MLS Orlando City SC

Storylines: City vs. Atlanta United

Published on August 29, 2020 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Orlando City SC News Release


Rookie [Making] Moves

Rookie forward Daryl Dike netted his first professional brace on Wednesday night against Nashville SC and the first game-winner of his young MLS career, scoring in the 52nd and 71st minutes respectively to lead the Lions to a 3-1 victory. Now sitting with three goals in City's last two contests, the 2020 MLS SuperDraft selection became the first rookie in Club history to score in each of his first two professional starts. Dike was selected fifth-overall by the Lions out of the University of Virginia.

The Mauricio Effect

Mauricio Pereyra recorded City's first multi-assist performance of the season on Wednesday night against Nashville, tallying a secondary assist on Chris Mueller's finish in the 21st before playing the ball across the face of goal for Dike's 52nd-minute game-winner. Pereyra now sits tied for the team-lead in assists with Nani, Mueller and João Moutinho with two apiece in 2020, while totaling five in his City tenure since joining the Club midway through the 2019 season.

Cash Contributions

On Wednesday night, Lions' forward Chris Mueller extended his team scoring lead with his fifth goal of the season, tying him for second in MLS. He also added an assist in the match, earning the secondary on Dike's 52nd-minute finish, good for his second in as many matches to tie for the team lead. Mueller now sits one goal shy of breaking his season-high mark of five goals in 2019 and is tied with former Lion Carlos Rivas (13) for third in assists in Club history.

The Comeback Kids

Wednesday marked the fourth time City has overcome a deficit to earn a result in 2020 across all competitions, taking all three points from Nashville SC after conceding in the 15th minute. The Lions first earned a 2-1 stoppage-time victory in their MLS is Back Tournament opener against Inter Miami CF after going down following the halftime break. They then went on to level with the Union after conceding in their Group A finale to earn the top spot in the group heading into the knockouts, where they would answer a finish from LAFC in the Quarterfinals to force a penalty shootout, eventually punching their ticket to the Semifinals of the competition.

The Perfect Placement

João Moutinho earned his second assist of the season on Wednesday, cutting past a defender before picking out a diving Chris Mueller in the box for the Lions' first finish of the evening. Moutinho's previous assist also came on a Mueller goal for City's first tally in a 3-1 victory over NYCFC at the MLS is Back Tournament. Since being traded to Orlando ahead of the 2019 MLS season, Moutinho has notched five assists, while netting one goal.

Milestone Tracker

Chris Mueller is one goal shy of setting a new-season high since being selected by the Lions sixth-overall at the 2018 MLS SuperDraft.

Check out the Orlando City SC Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from August 29, 2020


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