Croatian international Marco Pašalić scored a beautiful goal for Orlando City but had to leave the pitch early due to a knee injury. His team lost 2-1 to Club León and was eliminated from the Leagues Cup. On the same day, Ivan Perišić registered an assist for PSV.
Croatian international Marco Pašalić once again delighted his fans, but this time with a bitter taste. In the second match of the Leagues Cup group stage, played on Saturday, August 8, 2026, he scored a fantastic goal for Orlando City in a 2-1 loss to Mexico's Club León. However, the match ended early for him due to a painful knee injury.
Orlando took the lead in the 38th minute after a brilliant move orchestrated by Pašalić and legendary Antoine Griezmann. The duo played a one-two, after which the Frenchman laid the ball off to Tyrese Spicer on the left flank. Spicer delivered a first-time cross back to the edge of the box, and Pašalić fired a powerful, precise left-footed shot into the far corner. The goal was so beautiful that even Griezmann was visibly impressed.
It was Pašalić's first goal in the Leagues Cup and his third in 13 appearances for Orlando City in 2026. His performance in the 53 minutes he played was impressive: in addition to the goal, he had one shot on target, completed two of three dribbles, created one big chance and two key passes, and won four of six duels.
The joy of taking the lead was short-lived. Club León turned the game around in the second half. First, Juan Guevara equalized in the 50th minute, and then Daniel Arcila scored in the 74th minute to make it 2-1. However, the biggest blow for the Croatian player came even before that turnaround.
Pašalić had to leave the game before the 60th minute due to a knee problem. The injury occurred in stoppage time of the first half after a rough challenge from an opposing player. What further enraged the Vatreni (Croatian national team player) was the fact that the referee didn't even call a foul.
"I took a hit to the knee and it swelled up immediately. I spoke with the doctors at halftime. I tried to continue, but I felt the knee wasn't stable and that I couldn't help the team," Pašalić explained to tportal.
After the match, he didn't hide his frustration with the referee's decision. "I don't want to get a fine, and I want to speak about the referee with respect. But for me, it's unacceptable that he didn't even call a foul on a challenge that prevented me from continuing to play," he added.
With this loss, Orlando City remains on three points from two matches in the Leagues Cup group stage, a competition featuring 36 clubs from MLS and the Mexican league. The top four teams from each league will advance to the quarterfinals, and Orlando will host Atlético de San Luis in the final round on Wednesday, August 12. Their chances of advancing are slim, as four American teams already have the maximum six points.
On the same day, on the other side of the world, another Croatian international made his mark on the scoresheet, this time with an assist. Vatreni vice-captain Ivan Perišić assisted for PSV in a 2-2 draw against Fortuna Sittard on the opening day of the new Dutch league season. The Croatian Football Federation also shared the news on Twitter, along with a photo by Drago Sopta.
