Orlando City 0–0 New York Red Bulls

By Alonso Contreras

In a tense and physically intense encounter, Orlando City and the New York Red Bulls played out a goalless but eventful 0–0 draw, a match defined by a second-half red card to Rodrigo Schlegel and a flurry of missed chances from both sides.

First Half – Orlando on the Front Foot

Orlando started the match aggressively, carving out the first big chance in just the 2nd minute. Luis Muriel found himself free in the box, but his right-footed shot (xG 35%) was well saved by Carlos Coronel.

The Lions kept pushing forward, with Marco Pašalić, Martín Ojeda, and Iván Angulo all testing the New York backline. Pašalić was particularly lively, seeing multiple efforts blocked or sail just wide. At the other end, New York offered little, as Felipe Carballo and Emil Forsberg both fired from distance but failed to trouble Pedro Gallese.

In the 43rd minute, Orlando came close to the breakthrough. A well-delivered corner found Robin Jansson, whose header was acrobatically saved by Coronel to keep the scoreline level.

Second Half – Schlegel Sent Off, Game Turns

The game's turning point arrived in the 56th minute. Already on a yellow, Rodrigo Schlegel was shown a second booking after a foul on Choupo-Moting, reducing Orlando to 10 men and forcing Oscar Pareja to adjust tactically.

Despite being a man down, Orlando remained dangerous. Pašalić again came close with two efforts in the box, but neither found the back of the net. Gallese, meanwhile, stood tall to deny Wikelman Carmona and Choupo-Moting as New York pressed for a late winner.

Orlando Defends, Red Bulls Waste Chances Late

In the final ten minutes plus stoppage time, New York mounted sustained pressure. Omar Valencia, Forsberg, and Choupo-Moting all had chances inside the box — with Valencia’s 90'+6 effort blocked heroically by Jansson, and Forsberg missing twice in stoppage time.

Despite playing the final 34 minutes a man down, Orlando’s defense — led by Alex Freeman and Robin Jansson — held firm. The hosts absorbed wave after wave of Red Bulls attacks, with Gallese making a crucial save late from Carmona.

Key Stats:

• Red Card: Rodrigo Schlegel (56’)

• Total Shots: Orlando 17 | New York 19

• Saves: Gallese 4 | Coronel 6

• Possession: Orlando 46% | New York 54%

Manager’s Dilemma?

Oscar Pareja’s substitutions — particularly the withdrawal of Marco Pašalić and Luis Muriel — raised eyebrows. Pašalić had been one of the more dynamic players, while Muriel’s hold-up ability could’ve relieved pressure after the red card. Their replacements lacked the same composure, and the shift in tempo was felt almost immediately.

Final Verdict:

A hard-earned point for 10-man Orlando, who showed grit and unity to see out a clean sheet. For the Red Bulls, it’s a case of missed opportunities. They’ll rue their late finishing and failure to capitalize on the numerical advantage.

Next up: Orlando will need to regroup and address their attacking transitions, while the Red Bulls look for a sharper edge in the final third.