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Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Final Score 2-2 as Lions Can’t Hold onto Late Lead

Kevin Molino and Cyle Larin bring Orlando back from a 1-0 deficit but a late goal off a corner spoiled what could have been a second straight victory for the Lions.

Published

9 years ago

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Nick Leyva, The Mane Land

Orlando City remained unbeaten at home, but it wasn’t the result the Lions wanted, drawing 2-2 with Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Union. The announced crowd of 24,109 at Camping World Stadium saw a rather dull first half turn into an eventful second period with all four goals coming after the break.

The Lions (3-3-6, 15 points) came from behind to take the lead on goals by Kevin Molino and Cyle Larin but could not hold their advantage, allowing an equalizer by the Union (5-3-4, 19 points). Ken Tribbett’s first MLS goal and a missed late chance for Molino sealed only a single point for the Lions, who must regroup for Sunday’s match at New York City.

They’ll have to play Sunday without center back David Mateos, who was sent off late (barring a successful appeal, should one be attempted), and midfielder Cristian Higuita, who picked up yet another yellow after foolishly throwing an arm out at Sebastien Le Toux as he ran past.

In the end, it was the conference leaders who spoiled the party for Orlando fans, scoring twice off set pieces. Orlando was not nearly as sharp on its set pieces, including a missed penalty by Kaká in the first half. Head Coach Adrian Heath, who made no changes in the starting lineup from Saturday except to replace injured defenders Rafael Ramos and Seb Hines with Kevin Alston and Tommy Redding, respectively, said he was “disappointed” with the result.

“When we got in the lead I thought we’d see it through,” Heath said after the match. “I thought we were dangerous (in the) second half. We had a lot of momentum going at the time. So it’s disappointing…It is what it is. We move on.”

The first 45 minutes were nothing MLS marketing executives will ever use to promote the game of soccer. Both teams came out lethargic, missing passes, turning the ball over, and taking heavy touches and weak shots.

The Lions had the first attempt at goal with Kaká sending a weak effort on frame in the opening minutes. Philadelphia got its first decent chance at the eight-minute mark, with Le Toux sending a cross for C.J. Sapong that Mateos headed behind for a corner.

The Union won a free kick about 30 yards out to Joe Bendik’s right in the 15th minute on a Mateos foul but the cross sailed straight to Orlando’s keeper. Orlando countered with a chance in the 27th off a quick free kick after Sapong fouled Servando Carrasco. Alston crossed for Kaká but the captain’s shot was off target.

The Brazilian was involved for both good and bad throughout the half. He got booked during a counter attack in the 32nd minute, grabbing the back of Le Toux’s neck on the break. Sorin Stoica whistled the play dead and showed a yellow to Kaká as Le Toux made the most of the contact. Four minutes later, Carlos Rivas danced past Fabinho on a two-on-one and fed the captain, who took a touch past Philadelphia keeper Andre Blake and was bundled over in the box for a penalty.

The spot kick, however, was far too close to the center of the goal and didn’t have nearly enough power on it, and Blake was easily able to keep the game level at 0-0.

Philadelphia mustered the last good chance of the half, with Le Toux squaring a ball back across the top of the box for Tranquillo Barnetta, whose shot took a partial deflection, narrowly missing finding Sapong on its way to Bendik’s waiting arms.

The last significant play of a dull opening 45 minutes came when Union defender Yaro came together with Larin. The first-round pick out of Georgetown tried to hold off Orlando’s No. 9 and injured his shoulder in the process. He went down, continued briefly, and then went down again before coming off for Tribbett. That ended up being a fortunate turn of events for the Union.

After a scoreless opening 45 minutes, the second half began with a pair of wide shots by Orlando City’s Adrian Winter and Kaká before things livened up.

Barnetta then opened the scoring in the 52nd minute off a set piece, after an unnecessary Rivas foul. The free kick was from far enough away to not be much of a problem but Chris Pontius headed to Barnetta, who volleyed home with Mateos caught ball watching.

Joe Bendik’s sprawling save on Sapong kept it at 1-0 on the counter attack off a turnover by Larin. But Philadelphia had a pretty good argument for a penalty in the 61st minute when Mateos clipped Warren Creavalle in the box but no foul was given.

Heath subbed Molino and Julio Baptista on for Winter and Rivas, respectively, in the 67th minute, and the substitutions paid immediate dividends. Molino scored on one of his first few touches of the match, knocking his fifth of the season into an empty net after Larin and Blake collided in midair going for a 50/50 ball. With bodies everywhere, the Trinidadian cleaned up the mess to even the score at 1-1 in the 68th minute.

Three minutes later, Kaká rounded Keegan Rosenberry in the left corner and squared a ball across the six-yard box that Larin chested home for his seventh goal of the year.

Orlando City led 2-1 but it didn’t last long. Four minutes after Larin’s tally, a cross to the back post by Philadelphia fell for Brek Shea, who took a heavy touch and conceded a corner. That proved costly. Bendik got a hand on the ensuing cross but the ball fell perfectly for Tribbett for an easy equalizer with just 15 minutes left in normal time.

“We conceded two really poor goals,” Heath said. “Defensively for both goals we were awful. If you give players time and room, especially quality players, it invariably ends up in the back of the net and that’s what we did.”

Molino worked hard to earn a corner just moments later and Baptista thumped a header just wide of goal in the 78th minute. Two minutes later, Philadelphia fashioned a chance against the tiring right side of the Orlando defense, with Fabian Herbers getting a shot on target that Bendik saved.

The Lions had a golden opportunity to regain the lead in the 86th minute, when Kaká sent Shea free in the left corner and the Orlando defender played a cross to the waiting Molino. The Trinidadian’s one-time shot sailed just over the bar in what would be the last great chance for either team.

Orlando will be shorthanded Sunday when the Lions visit Yankee Stadium for the second time this season, with Hines, Mateos (pending a potential appeal), Higuita, and Ramos likely all out.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 1/21/25

Orlando Pride release preseason camp roster, scouting Costa Rica, women’s soccer transfer grades, and more.

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17 hours ago

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January 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! If you had yesterday off for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, then I hope you enjoyed some restful time off. If not, then I hope you got your week started off on a good and productive note. There’s a lot going on around here this week as the United States Men’s National Team is in town, and Orlando City will play its first preseason match on Saturday. That means we have plenty to discuss, so let’s dig into today’s links.

Orlando Pride Drop Preseason Roster

Monday might have been a holiday but the Orlando Pride were busy, as they announced the roster for their upcoming preseason camp. Almost all of the usual suspects from the 2024 season are back, as the Pride return 98% of the player-minutes from last season and every single scorer. Mariana Larroquette is on the list although she’s currently on loan in Argentina, and Amanda Allen is likewise included after her loan at Lexington Sporting Club was terminated due to a torn labrum. The biggest intrigue comes from the trio of non-roster invitees: goalkeeper DeAira Jackson, midfielder Aryssa Mahrt, and forward Simone Jackson.

Scouting Costa Rica

The USMNT takes on Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium to wrap up the team’s annual January camp. Like the U.S., Costa Rica is bringing a roster devoid of the majority of its important players. Costa Rica also has a new manager at the helm in Miguel Herrera, who will take charge of the team for the very first time on Wednesday. Herrera typically lines his teams up in a 5-3-2 where the wingbacks take on a very important role and the team looks to hit on the counter while staying compact at the back. This will be the last time we see the USMNT in action until the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in early March.

Women’s Soccer January Transfer Grades

January has been a busy time for transfers in the women’s soccer world, so which teams have done the best business? Well, the Orlando Pride received an A grade for signing Marta to a new two-year deal, retaining a player who helped the team win its first ever trophies. Liverpool got an A for signing Julia Bartel on loan from Chelsea. Leicester City made an interesting call by transferring goalkeeper Lize Kop to Tottenham despite just being a point above the relegation zone. The Foxes get a C for the move, while Spurs get a B+ for adding a capable netminder.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans taking part in some very important games over the course of this week. Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, and Juventus face Club Brugge today in the UEFA Champions League, while Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, Esmir Bajraktarević, Malik Tillman and PSV Eindhoven take on Crvena Zvezda in the same competition. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan will play Girona in the UCL on Wednesday, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic take on Young Boys. On Friday, John Tolkin could make his Bundesliga debut when his new team, Holstein Kiel, travels to face Wolfsburg.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando Pride players reported for their preseason physicals on Monday.
  • Meanwhile, Orlando City took on the dreaded beep test during Monday’s training session.

That’s all I have for you today. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Striker Suddenly a Position of Need for Orlando City

Departures and a key injury mean Orlando City needs a striker heading into the 2025 MLS season.

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2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image Courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City reached the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 2024, a milestone for the club. The core of the team was locked up through the 2025 season, so there was no reason to believe it needed to add much this off-season. Unfortunately, injuries and departures have created a serious problem for the team.

The group of forwards last year consisted of Duncan McGuire, Ramiro Enrique, and Jack Lynn. McGuire scored 15 goals in 2023 and was expected to depart for Blackburn Rovers before a clerical error allowed the Lions to keep their target man. The team’s primary striker scored 11 goals in 37 games — the same number as the previous season — but split time starting with Enrique. The Argentinian improved greatly in 2024, increasing his total goal tally from four to 12. Even Lynn showed tremendous improvement last year, playing a greater role in the team and scoring his first two MLS goals.

The future also seemed bright for the Orlando City forwards because of their ages. Lynn is the oldest of the trio at just 25 years old. Meanwhile, McGuire and Enrique are only 23, so there was no reason to believe this group couldn’t produce this coming season.

The problem at striker began in the postseason when McGuire was pulled down by Charlotte FC midfielder Djibril Diani in the final first round game of the playoffs. McGuire suffered a shoulder injury during the challenge that required surgery on Dec. 13. It’s expected that the striker could take four to five months to return to action, possibly leaving him out until May or June.

Another blow to Orlando’s attack occurred Saturday when Lynn surprisingly announced his retirement from professional soccer. In just over a month, Orlando City went from having three strikers to having just one as preseason training starts.

With McGuire injured and Lynn gone, one option would be to have Designated Player Luis Muriel play up top. However, the Colombian prefers to play a more withdrawn position and proved to be effective in that role last year. Since Head Coach Oscar Pareja prefers to play a 4-2-3-1 formation, the Lions need someone up top to control the ball and involve the midfielders in the attack. That’s not Muriel’s game.

The result of these issues is that nobody is currently behind Enrique when the season begins. If the Argentinian gets tired, hurt, or simply needs rest, Pareja is limited in his options. 

Whether there was a lack of strikers or a lack of goals from the position previously, that problem was resolved by the club’s all-time leading goal scorer. Facundo Torres scored 20 goals in 2024, becoming the first player in Orlando City’s MLS history and the second player in club history to do so. He went on to set a new club record for total goals of 47.

However, Orlando City sold its best player to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Dec. 20. It was a gut punch to fans as Torres had signed a new contract on Jan. 10, 2024 that ran through the 2026 season. There had been talk for the last couple of years that the attacker would look for a move to Europe and rumors of a move to South America arose this off-season. Still, it created a huge gap the club has to fill.

There are players on the roster that can make up for the injury and departures. Martin Ojeda had a strong season in 2024, finishing with seven goals and 13 assists. His seven goals ranked fourth on the team and his 13 assists topped the squad alongside Nico Lodeiro. Muriel came on strong later in the season, finishing with five goals and eight assists. But those numbers are a long way from the 20 goals that Torres tallied last year.

Even if you consider all goal contributions, Ojeda and Muriel fall well short of Torres. Ojeda had a total of 20 goal contributions in 2024 while Muriel had 13. In addition to Torres’s 20 goals, he added nine assists for a team-leading 29 goal contributions.

All of this information leads to one undeniable fact — Orlando City needs to sign a striker prior to the season. And there’s not much time for Luiz Muzzi to act. The European transfer window closes on Feb. 3 and many MLS teams have already been filling similar needs. With the season starting in just over a month, the options will be limited if the Lions don’t do something soon.

After the best postseason finish in Orlando City’s MLS history, things were looking good heading into 2025. While the back line and most of the midfield is returning, McGuire’s injury and the departure of Torres and Lynn have left the Lions in a tough spot offensively. If they don’t do something in the next couple of weeks, it could be a long 2025.

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Lion Links: 1/20/25

Orlando City signs Nicolas Rodriguez, Jack Lynn announces retirement, USMNT defeats Venezuela in friendly, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Over the past week, I’ve been working and covering high school ice hockey. It will be a busy week in Orlando, with the United States Men’s National Team’s match against Costa Rica on Wednesday and Orlando City’s first preseason match against Atletico Mineiro on Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Signs Nicolas Rodriguez

Orlando City announced on Friday that the club has signed forward Nicolas Rodriguez from Fortaleza CEIF in Colombia’s top flight. The deal is through the 2027 season, with a club option for 2028, and Rodriguez will occupy a MLS U22 Initiative slot. Rodriguez made 19 appearances for Fortaleza, recording 1,607 minutes, five goals, and three assists during the 2024 Primera A Clausura season. The Lions add a young attacking player the club can develop and Rodriguez can play on the right wing, the right side of a three-man midfield, or in the No. 10 spot.

Jack Lynn Announces Retirement

Orlando City forward Jack Lynn announced his retirement from professional soccer on Saturday. Lynn was drafted by Orlando in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He became a regular starter for Orlando City B, scoring a team-record 38 goals in over three seasons with the MLS NEXT Pro side. Lynn also won the Golden Boot with 19 goals during the 2023 season and became the first OCB player to be named MLS NEXT Pro MVP. He played sparingly with the first team, but he scored twice last season as his role increased. The Lions will likely look to add another striker for more depth up top.

Orlando Pride Acquire Allocation Money in Trade

On Friday, the Orlando Pride announced that the club has acquired $50,000 in Allocation Money from the Washington Spirit. In exchange, the Pride sent the Spirit a 2025 international roster spot. The Pride will face the Spirit in the NWSL Challenge Cup final on March 7 at Inter&Co Stadium.

USMNT Defeats Venezuela in Friendly

The USMNT defeated Venezuela 3-1 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday in a friendly. Jack McGlynn and Patrick Agyemang scored in the first half to give the USMNT a 2-0 lead just before halftime. Matko Milijevic scored the third goal for the Americans in the second half, with Venezuela pulling one back thanks to a goal from Jorge Yriarte. Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has led the USMNT to winning four out of its first five matches since he took charge last September. The USMNT’s next match will be against Costa Rica on Wednesday at Inter&Co Stadium.

Alyssa Naeher Named U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year

On Saturday, goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year. Naeher won 40% of the vote, while defender Naomi Girma finished in second with 32%. In her final year with the USWNT, Naeher ended 2024 with 18 starts, playing 1,170 minutes and only conceding 11 goals. She played a crucial role with clutch saves to help the USWNT win the 2024 SheBelieves Cup, 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup, and gold at the Olympics in Paris. Naeher is the second goalkeeper to win the award since Hope Solo won it in 2009.

Free Kicks

  • Manchester City forward Erling Haaland has reached an agreement with the club on a record-breaking contract that extends his deal through 2034.

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

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