Orlando City Dominates DC United in 4-1 Victory, History Made with Designated Players' Goals

By Alonso Contreras

Orlando City triumphed 4-1 over DC United on the fifth matchday of Major League Soccer, securing their second home win of the season. The match marked the debut of Venezuelan goalkeeper Javier Otero, who stepped in after Pedro Gallese was called up by the Peruvian National Team. Otero's debut was a solid one, especially in the early stages, as he made a key save in the 3rd minute, denying a shot from DC United’s right flank without allowing a rebound.

DC United’s strategy revolved around long balls aimed at their star forward, Christian Benteke, who controlled the ball with ease. Meanwhile, Orlando City focused on using their wingers, particularly looking for opportunities for Luis Muriel, who had two chances within the first 10 minutes but was unable to find the back of the net. In the 14th minute, Ivan Angulo made a strong run down the left, curling a shot just wide of the far post. Orlando City had the clearer chances in the opening quarter, creating a sense of dominance early on.

In the 21st minute, a perfectly executed combination play down the right wing culminated in a precise cross from Freeman to Muriel, who finished expertly to put Orlando 1-0 up.

The first half saw more drama as Orlando recovered the ball outside the DC box in the 45th minute. Martin Ojeda unleashed a powerful shot that Kim, DC’s goalkeeper, could only parry. Freeman was there to head the rebound home, giving Orlando a commanding 2-0 lead just before halftime.

The second half was a showcase of Orlando’s attacking prowess, and in the 59th minute, the club’s three designated players linked up in style. Luis Muriel found Martin Ojeda, who then laid it off to Marco Pasalic, and the Croatian sealed the victory with a stunning strike into the top corner for Orlando’s fourth goal.

DC United pulled one back in the 74th minute when Benteke managed to score a consolation goal, but Orlando maintained their dominance, eventually closing out the match 4-1. It was a historic performance for Orlando City, as this marked the first time in club history that all three designated players—Muriel, Ojeda, and Pasalic—scored in the same match.

An unusual moment in the match occurred during Ivan Angulo’s substitution, when a delay in his exit from the pitch led to referee Tori Penso enforcing a one-minute period where Orlando was temporarily reduced to 10 players, as per the regulations for delayed substitutions.

After the match, Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja expressed satisfaction with the result but emphasized the need for improvement in defensive balance. Despite the strong offensive performance, Pareja recognized areas where the team could still grow as they look to build on this convincing win.

Next Match: Orlando City will next travel west to take on the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park on Saturday, March 29. That match will kick off at 10:30 p.m. ET on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. 

Teams	1	2	F
Orlando City SC	2	2	4
D.C. United	0	1	1

Scoring Summary:  ORL – Luis Muriel (Alex Freeman, Iván Angulo) 21’ ORL – Martín Ojeda (Iván Angulo) 44’ ORL – Alex Freeman (Martín Ojeda) 50’ ORL – Marco Pašalić (Martín Ojeda, Luis Muriel) 56’ DC – Lukas MacNaughton (Christian Benteke, Rida Zouhir) 90+1’ 

Misconduct Summary: ORL – Javier Otero (Yellow Card) 67’ ORL – Ivan Angulo (Yellow Card) 72’