D 2-2 (A), D 1-1 (H), L 3-1 (A/MLS Cup Playoffs)
2022 - D 1-1 (6-5) (H/USOC)
2023 - L 0-2 (H), W 0-1 (A), W 1-0 (H/MLS Cup Playoffs), W 0-1 (A/MLS Cup Playoffs)
2024 - W 0-3 (A), W 3-0 (H)
2025 - L 2-3 (H/USOC), L 5-1 (A), W 3-2 (H)
Meet the opponent: CF Montréal
- Orlando City lost at GEODIS Park for the first time ever last season, heavily rotating its squad ahead of the Leagues Cup semifinals. The Lions earned some sweet revenge less than a month later at Inter&Co Stadium, winning 3-2 behind a second half stoppage time stunner from Duncan McGuire.
- Nashville looks like one of the top teams in MLS in 2026. This winter, the Coyotes added free agent winger Cristian Espinoza to existing stars Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge, creating a powerhouse DP trio that has amassed ten total goal contributions through four games.
- Orlando retains the upper hand in their rivalry with the Tennessee side, both overall and in Nashville. Martín Ojeda has 2g/3a in five matches against the Coyotes, while McGuire has scored twice in just 127 career minutes against Nashville.
- Mukhtar, part of Nashville SC since its inaugural season in 2020, has been one of the most consistent villains in Orlando City history, posting 7g/7a in 12 regular season appearances against the Lions and adding three more goals in other competitions, including two in the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs. At 10 total goals, Mukhtar is tied with Josef Martínez and Ignacio Piatti for the most goals ever scored against Orlando City by an opposing player.
