SPORTS | FC NAPLES MAKES HISTORY AGAINST ORLANDO CITY ON AN UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT FOR SWFL
FC Naples falls 1-0 to Orlando City on a historic night for Southwest Florida. Latinos239 interviews Chris Garcia exclusively after the match.
Andres Paz
Naples, Florida — What was experienced last night at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex is now part of the sports history of southwestern Florida.
With a record attendance of 4,782 fans, FC Naples played one of the most memorable matches the region has seen, facing Orlando City SC, a Major League Soccer team, in the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Although the final score favored Orlando City by a narrow margin, 1-0, the feeling inside and outside the stadium was clear: FC Naples played toe to toe, and at times outperformed a team two divisions higher.
The only official goal of the match came in the 18th minute from Tyrese Spicer. However, FC Naples responded with character, controlling long stretches of the game, dominating possession, and creating constant dangerous opportunities.
The home team finished the night with 20 shots, 8 on target, and 8 corner kicks, numbers that reflect the intensity with which they competed against one of the most recognized clubs in American soccer.
One of the most controversial moments of the night occurred in the second half, when from FC Naples' perspective, a seemingly legitimate goal was not awarded by the officials, a decision that ultimately influenced the final result.
Despite this, the Neapolitan team never stopped pressing and kept the crowd on their feet until the last minute.
LATINOS239 INTERVIEWS CHRIS GARCIA
After the match, Latinos239 had the opportunity to speak with Chris Garcia, one of the team’s key figures, about what it meant to be part of a historic night for soccer in Southwest Florida.
We asked him:
How did it feel to be part of the best soccer match in SWFL history?
Chris Garcia responded:
“First of all, thank you very much. Very grateful. Honestly, we just showed everyone, not only our fans and our city, but also the leagues in the United States, that we play better than a team two divisions above us.
Although they scored that goal, unfortunately it cost us a lot. For us, it was a goal. But we stayed focused because we felt we won the entire game.
We had more possession, better control of the game, more creativity, and played better than them.
It’s not about money or players, it’s about the heart we have and playing as a family, and that’s what we teach.
Even though we lost by one goal, it doesn’t matter… we played better than them.”
We also asked him about the opportunities created and the performance of the opposing goalkeeper.
“Yes, the goalkeeper had a great game. We will keep working.
This shows the quality of this team and the heart of this group.
We didn’t win this game, but we are focused on winning a championship. That’s our goal.
This was another game we knew we had to play, and honestly, the difference wasn’t that big.
We remain focused on showing our league that we were the best team competing in this US Open Cup.”
A NIGHT THAT RAISES SOCCER IN NAPLES
Beyond the result, last night proved that FC Naples belongs to the national conversation.
In just its second professional season, the club hosted a Major League Soccer team for the first time, not only competing but also leaving a mark on the community and on the state’s soccer scene.
For many fans, it was undoubtedly the best soccer match in the history of Southwest Florida.
The journey in the Open Cup ends here, but the message was clear: FC Naples is ready to fight for everything in the 2026 season.
Photos: FC Naples
