Orlando seeks revenge in Philly
The Lions’ porous defense couldn’t stop the Union attack in a 2-4 opening day loss at Inter & Co. Stadium; Orlando hopes for a better showing Saturday at Subaru Park in Pennsylvania.
With seven goal contributions in six games, Orlando City’s Martin Ojeda has made himself an MLS Most Valuable Player contender. Photo: MLSsoccer.com
• WHAT: Orlando City SC at Philadelphia Union
• WHEN: 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday, April 5
• WHERE: Subaru Park, Chester, Pa.
• TV: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
• RADIO: Orlando — AM 810 Fox Sports Radio (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish)
• Radio: Philadelphia — 97.5 FM The Fanatic (English)
Lions seek third straight win
Orlando City visits the Philadelphia Union on Saturday for a rematch of Eastern Conference playoff hopefuls. The Union (4-2-0, 12 points) ruined opening day at Inter & Co. Stadium in Orlando (3-2-1, 10 points), but the Purple were playing without several key defenders, including midfielder Wilder Cartagena who’s out for the year with a knee injury. OCSC coach Oscar Pareja made do with the players available to him, eventually losing 2-4.
Now, the Lions are mostly healthy and have earned results in their past three matches: a tie at New York City FC and wins against D.C. United and at L.A. Galaxy.
Orlando features the league’s best offense, having scored 15 goals in six matches; the Union is tied with the surprising Chicago Fire for second-most scores (12).
The Lions designated players — striker Luis Muriel and attacking midfielders Martin Ojeda and Marco Pašalić — continue to be Major League Soccer’s most productive group; their 18 goal contributions are eight more than second-place Chicago’s DPs have managed.
Ojeda’ 4 goals and 3 assists in 2025 have some observers touting him as an early MVP candidate; since becoming a regular starter last summer, Ojeda has 19 goal contributions (7 goals, 12 assists).
Muriel has 3 goals and 3 assists, while Pašalić has chipped in 4 goals and an assist.
Baribo wins Player of the Month
Philadelphia forward Tai Baribo celebrates a goal earlier this season against New England. Baribo, the MLS Player of the Month for March, leads MLS with 6 goals. Photo: Philadelphia Union.
Tai Baribo, a 27-year-old Israeli striker, leads the Union — and MLS — with six goals. Earlier this week, MLS announced that a national media panel had selected Baribo as the MLS Player of the Month for March.
Baribo scored five goals in the Union’s first two matches, including the league’s only 2025 hat trick against FC Cincinnati. He’s the fourth player in MLS history to score five goals in a season’s first two matches. The others? Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez (2021), Ayo Akinola (2020), and Brian Ching (2006).
Since the beginning of June 2024, Baribo has 15 goals, including four multi-score games; he’s the only player with more than one hat trick in that span.
But Baribo isn’t Philly’s only threat. Daniel Gasdag has two goals and two assists, Quinn Sullivan and Kai Wagner have four assists each, and Jovan Lukic has two goals.
Projected starters
PHILADELPHIA (4-4-2) — Andre Blake; Frankie Westfield, Jakob Glesnes, Ian Glavinovich, Nathan Harriel; Quinn Sullivan, Danley Jean-Jacques, Jovan Lukic, Daniel Gazdag; Bruno Damiani, Tai Baribo.
ORLANDO (4-2-3-1) — Pedro Gallese; Rafael Santos, Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, Alex Freeman; Cesar Araujo, Eduard Atuesta; Marco Pašalić, Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda; Luis Muriel.