Orlando City SC will host Columbus Crew at Inter.co Stadium in its first home match in four weeks, with the club entering the final stretch of the 2026 Major League Soccer season. Orlando City SC is seeking a response after losing three consecutive matches in all competitions before the international break. The club is seventh in the Eastern Conference heading into the homestretch.
The match could become a record-setting night for Martin Ojeda. His next goal, which would be his 48th in all competitions for Orlando City SC, would make him the club’s all-time leading scorer and move him past Facundo Torres’ 47 career goals. Torres has held the record since 2024.
Martin Ojeda Nears Orlando City SC Record
Ojeda has scored in each of Orlando City SC’s past three matches and has 14 goals and three assists in all competitions in 2026. He is already the club’s all-time leader in total goal contributions. Ojeda also is three assists away from matching Mauricio Pereyra’s club record of 47 assists.
Ojeda is three goals away from becoming the first Orlando City SC player to reach 50 goals for the club. His next goal against Columbus Crew would immediately establish him as the club’s highest-scoring player. That milestone gives Orlando City SC another major storyline as it returns home.
Iván Angulo and Daryl Dike Have Milestones in Reach
Iván Angulo enters the match with goals in four consecutive MLS regular-season matches. Another goal would make him the second Orlando City SC player to score in five consecutive MLS regular-season matches for the club, following Antoine Griezmann. Angulo has five goals and 11 assists in all competitions this season.
Angulo is one assist behind Justin Ellis for Orlando City SC’s team lead. Marco Pašalić and Angulo are each two goals away from reaching 20 for the club across all competitions. Daryl Dike’s next goal would be his 22nd for Orlando City SC and would tie former teammate Chris Mueller for ninth on the club’s all-time scoring list.
Orlando City SC Players Return From International Duty
Justin Ellis scored in each of his first two starts for the United States men’s national team. He scored four minutes into his international debut against Peru on Sept. 26 in Orlando and scored again against Canada. Alex Freeman assisted Ellis’ goal against Canada, which was the difference in a 1-0 United States victory.
Marco Pašalić scored the game-winning goal for Croatia against Czechia in the UEFA Nations League and played 90 minutes against Spain. David Brekalo started all three of Slovenia’s Nations League victories over Scotland twice and Switzerland. Slovenia conceded one goal across Brekalo’s 299 minutes during the international window.
Wilder Cartagena returned to the Peru national team for the first time since November 2024. He started all four of Peru’s friendlies during the international break. Those international appearances add to the group of Orlando City SC players returning to club action for the home match.
Columbus Crew Brings Open Cup History and Recent Momentum
Columbus Crew defeated Orlando City SC 2-1 in last month’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal. Columbus Crew is scheduled to host St. Louis City at Scotts-MiracleGro Field in the final on Oct. 21. Orlando City SC has not defeated Columbus Crew at Inter.co Stadium since 2023.
Orlando City SC owns an 11-10-6 all-time record against Columbus Crew, with a 0 goal difference. The home series record is 8-4-3 with a plus-three goal difference, while the MLS-only series stands at 10-8-6 with a plus-one goal difference. Orlando City SC is 7-3-3 against Columbus Crew at home in MLS, with a plus-three goal difference.
Columbus Crew won each of its two regular-season matches after the semifinal and was within four points of an MLS Cup Playoffs berth with seven games remaining. Brais Méndez has six goals and four assists in all competitions for Columbus Crew, while Santiago Rodriguez has two goals and one assist in six games. Josef Martínez’s goal in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal was his 11th career goal against Orlando City SC, the most by any individual player against the club.
FSB Take
Orlando City SC returns to Inter.co Stadium with a chance to halt its three-match losing streak and strengthen its position in the Eastern Conference. Ojeda’s pursuit of the club scoring record is the headline milestone, while Angulo and Dike also have significant marks within reach. The international contributions from Ellis, Freeman, Pašalić, Brekalo and Cartagena add further context to the club’s return from the break.
Columbus Crew already has a 2-1 U.S. Open Cup semifinal victory over Orlando City SC and has not lost to Orlando City SC at Inter.co Stadium since 2023. The home team enters the match with a favorable all-time series record, but Columbus Crew’s recent regular-season results and its upcoming Open Cup final place added importance on the opponent. The match will test whether Orlando City SC can turn its home return into a response during the final stretch of the season.
Source: Original report