NEW YORK (Monday, September 18, 2023) – Orlando City SC forward Ramiro Enrique was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire for Matchday 32 of the 2023 MLS season.
Enrique produced his first career brace and added an assist in Orlando City’s 4-3 comeback victory over the Columbus Crew at Exploria Stadium on Saturday, September 16. The Argentine forward scored both the game-tying and game-winning goal for Orlando after the 85th minute of play. With the pair of scores, Enrique became the first player in club history to score both a game-tying and game-winning goal in the 85th minute or later of a match and just the second player to accomplish the feat this year, joining Atlanta United’s Thiago Almada (February 25). Enrique is the third player in Orlando history with at least two goals and one assist in a match, and he is the first to do so since Nani on September 14, 2019.
After a back and forth opening 70 minutes to the match, Orlando found themselves trailing 3-1 to the Crew. However, in the 73rd minute, Enrique brought down a long pass, found Martín Ojeda, who then played in a streaking Facundo Torres, and the dynamic Uruguayan easily slotted home his finish to cut the deficit to 3-2 (Watch Here). Enrique leveled the match in the 86th minute as he latched on to a bouncing ball in the box, took one touch, and fired a left-footed finish past the Crew goalkeeper (Watch Here). The Argentine scored the game-winning goal in the seventh minute of stoppage time as he passed home a one-timed finish to grab all three points for the home side (Watch Here).
Enrique becomes just the fourth Orlando City player to be named MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire, joining Nani, Kaká, and Cyle Larin. He is the first Lions player to earn the honor since Nani did so on Matchday 16 in 2021. Of the 32 Player of the Matchday honors in 2023, 14 of them have been won by players born in South America, including each of the last five.
Orlando will look to make it six wins in their last seven matches when they travel to face New York City FC at Citi Field on Matchday 33 on Wednesday, September 20 (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass).
The MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Continental Tire is selected each matchday of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while a Twitter fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio, and online media.
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