Colón vs Ciudad de Orlando: Resumen

Orlando City SC demonstrated remarkable resilience as they came from behind to stun Columbus Crew 3-1 at Lower.com Field in a pivotal MLS clash. The hosts dominated proceedings for much of the match, controlling possession and creating numerous chances before Diego Rossi finally broke the deadlock from the penalty spot in the 66th minute. What followed was an extraordinary turnaround that few of the passionate Columbus supporters could have anticipated.

The atmosphere at Lower.com Field had been electric from the first whistle, with the Columbus faithful expecting another home victory to strengthen their position near the top of the Eastern Conference. The stadium fell silent, however, when substitute Ramiro Enrique equalized with a well-placed header in the 76th minute before completing a stunning turnaround just three minutes later.

The late collapse represented Columbus Crew's first home defeat of the 2025 season, a significant blow to Wilfried Nancy's side who had made Lower.com Field a fortress throughout the campaign. Martín Ojeda's stoppage time goal sealed a precious three points for the visitors, who have now recorded back-to-back road victories following a challenging winless streak.

This result has major implications for the Eastern Conference standings, with Columbus Crew remaining on 44 points (12-5-8) while Orlando City improved to 41 points (11-6-8), narrowing the gap between the teams to just three points. The timing of this victory could hardly be better for Oscar Pareja's men, who enter the MLS break for the Leagues Cup tournament with renewed confidence and momentum.

"We showed incredible character today against one of the best teams in the league. Coming from behind at Lower.com Field where Columbus hasn't lost all season demonstrates the mental strength of this group. The substitutions made the difference, and I'm particularly pleased with how we executed our counter-attacking strategy in the final twenty minutes," said Oscar Pareja, Orlando City's head coach.

"It's a difficult pill to swallow. We controlled the match for long periods and created enough chances to secure the three points. Unfortunately, we lost concentration at crucial moments and Orlando punished us clinically. This is a reminder that in MLS, you cannot take your foot off the gas even when you're ahead," reflected Wilfried Nancy, Columbus Crew's coach.

"Two goals is nice personally, but the three points are what matter most. The coach told me to be ready when I came on, to exploit the spaces behind their defense. Ivan [Angulo] delivered two perfect crosses, and I just had to finish them. This win means a lot heading into the break," commented Ramiro Enrique, Orlando's match-winner.

"We've been solid at home all season, so this result hurts. We need to analyze what went wrong in those final minutes and make sure it doesn't happen again. The good news is we still have a strong position in the table, and this defeat might serve as the wake-up call we needed," stated Darlington Nagbe, Columbus midfielder.

The statistical breakdown reveals the unusual nature of this contest, with Columbus Crew dominating most metrics despite the final score. The home side commanded 60.8% possession, reflecting their control throughout much of the match. They also outshot Orlando substantially, recording 18 attempts compared to Orlando's 10, though the visitors demonstrated clinical efficiency by converting a higher percentage of their opportunities.

Set-piece opportunities heavily favored Columbus as well, with the home team earning 9 corners to Orlando's solitary corner kick. However, Pedro Gallese produced a standout performance between the posts for Orlando, making 6 saves including 3 from inside the box to keep his team in contention.

Individually, Ivan Angulo proved decisive with his two assists for Enrique's goals, while Diego Rossi remained Columbus' most dangerous attacking threat with 5 shots and the converted penalty. Darlington Nagbe controlled the midfield with an impressive 94% pass completion rate from 78 attempted passes.

Despite creating fewer chances overall, Orlando's expected goals (xG) from their opportunities was concentrated in high-quality situations, with their three goals coming from just 1.8 xG, demonstrating exceptional finishing efficiency. Columbus, conversely, underperformed their xG of 2.3, highlighting their wastefulness in front of goal.

17' - Columbus nearly took an early lead when Diego Rossi's curling effort struck the crossbar after a flowing move involving Darlington Nagbe and Dániel Gazdag.

32' - Pedro Gallese produced a remarkable double save to deny first Jacen Russell-Rowe and then the follow-up from Dylan Chambost, keeping Orlando level against mounting pressure.

66' - GOAL! Columbus Crew 1-0 Orlando City SC. Diego Rossi calmly converted from the penalty spot after Rodrigo Schlegel was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area. The Uruguayan sent Gallese the wrong way, slotting into the bottom right corner.

67' - Tactical substitution by Oscar Pareja as Ramiro Enrique replaced Luis Muriel, a change that would prove decisive.

76' - GOAL! Columbus Crew 1-1 Orlando City SC. Ramiro Enrique equalized with a powerful header from Ivan Angulo's precise cross from the left wing, giving Patrick Schulte no chance.

79' - GOAL! Columbus Crew 1-2 Orlando City SC. Incredibly, Enrique struck again! Another assist from Angulo, this time cutting in from the right before finding Enrique who finished first-time past Schulte.

90+6' - GOAL! Columbus Crew 1-3 Orlando City SC. Martín Ojeda sealed the victory deep into stoppage time, capitalizing on Columbus pushing forward by finishing a swift counter-attack with a composed finish into the bottom corner.

This latest encounter adds another compelling chapter to what has become an increasingly competitive rivalry between Columbus Crew and Orlando City SC in MLS. Prior to this match, Columbus had enjoyed a slight edge in the historical head-to-head, winning 10 of the previous 23 meetings compared to Orlando's 8 victories, with 5 draws.

However, Orlando have now secured consecutive victories against Columbus for the first time since 2018, suggesting a potential power shift in this matchup. The Lions have demonstrated particular effectiveness at Lower.com Field recently, having avoided defeat in their last three visits with two wins and a draw.

The individual battle between Darlington Nagbe and César Araujo in midfield proved particularly fascinating, with Nagbe's composure on the ball contrasting with Araujo's disruptive defensive work (5 interceptions, 7 recoveries). Meanwhile, Diego Rossi's direct running caused problems for Robin Jansson throughout, though the Swedish defender made several crucial interventions to prevent further damage.

Perhaps most significantly, Oscar Pareja's tactical adjustments consistently outmaneuvered Wilfried Nancy's setup in critical moments. The introduction of Ramiro Enrique transformed the game, with Columbus unable to adapt to Orlando's quick transition play in the final twenty minutes. This tactical victory might provide a template for other teams facing Columbus in the remainder of the 2025 season.

Following this dramatic encounter, the Eastern Conference standings have tightened considerably. Columbus Crew (12-5-8, 44 points) remain in third position despite the defeat, though they've now squandered an opportunity to close the gap on second-placed Atlanta United (45 points) and conference leaders FC Cincinnati (47 points).

Orlando City SC (11-6-8, 41 points) have solidified their position in fourth place with this valuable road victory, now just three points behind Columbus with a game in hand. This result significantly enhances their prospects of securing home-field advantage in the playoffs, a critical factor in MLS postseason success.

The defeat represents a missed opportunity for Columbus to distance themselves from the chasing pack, with Philadelphia Union and New York City FC (both on 39 points) applying pressure from below. Orlando, meanwhile, have created a six-point buffer between themselves and seventh-placed Charlotte FC.

With the league now pausing for the Leagues Cup tournament, both teams will have time to reset before the final stretch of the regular season. Columbus remain well-positioned for playoff qualification but must address their defensive vulnerabilities if they harbor ambitions of challenging for the Supporters' Shield.