Columbus vs Orlando City: Overview

Columbus Crew and Orlando City SC delivered a fascinating contest in MLS action on a warm July evening at Lower.com Field, with the visitors staging a remarkable comeback to secure a 1-3 victory that stunned the home crowd.

The match began with Columbus asserting their usual home dominance, controlling possession and creating several promising chances in the first half. Diego Rossi looked particularly dangerous for the Crew, linking well with Darlington Nagbe and Dániel Gazdag in midfield. Orlando's defensive unit led by Robin Jansson and David Brekalo held firm under pressure, with goalkeeper Pedro Gallese making two crucial saves to keep the score level at halftime.

The breakthrough finally came in the 66th minute when Columbus was awarded a penalty after a clumsy challenge from César Araujo on Jacen Russell-Rowe. Rossi stepped up confidently and converted the spot-kick, sending Gallese the wrong way to give the hosts a deserved 1-0 lead.

What followed was a remarkable transformation in the game's momentum. Orlando coach Óscar Pareja made inspired substitutions, including bringing on Ramiro Enrique, who would prove to be the game's decisive figure. The visitors equalized in the 76th minute when Iván Angulo's precise cross found Enrique, who headed home powerfully past Patrick Schulte.

Just three minutes later, the same combination struck again. Angulo beat his marker on the left wing and delivered another pinpoint cross, with Enrique sliding in at the far post to put Orlando ahead 2-1, silencing the previously boisterous home support.

As Columbus pushed desperately for an equalizer, spaces opened up for Orlando to counter-attack. In the sixth minute of stoppage time, Martín Ojeda capped off the comeback with a clinical finish after a rapid break, securing a 3-1 victory for the visitors.

This result represented Columbus Crew's first home defeat of the 2025 MLS season, a significant blow to Wilfried Nancy's side who had previously established Lower.com Field as a fortress. For Orlando, the win catapulted them into serious playoff contention, improving their record to 11-6-8 and 41 points, while Columbus remained slightly ahead at 12-5-8 with 44 points.

"This is a difficult result to accept, especially after controlling much of the game," reflected Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy. "We need to be more clinical with our chances and maintain concentration for the full 90 minutes. The penalty gave us the advantage, but we didn't manage the game well after that point. Credit to Orlando for their efficiency."

"I'm incredibly proud of the mentality my players showed today," said a delighted Óscar Pareja, Orlando's head coach. "To come to one of the toughest venues in MLS and turn around a deficit speaks volumes about the character of this group. Ramiro's impact off the bench was exactly what we needed, and our defensive discipline throughout the match gave us the foundation for this victory."

"Sometimes football can be cruel," admitted Columbus midfielder Darlington Nagbe. "We played well for 75 minutes but couldn't finish the job. This is a reminder that in this league, you cannot relax for a single moment. We'll learn from this and come back stronger."

"The coach told me to be ready to make an impact, and I'm happy I could help the team," said Orlando's hero Ramiro Enrique. "Iván provided two perfect crosses, and I just had to be in the right place. This win means a lot to us – it shows we can compete against anyone in the league."

"Columbus has been one of the most consistent teams at home this season, so this result will raise eyebrows across the league," noted MLS analyst Taylor Twellman. "Orlando's tactical adjustment after going behind was masterful – they exploited the spaces behind Columbus's fullbacks perfectly. This could be a defining moment in their season."

Possession: Columbus Crew 58% - 42% Orlando City SC

Shots (On Target): Columbus Crew 14 (5) - 9 (4) Orlando City SC

Corners: Columbus Crew 7 - 3 Orlando City SC

Fouls: Columbus Crew 11 - 14 Orlando City SC

Yellow Cards: Columbus Crew 2 (Zawadzki, Cheberko) - 3 Orlando City SC (Araujo, Jansson, Schlegel)

Red Cards: Columbus Crew 0 - 0 Orlando City SC

Player Statistics:

Columbus Crew:

• Diego Rossi: 1 goal, 3 shots on target, 24 successful passes (82% accuracy)
• Darlington Nagbe: 67 touches, 52 successful passes (91% accuracy), 2 key passes
• Patrick Schulte: 1 save, 26 successful passes (87% accuracy)

Orlando City SC:

• Ramiro Enrique (substitute): 2 goals from 2 shots on target
• Iván Angulo: 2 assists, 3 successful dribbles, 21 successful passes (76% accuracy)
• Martín Ojeda: 1 goal, 2 assists, 4 key passes
• Pedro Gallese: 4 saves, 1 claim, 19 successful passes (73% accuracy)

Despite Columbus's advantage in possession and total shots, Orlando demonstrated remarkable efficiency, scoring 3 goals from just 4 shots on target. The visitors' clinical finishing proved decisive in this MLS encounter, with Orlando converting 33% of their total shots compared to Columbus's 7%.

15': Early opportunity for Columbus Crew as Diego Rossi's curling effort from the edge of the box forced a diving save from Pedro Gallese. The home side began establishing their rhythm, with Darlington Nagbe dictating play from midfield.

34': Best chance of the first half fell to Columbus's Jacen Russell-Rowe, who found space between Orlando's center-backs but headed Moreira's cross just wide of the post. Orlando's defensive organization continued to frustrate the hosts.

53': Tactical adjustment from Orlando City SC as coach Óscar Pareja instructed his team to press higher, with Luis Muriel leading the pressure on Columbus's defense. This briefly disrupted the home side's buildup play.

66' GOAL (1-0): Penalty to Columbus. César Araujo brought down Russell-Rowe in the box after a clever turn from the forward. Diego Rossi stepped up and confidently dispatched the spot-kick into the bottom right corner, giving Columbus a deserved lead.

71': Double substitution for Orlando, with Ramiro Enrique replacing Luis Muriel in a move that would prove decisive. Columbus coach Wilfried Nancy responded by bringing on defensive reinforcement, signaling an intent to protect their lead.

76' GOAL (1-1): Equalizer for Orlando! Against the run of play, Iván Angulo delivered a perfect cross from the left wing, finding Ramiro Enrique who rose highest to head past Patrick Schulte. A sucker punch for the home side.

79' GOAL (1-2): Orlando takes the lead! Remarkably, the same combination struck again. Angulo beat Moreira on the wing and sent in another dangerous cross, with Enrique sliding in at the far post to turn the ball home. Complete turnaround within three minutes.

84': Columbus threw caution to the wind, switching to a more aggressive 3-4-3 formation with an extra attacker. This created more pressure but also left them vulnerable on the counter.

90+6' GOAL (1-3): Orlando seals the victory! With Columbus committed forward, Orlando broke rapidly through Martín Ojeda, who calmly slotted past Schulte to secure all three points for the visitors and complete a remarkable comeback.

The rivalry between Columbus Crew and Orlando City SC has developed into one of the more intriguing matchups in the Eastern Conference of MLS in recent years, with contrasting playing styles creating tactically fascinating encounters.

Prior to this match, the historical head-to-head record slightly favored Columbus, who had won 9 of the previous 19 meetings compared to Orlando's 6 victories, with 4 draws. However, Orlando has now secured back-to-back wins against Columbus for the first time since 2018, suggesting a potential shift in the competitive balance between these teams.

At Lower.com Field specifically, Columbus had been dominant against Orlando, winning 5 of the previous 6 encounters before this match. This 3-1 victory represents Orlando's most convincing result at this venue and their first win here since the stadium opened in 2021.

The tactical battle between coaches Wilfried Nancy and Óscar Pareja has become a compelling subplot in recent matchups. Nancy's possession-based approach, emphasizing patient buildup and positional play, contrasts with Pareja's more direct, transition-focused strategy. In this encounter, Pareja's approach ultimately prevailed, with Orlando scoring all three goals through rapid attacking sequences.

Individual matchups played a crucial role in determining the outcome. Orlando's Iván Angulo consistently troubled Columbus right-back Steven Moreira, particularly in the second half when he delivered the two crosses that led to Enrique's goals. In midfield, the battle between Darlington Nagbe and Eduard Atuesta was evenly contested, with both players demonstrating their quality in possession.

Perhaps most significantly, Orlando's defensive unit of Robin Jansson and David Brekalo managed to largely neutralize Columbus's attacking threats after conceding the penalty. Their organization and communication improved as the match progressed, limiting the usually dangerous Rossi and Russell-Rowe to speculative efforts in the closing stages.

This result continues the trend of unpredictability in this fixture, with the away team now having won three of the last four meetings between these sides. As both teams look likely to feature in the Eastern Conference playoffs, this psychological edge could prove significant should they meet in the postseason.