ORLANDO — Orlando City SC knocked off MLS-leading Nashville SC 1-0 at the newly renamed Inter.co Stadium, starting three teenagers in an MLS match for the first time in club history while handing the league’s best team just its second loss of the season.
The Lions (6-9-2, 20 points) were shorthanded — missing defender Nolan Miller (knee), midfielders Joran Gerbet (knee) and Martín Ojeda (thigh) to injury, midfielder Eduard Atuesta to a yellow card accumulation suspension, and defender Clovis Archange and midfielder Colin Guske to international duty with Canada U-20 and U.S. U-20, respectively. Interim head coach Martín Perelman responded by inserting 18-year-old Orlando City Academy product Bernardo Rhein into his first career MLS start alongside teenagers Justin Ellis and Luís Otávio.
“Very happy for everyone here at the club. I think this was a really good victory against a very difficult opponent. Highlight the effort off our players and highlight the support of our people, today they brought an amazing energy to the stadium, they filled the stadium. It was a really good night. We really enjoyed it,” Perelman said.
The breakthrough came in the 72nd minute. Adrián Marín picked out Ellis between Nashville’s lines, and after dribbling through multiple defenders, Ellis slipped a pass to Tyrese Spicer, who tucked a low left-footed finish into the net. The goal was Spicer’s third MLS goal of the season — second-most on the team — and his fourth across all competitions in 2026, coming on his 60th career MLS appearance and 20th for Orlando City. Ellis’ assist was his fifth in MLS play this season and his third over the Lions’ last two matches after he recorded two assists in a 4-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes earlier in the week. Marín’s secondary assist was his fourth of the MLS regular season and fifth all-time across all competitions.
2026 MLS All-Star goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau anchored the defense with three saves, recording the 29th MLS clean sheet of his career. The shutout gave Orlando City its second consecutive clean sheet since the break for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and its third across all competitions this season.
Nashville entered the match atop the standings at 12-2-3 with 39 points, making the result a signature win for a Lions squad that has struggled through a 6-9-2 campaign. Perelman made two changes to his starting lineup from the San Jose match, and the youth-heavy XI delivered against the league’s top side.
Orlando City heads to New Jersey to face Red Bull New York on Saturday, Aug. 1, at Sports Illustrated Stadium with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Apple TV.