Antoine Griezmann delivers as Orlando City earns 2-2 draw at Chicago Fire FC, moves toward Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Orlando City’s path toward Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs qualification took another step forward on Wednesday night as Antoine Griezmann scored and set up another goal in a 2-2 draw at Chicago Fire FC. The result extended Orlando’s unbeaten streak to five matches and left the Lions positioned close to the playoff line with two matches left to play.

Griezmann’s impact came midway through the first half, when he received the ball outside the 18-yard box and curled a shot around a defender and an outstretched Chicago goalkeeper, Chris Brady, to put Orlando in front. The play marked the moment highlighted as the match’s defining score in the 35th minute, according to the league report.

Orlando later added another scoring sequence in which Griezmann also provided an assist, reinforcing the two-sided effect of his performance during the contest. With a goal and an assist against Chicago, the league site credited Griezmann with strengthening his overall production since joining Orlando over the summer from Atlético Madrid.

The MLS report describes Griezmann’s recent scoring form as particularly sharp, noting that his goal against Chicago was his sixth of a five-game scoring streak. It also frames his early Orlando run as among the fastest in MLS history for accumulating 20 goal contributions, an achievement attributed to his numbers since joining the club.

The league report further says Griezmann became the fourth player in MLS history to record a goal or an assist in at least 12 consecutive regular-season matches, adding that he owns the longest such streak by any player in the league this season. Those streak markers underscore that Orlando’s results in recent weeks have been closely tied to his ability to create or finish chances consistently.

Beyond individual milestones, the league report emphasizes the immediate team consequence of Griezmann finding the net. It states that after Wednesday’s draw, Orlando’s record across all competitions in matches where Griezmann has scored improved to 8W-0L-4D, positioning the Lions as a side that avoids defeat when he contributes directly to the scoreboard.

With Orlando earning a point on the road, the Lions now turn to two late-season fixtures described by the league as decisive opportunities to secure a playoff berth. First, Orlando will travel to face Eastern Conference rivals Charlotte FC on Saturday at 1 pm ET, with the match scheduled to stream on Apple TV.

Orlando’s final regular-season challenge, per the league schedule provided, is a Decision Day matchup against the second-place New England Revolution at 4 pm ET on Saturday as well, again listed on Apple TV. The combination of those two games—one against Charlotte and one versus a top Eastern contender—sets the stage for how close Orlando can move to officially clinching Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs qualification.

Wednesday’s draw keeps Orlando’s momentum moving into that closing stretch, with Griezmann’s sixth goal over a five-game scoring run serving as the center of the Lions’ late-season push, according to MLS’s own match recap. The outcome in Chicago means the Lions enter the weekend on a continuing unbeaten path, with both upcoming opponents representing test games in the Eastern Conference race.