Orlando City Falls 4-0 at Charlotte and Takes Its Playoff Fight to Decision Day Against New England
Charlotte scored in the sixth minute and three more times after halftime on Saturday, ending Orlando's five-game unbeaten run and leaving the Lions' postseason place to next Saturday's home finale against the New England Revolution.
Orlando City's playoff clinch will have to wait a week. Charlotte FC beat the Lions 4-0 on Saturday at Bank of America Stadium, a second-half surge that prevented Orlando from sealing a postseason place and ended the club's five-game unbeaten run. It was the first time Orlando failed to score in a league game since May 9 against Inter Miami, and the club said it was the first time it had been held scoreless in 26 matches across all competitions.
Charlotte struck in the sixth minute, when Ashley Westwood lofted a free kick into the box and Henry Kessler powered a header home. The hosts doubled the lead four minutes into the second half through Allan Saint-Maximin, with Abdoulaye Doucoure adding a third before Rodolfo Aloko volleyed in a fourth in the fourth minute of stoppage time from Tyger Smalls' cross. Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina made seven saves for the clean sheet. Saint-Maximin was sent off in the 89th minute after a spat with Orlando defender Wilder Cartagena and will miss Charlotte's trip to Inter Miami.
The numbers frame what is left. Orlando City (12-14-7, 43 points) sits ninth in the Eastern Conference, and Charlotte (15-10-8, 53 points) strengthened its push for a top-four place and home-field advantage in Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs. Orlando's fate now settles on Decision Day: the Lions host the New England Revolution at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday, November 7, at 4 p.m. ET, trying to clinch a seventh consecutive postseason appearance.
