Orlando City started its 2025 MLS campaign with a disappointing 4-2 loss to the Philadelphia Union. The game started well but got out of hand when the Lions fell behind by two and then three goals. The blame can be shared by some terrible defending, poor finishing, and fantastic goalkeeping by Andre Blake. The loss continues a run of poor results stemming from a winless preseason.

Let’s take a look at the individual performances in this troubling loss.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 5 — The Union didn’t have many chances in this game, but they scored plenty. They put four of their 10 shots on target and all beat Gallese, who didn’t make a single save. Much of the blame goes to the poor back line, but giving up four goals without a save is a bad night. In addition to his lack of shot-stopping, Gallese completed 70.8% of his 24 passes, including five of his 11 long balls.

D, Rafael Santos, 4.5 — Santos led the team with 108 touches on the night. He completed 82.4% of his 68 passes, including a key pass. However, he only completed two of his 10 crosses and four of his 11 long balls. He also took one off-target shot. Defensively, Santos recorded two tackles, an interception, two clearances, a blocked shot, and won two aerial duels. The left back’s most impactful moment came in the 47th minute when he let Daniel Gazdag get behind him and volley in the go-ahead goal.

D, David Brekalo, 5 — Brekalo’s 95 touches were second on the team behind Santos. He completed 91.6% of his team-high 83 passes, including four of his eight long balls. The center back took two shots but both were off target. Defensively, Brekalo had one tackle, two interceptions, four clearances, and won three aerial duels. Unfortunately, he was at fault for the equalizing goal in the 23rd when he failed to pick up the run by Tai Baribo, allowing the attacker to tap in a Kai Wagner pass. 

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 4.5 — Schlegel had 75 touches in this game while completing 91.9% of his 62 passes and two of his four long balls. Defensively, he had two tackles, four clearances, and a blocked shot. The whole defense was bad in this game, but Schlegel made the worst mistake. In the 51st minute, he misplayed a pass by Brekalo, allowing Mikael Uhre to get in on goal and make it 3-1.

D, Dagur Dan Thorhallason, 5.5 — Thorhallsson had 44 touches on the night and completed 86.7% of his 30 passes. He didn’t attempt any crosses and his lone long ball was incomplete. Defensively he had a clearance and a blocked shot before being replaced by Alex Freeman in the 56th minute. I bumped him at least a half point above the other defenders despite a rather forgettable game because he was the only one on the back line not directly responsible for a goal.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 5.5 — Araujo had 71 touches in the game and completed 93% of his 57 passes, including five of his six long balls. He also drew a team-high seven fouls. Defensively, Araujo had one tackle, two clearances, and a blocked shot. However, he was partially at fault for not getting back to cover Baribo on Philadelphia’s fourth goal.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 5.5 — Atuesta had 39 touches in his debut and completed 63.3% of his 30 passes. He had one key pass in the eighth minute, playing Martin Ojeda forward in what turned out to be the opening goal, earning himself a secondary assist. The defensive midfielder also completed two of his four long balls. He took one shot in the game, but it was off-target. Defensively, Atuesta added two tackles and a clearance. He was replaced by Joran Gerbet in the 71st minute.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 4.5 — Angulo had 38 touches in this game, completing 88.9% of his 18 passes with a key pass. He only attempted one cross and it was incomplete. The left-sided midfielder was credited with both of his shots on target, but that’s generous. In the 77th minute, a good ball into the box by Freeman found a wide-open Angulo who just had to tap it in. But he scuffed his attempt, sending the ball wide. His turnover in his own defensive third allowed the Union to equalize in the first half. Defensively, Angulo had three tackles, one interception, and one clearance before being replaced by Nico Rodriguez in the 80th minute.

MF, Martin Ojeda, 6 — Ojeda was one of the few bright spots for Orlando City in this game. He finished with 57 touches and completed 79.3% of his 29 passes with a team-high seven key passes, including one assist. It was his good turn and pass forward in the eighth minute that led to Marco Pasalic’s opening goal. He also completed five of his 13 crosses, both team highs. Two of four shots were on target. In the 60th minute, he forced Blake into a very good save and an excellent free kick nearly led to a goal in the 62nd minute, but Freeman hit the crossbar. Defensively, Ojeda recorded two tackles and an interception in what was a decent game by the number 10.

MF, Marco Pasalic, 6.5 (MotM) — Pasalic was without question the most dangerous attacker for Orlando City in this game. He made the most of his 40 touches, completing 84.2% of his 19 passes with two key passes and one of his three long balls. He put four of his seven shots on target, netting a brace, and he could’ve had a hat trick if not for excellent goalkeeping by Blake. He hit the post with an acrobatic attempt in the 79th minute and put in the rebound for his second goal of the night. He added two tackles defensively in a Man of the Match performance in his debut.

F, Ramiro Enrique, 5 — It was a pretty forgettable night for the striker, who only compiled 17 touches and didn’t take a shot. He completed 71.4% of his 14 passes and failed to complete his only cross. He had an interception defensively before being replaced by Luis Muriel in the 56th minute.

Substitutes

F, Luis Muriel (56’), 5.5 — Muriel was more effective than Enrique in a straight swap in the 56th minute. He also had 17 touches and completed 57.1% of his seven passes, including a key pass. One of his three shots was on target and he nearly scored twice. In the 69th minute, a strong header forced Blake into a diving one-handed save. He was wide open 10 minutes later right in front of the goal, but his shot was off the crossbar. On the defensive end, he had two clearances.

D, Alex Freeman (56’), 6 — Freeman replaced Thorhallsson in the 56th minute and was better than the starter. The teenager touched the ball 35 times and completed 86.4% of his 22 passes, including three key passes and his lone long ball. He nearly scored in the 62nd minute when he got his head to an Ojeda free kick, but he hit the crossbar. He was also active defensively, recording a tackle, an interception, and four clearances.

MF, Joran Gerbet (71’), 5.5 — Gerbet came on in the 71st minute for Atuesta and had 25 touches in his first professional game. He completed 89.5% of his 19 passes, including all three long balls. He also had a clearance defensively.

MF, Nico Rodriguez (80’), N/A — Rodriguez was the final substitution for the Lions, replacing Angulo in the 80th minute. He only had 10 touches and completed 88.9% of his nine passes. He didn’t take any shots nor record any defensive stats in his first 10 minutes as a Lion.

That’s how I saw the performances in Orlando City’s opening night loss to the Union. Let us know how you saw the game and don’t’ forget to vote on your Man of the Match below.

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. It’s been another busy week for me covering high school playoff basketball and hockey. It was a tough weekend for Orlando City losing its home opener on Saturday, but let’s hope our Lions bounce back against Toronto FC on Saturday. Let’s also wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, who turned 35 on Sunday. We’ve got plenty to cover today so let’s get to the links.

Lions Fall to Philadelphia Union in Season Opener

Orlando City fell 4-2 to the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium in its opening match to kick off the 2025 MLS season. The Lions took an early lead in the first half, with Marco Pasalic scoring his first goal in his MLS debut. However, the Union scored four consecutive goals to take a 4-1 lead. Pasalic added another goal late in the second half to make it 4-2, but the Union took home all three points. The loss ended Orlando’s four-match unbeaten streak against the Union. It’s also the first time the Lions have lost a match on opening day since joining Major League Soccer. Orlando’s next match will be on Saturday at home against Toronto FC.

Orlando City Signs Colin Guske and Gustavo Caraballo to Short-Term Deals

Orlando City announced before Saturday’s match against the Union that the club has signed midfielders Colin Guske and Gustavo Caraballo to short-term contracts. Both players were on the bench for Saturday’s match. Guske played with Orlando City B last season, scoring one goal, adding two assists, and starting in 24 out of 25 matches. Caraballo played two matches with OCB last season in MLS NEXT Pro. The 16-year-old midfielder won the 2023 U-15 Generation Adidas Cup Golden Boot, scoring four goals.

OCSC Reportedly in Talks to Sign Agustin Soria

Defensor Sporting midfielder Agustin Soria has been linked with a potential move to join Orlando City.

Defensor Sporting is reportedly awaiting a new offer from Orlando City after the initial offer was rejected. Reportedly, the two sides are in talks but have yet to agree on a transfer fee. Soria has played for Defensor Sporting since 2023 and has scored three goals and added six assists in 51 matches across all competitions. If a deal is reached between the two clubs, Soria could take up a third MLS U22 Initiative slot.

Lions Acquire General Allocation Money and Draft Pick in Trade

Orlando City announced Friday that the club has acquired $200,000 in General Allocation Money and a natural 2026 MLS SuperDraft first-round selection from the LA Galaxy. In exchange, the Lions sent the Galaxy a 2025 international roster slot.

USWNT Defeats Australia in SheBelieves Cup

Orlando Pride center back Emily Sams started and played the full 90 minutes, helping the U.S. Women’s National Team defeat Australia 2-1 on Sunday at State Farm Stadium to clinch a spot in the 2025 SheBelieves Cup final for the sixth consecutive time. It only took the USWNT 42 seconds for Lynn Biyendolo (nee Williams) to score the opening goal and record her 22nd international goal. Michelle Cooper came off the bench in the second half and scored to give the USWNT a 2-0 lead. Australia pulled one back late in the second half, but the USWNT held on for the win. On Wednesday, the USWNT will face Japan in the SheBelieves final at Snapdragon Stadium. Japan has the better goal differential of the two unbeaten teams after lopsided wins over Australia and Colombia.

MLS Opening Weekend Recap

The opening weekend of Major League Soccer is in the books. The Bruce Arena era in San Jose got off to a great start as the Earthquakes defeated Real Salt Lake 4-0. Diego Rossi scored twice for the Columbus Crew in a 4-2 win over the Chicago Fire. Emmanuel Latte Lath scored two goals as Atlanta United edged CF Montreal 3-2. FC Dallas earned a 2-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo as their head coach, Eric Quill, got his first win in MLS. LAFC, FC Cincinnati, and Austin FC all won their matches with a scoreline of 1-0 over Minnesota United, the New York Red Bulls, and Sporting Kansas City, respectively. Inter Miami escaped with a 2-2 draw against New York City FC, while D.C. United-Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders-Charlotte FC matches ended in 2-2 draws. St. Lous City and the Colorado Rapids ended scoreless, as did Nashville SC vs. the New England Revolution. On Sunday, the Vancouver Whitecaps cruised past the Portland Timbers 4-1, while San Diego FC defeated the defending MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy 2-0 on the road to seal the expansion side’s first ever win.

Free Kicks

• Forbes.com released its Most Valuable MLS Teams for 2025. Orlando City is ranked 26th on their list.
• On Saturday, New York City FC announced that it has sold midfielder Santiago Rodriguez to Botafogo. New York City FC will keep a sell-on percentage if Rodriguez is sold to another club in the future.
• Liverpool defeated Manchester City 2-0 on Sunday to extend its lead in the Premier League table to 11 points.  
• Tom Bogert shared on social media that former USMNT and MLS goalkeeper Tony Meola is recovering after suffering a heart attack on Thursday. We here at The Mane Land wish Tony a speedy recovery.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

Orlando City started its 11th Major League Soccer season by hosting the new-look Philadelphia Union in front of a sea of purple fans at Inter&Co Stadium Saturday night. After a quick start to the match, the Lions started the second half in a disastrous fashion, which ultimately proved too much to overcome and resulted in a 4-2 loss to the Union. What follows are my first takeaways from a season opener that I am already happy is in the rearview mirror.

Pasalic Shines in Debut

It was only one game, but new Designated Player Marco Pasalic did his best to alleviate any concerns that he would be able to take over for the departed Facundo Torres at right wing. Pasalic fired his first shot attempt in less than a minute on his debut, firing just wide with his weaker right foot. He then became the fastest Lion to score on his debut and the first Orlando City player to score in the first half of his debut since Daryl Dike when he blasted a shot past Andre Blake with his favorite left foot in the eighth minute. Pasalic led Orlando in shots (6) and shots on target (4) Saturday night, including his second goal of the night in the 79th minute, finishing his own rebound of a shot off the left post. It’s too soon to say definitively whether Pasalic can fully adapt to MLS after coming over from the Croatian league, but for the time being at least, he looks the part.

A Horrendous Second Half Start

Before much of the Orlando City faithful made their way back from the bathrooms and concession stands, the Lions found themselves down a goal and staring at a 2-1 deficit. Rafael Santos fell asleep only for a moment, but it was enough to start the avalanche. Daniel Gazdag blew past him and it took the Brazilian a second to see the danger. Quinn Sullivan delivered a brilliant back-post ball and the Lions were behind early in the second half. Things got worse three minutes later when a poorly delivered — and taken — back pass (more on that below) led to a third goal. The Union added a fourth before the bleeding stopped. The Lions had allowed the equalizer in the first half off an Ivan Angulo turnover in their own defensive third. The three second-half goals conceded were likewise more to do with awful mistakes than brilliant play by the Union. Orlando allowed only four shots on target and all of them went in.

Jansson’s Absence Tests Depth

Captain Robin Jansson was a late scratch after experiencing tightness during the pregame warmups. The back line’s depth was immediately called into action as David Brekalo was inserted into the starting lineup next to Rodrigo Schlegel and Homegrown center back Thomas Williams was added to the bench. Due to a knock, Brekalo saw sparse minutes in the preseason and was not part of Head Coach Oscar Pareja’s dress rehearsal lineup on Valentine’s Day against Inter Miami. When Brekalo plays in place of Jansson, Oscar Pareja moves Schlegel to the left center back position, which is not his normal side, as both center backs are right-footed. The chemistry was a bit off between the center backs, as shown on the third Union goal. Brekalo’s back pass was a little off line and Schlegel didn’t read it well, sticking out a foot to stop it, falling off balance, and taking a heavy touch that Mikael Uhre was able to reach first for an easy goal that essentially put the match away. Brekalo also tangled with an opponent and fell on the play that became the fourth Philadelphia goal.

Freeman Provides a Spark

Alex Freeman was inserted for Dagur Dan Thorhallson during the first round of second-half substitutions with the Lions facing a hefty deficit. He showcased a lot of potential with the Lions chasing the scoreboard. A few minutes after entering the game, he nearly found the back of the net with a strong header from a tight angle that caught the crossbar. In the 77th minute, he made a good play at the end line to get by the Union defense and pick out Angulo, who blew the opportunity with a poor shot that could have gotten Orlando back in the game earlier. Defensively, Freeman seemed to do well in space and had success on the right flank, however, as the Union were not in attack mode with a big lead on the road, one should take the Homegrown fullback’s defensive effort with a grain of salt. It was an encouraging performance by Freeman, and he looks like a capable substitute with some strong upside who will see more minutes in 2025. 

History Made (Mostly in the Wrong Ways)

Orlando City entered 2025 having never lost an opening day match. While most of the first 10 openers were draws (3-0-7), it was still an amazing accomplishment, as even the worst teams over the years had been able to get a result on opening day. All good things must come to an end, however, and that run is over. The Lions also conceded more goals than in any previous opener. On the bright side, no player for Orlando had ever scored more than one goal in an opener, so Pasalic set a new opening day standard in that category.

Those are our five takeaways from the opener. What moments stood out to you from the loss to the Union? Let us know in the comments below and as always, vamos Orlando!