Orlando City battles RBNY for MLS playoff glory and a spot in the championship final | OneFootball

This Saturday, November 30, a defining encounter is expected to take place at Inter&Co Stadium as Orlando City SC faces the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference Final of the 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. With a place in the grand final on the line, the teams promise an action-packed game filled with rivalry, sharp tactics, and trademark drama that accompanies playoff soccer.

There may not be many teams this season that can be a better embodiment of a "comeback" than Orlando City. Having flirted with the bottom of the standings early in the campaign, the Lions found their rhythm and ended as one of the league's most consistent forces. For a club that has spent years fighting for respect in MLS, making it to the Eastern Conference Final is already a victory in itself.

But they're not stopping at that. Head coach Oscar Pareja isn't satisfied with "almost." In his mind, this is an opportunity to write the club's name in history. Under his guidance, Orlando has become a team that knows how to suffer and adapt. Be it possession football or battling in defense, they somehow find a way to survive.

If there's one name that epitomizes the heart of this team, it's Pedro Gallese. The Peruvian goalkeeper has been a fortress, stepping up in critical moments to keep the team alive. Against the Red Bulls, he'll once again be the final line of a defense that has learned to lock down when it matters most.

The boldness of nothing to lose

If Orlando is persistence, the New York Red Bulls are resilience itself. To have qualified for the conference final at the end of a crazy mixed-up season just goes to prove that taking this team lightly will cost one dearly. They might lack the flair most other teams boast in technique, but they cover that with almost a feral determination.

Their "us against the world" mentality is impossible to ignore. Players like Daniel Edelman embody this mindset-a midfielder unafraid of the big moments, always there to remind everyone that no one believed in this team. That fighting spirit will certainly be required against an Orlando team that seems to be peaking at the right moment.

The Red Bulls have a potent weapon of their own in Dante Vanzeir, who has been directly involved in three goals across his last two outings and spearheaded the team in their semifinal victory against NYCFC. He now leads his teammates, who carry the hopes of a club that is in quest of a glory renaissance from 2008, the year of its first and only MLS Cup appearance.

Rivalry at its peak

Orlando and the Red Bulls have a relatively even history, but neither of those means much in a high stakes playoff game. In their 22 all-time matchups, the Red Bulls barely lead. This, however, is the first ever playoff matchup between the two teams. In a game of minute details, strategy by the coaches of either team may prove to be what wins it.

Pareja will most likely lean on his team's defensive solidity and players like Facundo Torres to spark opportunities in attack. On the other hand, Red Bulls coach Sandro Schwarz is expected to lean on speed and counterattacks. The style of New York may not be to the liking of purists, but recent results tell their own story.