Mueller scores again as Orlando dumps Atlanta

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:13 am

Chris Mueller scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season on a free kick just moments before halftime, and Orlando City SC defeated Atlanta United FC  4-1 on Wednesday night to inch closer to securing a home game in the first round of the MLS playoffs.

Rookie Daryl Dike added his sixth goal of the season, then set up teammate Tesho Akindele for his third in just Akindele's sixth start of the season.

Matheus Aias added a late insurance tally on a free-kick deflection for fourth-place Orlando (9-3-8, 35 points), which remained two points above fifth-place New York City FC in the Eastern Conference with a game in hand.

Orlando has already clinched its first postseason berth. It will host a first-round playoff match if it finishes fourth or higher.

City also completed the four-game season series against Atlanta with two wins and two draws, after going winless in their first nine matches in all competitions against United.

Erick "Cubo" Torres scored his first goal late for Atlanta (5-12-4, 19 points), which lost its third in a row and is winless in its last six (0-4-2).

United remains at risk of missing the postseason for the first time in its four-year history after beginning the night in 12th, two points beneath the 10th and final playoff spot in the East.

Dike gave Orlando the lead in the 29th minute when he took down Ruan's early cross, spun his defender and fired a low half-volley past goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

Mueller doubled Orlando's lead in the second minute of first-half stoppage time after earning a free kick roughly 30 yards from the goal. Former Portugal and Manchester United star Nani, Orlando's normal free-kick taker, stepped away from it, and Mueller curled a brilliant right-footed strike over Atlanta's defensive wall, beyond Guzan's dive and inside the left post.

City put the game out of reach 15 minutes into the second half when Dike set up Akindele.

Torres answered with a header of a corner kick in the 87th minute, before Aias completed the scoring in second-half stoppage time.