Sports
Orlando City SC Advances to First-Ever Eastern Conference Final with Historic Victory Over Atlanta United FC
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – Orlando City SC made club history on Sunday, defeating Atlanta United FC 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium to advance to their first-ever Eastern Conference Final. The Lions will host the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, Nov. 30, with a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff, broadcast on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.
Source: Orlando City
Historic First for Orlando City
Orlando’s victory over Atlanta United was powered by Ramiro Enrique’s game-winning goal in the 39th minute. Enrique capitalized on a loose ball in the box, slotting it past Atlanta’s goalkeeper Brad Guzan. The goal was Enrique’s ninth of the season and his first in playoff action.
The Lions’ defensive line, led by goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, stood firm, limiting Atlanta to zero shots on target and earning the team their 15th clean sheet of the 2024 campaign. Defender Robin Jansson also celebrated a personal milestone, becoming the first player in club history to make 200 appearances across all competitions.
“This victory is not just about advancing, it’s about the resilience of this team,” said Head Coach Oscar Pareja. “We are competing the way we wanted after a challenging year. With this win, we take one more step forward. Our focus now is on preparing for New York and pushing for the MLS Cup.”
What’s Next: Eastern Conference Final
The Lions are now just one game away from reaching their first MLS Cup Final. Orlando City will welcome the New York Red Bulls to Inter&Co Stadium for the Eastern Conference Final on Saturday, Nov. 30. Tickets are on sale now, and fans are encouraged to secure their seats early to support the team in this historic matchup.
Game Highlights and Stats
Scoring Summary:
- 39’ Ramiro Enrique (ORL): Enrique scored off a corner kick from Martín Ojeda, seizing on a deflection in the box to net the game-winner.
Match Notes:
- Orlando City earned their 15th clean sheet of the season across all competitions.
- Robin Jansson made his 200th club appearance.
- The Lions recorded a slight edge in possession (50.6%) and dominated defensively.
Source: Orlando City
Key Stats:
- Possession: Orlando City (50.6%), Atlanta United (49.4%)
- Shots: Orlando City (14), Atlanta United (8)
- Corners: Orlando City (5), Atlanta United (4)
- Attendance: 25,046
Heineken Star of the Match:
Ramiro Enrique
Orlando City Starting XI:
- GK: Pedro Gallese
- DEF: Dagur Dan Thórhallsson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Robin Jansson, Rafael Santos
- MID: Iván Angulo, César Araújo, Wilder Cartagena, Facundo Torres
- FWD: Martín Ojeda, Ramiro Enrique
Davison scores 26 points, Branham adds 23 and Osceola records 23 steals to open its season with a victory at Silver Spurs Arena.
KISSIMMEE, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — The Osceola Magic opened their season with a record-setting defensive performance, collecting 23 steals and forcing 35 turnovers in a 97-89 victory over the Oklahoma City Blue on Sunday, Nov. 8, at Silver Spurs Arena.
JD Davison scored a game-high 26 points and Malaki Branham added 23 as Osceola established a franchise record for steals and matched its record for opponent turnovers. Osceola Magic
Defense drives the comeback
Oklahoma City led 31-22 after the first quarter and 44-43 at halftime. Osceola pulled even at 70 entering the fourth quarter, then outscored the Blue 27-19 over the final period.
The victory gave Osceola a 1-0 start and dropped Oklahoma City to 0-2. Zhaire Smith led the Blue with 19 points, while Christoph Tilly contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds. gleague.nba.com
Osceola’s defensive pressure helped offset Oklahoma City’s early advantage. The Blue finished just 5 of 29 from 3-point range, shooting 17.2%.
Six Magic players recorded multiple steals, led by Johnell Davis’ career-high six — one short of the franchise record. Davison collected four, Jarron Cumberland had three, and Ace Baldwin Jr., Branham and Mike Sharavjamts each added two.
Malaki Branham leans into his drive while keeping his dribble low as an Oklahoma City Blue defender guards him during the Osceola Magic’s season opener. Photo by Bernie Walls / Florida National News.
Davison and Branham lead the offense
Davison and Branham combined for 49 points, accounting for more than half of Osceola’s scoring.
Au’Diese Toney contributed 14 points in his return to Osceola, including a late 3-pointer that helped secure the victory.
Davis provided another boost off the bench with 11 points and a career-best-tying four assists, complementing his disruptive defensive performance.
Sharavjamts makes professional debut
Sharavjamts posted a team-best plus-12 rating in 24 minutes during his professional debut. Osceola outscored Oklahoma City by 12 points while he was on the floor. Osceola Magic
What’s next for the Osceola Magic?
Following a scheduled road matchup with the Memphis Hustle on Tuesday, Nov. 10, Osceola returns to Silver Spurs Arena to host the Mexico City Capitanes on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. Eastern. Member News
The Magic’s challenge will be to sustain the defensive pressure that helped them overcome an early nine-point deficit in the opener.
NEW YORK CITY, NY (FNN SPORTS) – LIV Golf plans to begin winding down operations Monday, Nov. 9, following five years and more than $5 billion in spending.
Attorney Matthew Williams outlined the league’s plans during a bankruptcy court hearing Thursday, Nov. 5, in New Jersey. The process includes selling its remaining assets.
“We believe the wind down path is the best path,” Williams told the court.
LIV Golf confirmed the decision after a proposed restructuring deal fell through. The league said it will continue considering alternatives during the shutdown process.
TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — On Monday November 2, at the Yuengling Center, the South Florida women’s basketball team opened with a successful debut undernew head coach Kristy Curry.
The Bulls established control early with a 9–0 opening run, taking a 27–12 lead after the first quarter. Furman narrowed the margin before halftime, but South Florida maintained a 46–32 advantage heading into the break.
A dominant third quarter proved decisive, as USF outscored Furman 23–9 to extend its lead to 69–41 entering the fourth.
Balanced Scoring Leads the Bulls
Stefanie Ingram led South Florida with 15 points, followed by Hannah Kohn with 13 and Kendall Puryear with 12 points and nine rebounds.
The Bulls placed six players in double figures, shot 51.6 percent from the field and controlled the boards with a 48–25 rebounding advantage.
A Winning Debut for Kristy Curry
The victory marked Curry’s first win leading South Florida after arriving from Alabama.
Ahead of the season opener, Curry expressed confidence in the program’s potential:
“I’m so excited to be here. I truly think the sky’s the limit at USF.”
— Kristy Curry, USF Head Coach, in pregame remarks published by USF Athletics.
South Florida (1–0) will face Belmont on Friday, November 6, in Nashville, Tennessee.
– Nisey Spruill is a reporter and photojournalist for Florida National News (FNN), covering major news, sports and special events across Florida and nationwide. Contact sports@FloridaNationalNews.com
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