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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Minnesota United: Final Score 2-1 as Loons Stay Perfect vs. Lions

Stefano Pinho joins Lions’ injured list as Orlando remains winless on the season.

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6 years ago

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Carlos Romero, The Mane Land

Adrian Heath and Kevin Molino have won in Orlando before but not as the visitors. Now they have, as two Ethan Finlay goals were enough to offset a Yoshimar Yotun penalty kick and hand Minnesota United a 2-1 win in front of 24,038 at Orlando City Stadium.

Finlay’s second goal came on a quick counter in the 79th minute and secured all three points for the Loons (1-1-0, 3 points) on a night when the Lions (0-1-1, 1 point) lacked offensive bite — and lost even more with another striker injury.

“Obviously we’re very disappointed to lose a game at home,” Head Coach Jason Kreis said after the match. “To lose that one I think really hurts deep.”

Kreis made only two substitutions to last week’s lineup to start the match. With PC suspended, Richie Laryea started in the midfield and last week’s hero, Stéfano Pinho, started up top next to Justin Meram in place of rookie Chris Mueller. The only other change to the bench was the addition of Cristian Higuita.

As with last week, Orlando got off to a slow start in terms of finding a rhythm and stringing passes together. This led to some back and forth early play with the game’s first decent chance coming after an Orlando corner in the seventh minute was straight to Minnesota goalkeeper Matt Lampson. He started a counter that looked dangerous until the last pass was intercepted and the Lions broke back the other way. Meram finished the sequence with a shot that took a slight deflection and went just wide of the top left corner.

Spector got a free header on the ensuing corner but hit it well wide.

The Loons broke through in the 12th minute when former Lion Kevin Molino slipped a ball in behind the defense to Finlay, who beat Joe Bendik to the ball and put it in the top of the net.

The Lions lost yet another player to injury when Pinho got onto a cross but headed wide. Meram argued for a penalty as Pinho had been shoved while in midair by defender Francisco Calvo but no foul was given and Pinho could not continue, being stretchered straight to the locker room with an apparent leg injury. Mueller came on in the 28th to replace the Brazilian striker.

“He’s on crutches so it doesn’t look like a good sign at all,” Kreis said about Pinho. The Brazilian will undergo medical evaluation in the next couple of days.

Orlando City looked a bit shook after the Pinho injury and Minnesota nearly took advantage. Molino played a through ball behind Orlando’s defense that Bendik came off his line to grab in the 29th minute and, seconds later, Molino himself nearly broke in behind, but Bendik got to the ball just in time to prevent any further damage.

Laryea fired over the bar from the top of the box off a short corner in the 33rd minute, and Yotun sliced a moving ball wide a minute later as the Lions regrouped. Mueller crossed for Laryea in the 38th, but Richie’s header toward goal was blocked by the defense. However, that sequence led to Orlando tying the game.

Laryea won the race to a loose ball near the edge of the box and was bundled over from behind by Finlay. The Lions were initially awarded a free kick just outside the area but then Sorin Stoica got a call from VAR Edvin Jurisevic and took a second look. After video review, Stoica awarded a penalty. Yotun stepped up and sent Lampson the wrong way, hitting the upper left corner to make it 1-1 in the 42nd minute.

From there, the two teams saw out the remaining time and five minutes of stoppage before going into the break deadlocked at 1-1. The Lions had a 10-4 shots advantage (1-1 on target), 58% of the possession, and an 82% passing accuracy.

Molino went off injured early in the second half on a non-contact play after coming down awkwardly. It was a terrible way to end the night for the former Lion, who played well in his roughly 49 minutes.

“It doesn’t look good for Kevin at the minute. We’ll have a better idea on Monday,” Heath said after the game.

Meram nearly gave Orlando the lead at the 52-minute mark but his shot took a slight deflection and fizzed just left of goal. The ensuing corner kick by Will Johnson found Amro Tarek’s head, but Lampson made a fingertip save on the goal line to keep the game level.

Mueller was bundled over from behind in the box two minutes later while setting himself for a shot in a good area but Stoica saw nothing wrong with the challenge despite loud calls for a penalty by the Lions. Lindley fired wide from above the box in the 64th as Orlando continued to look for a go-ahead goal.

Minnesota started to get a bit more of the game after that. Johnson’s corner service cleared everyone and the Loons countered but Sam Nicholson’s cross was just a tad too far in front of Finlay. Just after the 70th minute, Jonathan Spector had back-to-back clearances on set pieces that prevented Minnesota from taking the lead, but it didn’t last long.

As the Lions pressed for a winner, the Loons countered again and this time it paid off. Scott Sutter allowed the attack to get in behind him and second-half sub Miguel Ibarra sent a perfect cross for Finlay to knock in for the eventual game winner.

“In transition on the counterattack I thought we could cause some trouble and that’s the way it proved,” Heath said.

“If we lose the ball in bad spots then the transition will be on to hurt us. So it’s a little bit about not losing the ball in those kind of spots, not taking too much risk when the ball’s in the midfield third, and the other part is, can we recognize those situations quicker to transition defensively quicker,” Kreis said.

This time there were no last-minute heroics. Meram fired a blast that Lampson fought off for a corner in the 90th minute. The ensuing set piece from Johnson came off Tarek in the middle and had Lampson beat, but Ibson cleared it off the line with some last-ditch defending to preserve the Minnesota lead.

After a couple of scary counters where it looked like the Loons might get a third, the final whistle blew on a disappointing 2-1 home loss. Orlando City finished with a 19-10 shots advantage but got only two on target to Minnesota’s three. The Lions couldn’t take advantage of 59% of the possession and an 82%-74% passing accuracy.

“We’ve got to continue to draw the positives out of the performance and I think we have to continue to learn about ourselves,” Kreis said. “And after a night like tonight I think we need to take a look at ourselves and figure out what it is we need to improve upon this year and just keep doing that. Because we’ve got a brand new group of players together. It’s going to take some time. And, all in all, I still think it was lots of positive performances out there but in the end we didn’t quite have the quality to score the goals.”

The Lions take to the road for the first time in 2018 when they visit New York City FC’s awful baseball diamond next Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over FC Cincinnati Saturday at home?

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8 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City looks to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 loss to Toronto FC Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Cincinnati has twice as many points as Orlando City and more than twice as many wins. FCC has only scored one more goal than Orlando City, but with only nine goals conceded compared to Orlando City’s 17, it’s easy to see why Cincinnati is sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference.

What I’m trying to say is that the task doesn’t get any easier this weekend. What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against FC Cincinnati?

Accost Acosta

Cincinnati’s attack revolves around Luciano Acosta. The attacking midfielder has four goals and five assists so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duncan McGuire — Orlando City’s leading scorer — also has four goals but only one assist. If we look at the Lions’ attacking midfielders, Facundo Torres has one goal and one assist, Ivan Angulo and Nico Lodeiro both have one goal and two assists, and Martin Ojeda has zero goals and only one assist. Luis Muriel is still at double zeroes.

The defensive midfield and the back line must do everything possible to mark him out of the match. It’s not enough to keep him from scoring, they must also keep him from setting up chances for his teammates. Most importantly, the defense must do that for 90 minutes plus stoppage time. There is no room for the mental lapses we’ve seen throughout the first part of this season.

Break Through

Cincinnati is stingy on defense. As I mentioned above, the club has only allowed nine goals this season. The back line is formidable with the likes of Matt Miazga, Miles Robinson, and Ian Murphy. On the wings are DeAndre Yedlin and Luca Orellano. This is a tough defense, and whether it is McGuire or Muriel who gets the start, they must find the spaces in between.

Just as importantly, Torres, Angulo, Ojeda, and Lodeiro — depending on who is in at any given moment — must be able to thread the passes in for McGuire, Muriel, or each other to create quality chances. On top of that, the Lions must convert on those chances, which is not something that has been a strength so far this season. If the Orlando City defense continues to give up cheap goals, then the offense will need to one-up the competition when it comes to scoring.

Deal with an Unknown

FC Cincinnati recently signed Venezuelan forward Kevin Kelsy from Ukrainian Premier League club Shakhtar Donetsk. Kelsy comes in as an MLS U22 Initiative player and is eligible to play against Orlando City. Even though Kelsy is only 19, he has 68 professional appearances, including UEFA Champions Leagues matches. At 6-foot-3, he can be a challenge for defenders, especially in the air.

Kelsy hasn’t had much time with the team, but he could be a second-half substitution for Cincinnati. Given that Orlando City just gave up two late headers against Toronto FC, the back line will need to be careful that Kelsy doesn’t hurt the Lions in the same manner — especially if he comes on late when legs and minds are tired.

That is what I will be looking for Saturday night. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/2/24

The Pride win big, OCSC celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month, USMNT news, and more.

Published

11 hours ago

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May 2, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

It’s Thursday, Mane Landers. Of course, the name Thursday comes from Thor’s day, and as such, it isn’t a big leap for us to consider it Thorhallsson’s day. Though I suppose that is a bit of a mouthful, so we’ll just keep things the way they are, but do hold Dagur Dan close to your heart today. Also, let us wish a happy birthday to the Orlando Pride’s Luana. Despite the devastating news that dropped about her health earlier this week, we hope that her spirits are high and we wish her nothing but happiness today. It’s also Dagur Dan Thorhallsson’s birthday today, so we’re celebrating him as well. Let’s get to the links.

The Pride Dominate the Courage

The Orlando Pride defeated the North Carolina Courage 4-1 in a midweek match at Inter&Co Stadium. The Pride did indeed dominate the Courage as much as the score line indicates. It was once again the Barbra Banda show, with the Pride’s newest player contributing a brace and an assist on the night. It is the Pride’s fourth straight victory and the undefeated run continues.

OCSC Celebrates Mental Health Awareness Month

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are doing their part this May to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. The club is sponsoring and attending events and forums available to the general public, as well as holding club staff workshops around promoting mental health. I have to say my favorite is the therapy dogs visits that will be available to the staff. There’s nothing as good for my personal mental health as the joy and unconditional love a dog can bring. If I didn’t have dogs of my own, I’d be really jealous.

The Billionaires Clubs

Orlando City and Orlando Pride owners, the Wilf family, are not the only billionaire owners in the NWSL. There are more and more owners and ownership groups that fall into that category. The influx of more money is a growth opportunity for the league and potentially for those owners. It’s a bit of a “rising tide lifts all boats” mentality for these owners as they do better when the league as a whole does better. It’s not just the owners who think so. The NWSL was ranked No. 5 on the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2024. I’m just glad the Pride are in the club.

USMNT News

I hate starting off a section with bad news, but Sergino Dest tore his ACL in training with PSV Eindhoven and will miss the Copa America. Dest will require surgery though there is no time frame yet for when he may return. The loss of Dest is a blow to the U.S. defense heading into the competition this coming June. The USMNT plays Bolivia on June 23.

In better news, Tim Weah provided the assist for Juventus on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal against Lazio. Juventus entered the second leg of the Copa Italia semifinal up 2-0, but Lazio drew level before Milik’s goal. Juventus advanced 3-2 on aggregate and will play in the final.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. There’s plenty more soccer to come this weekend with all three teams playing. Check back for more as we get you ready for those matches. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/1/24

Mason Stajduhar was arrested, Orlando Pride play at home tonight, Colin Guske discusses his signing, and more.

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1 day ago

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May 1, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday and welcome to May, Mane Landers. Don’t forget that the undefeated Orlando Pride are in action tonight, so check back for our match preview and the latest episode of SkoPurp Soccer: An Orlando Pride PawedCast for additional pre-match coverage. In the meantime, let’s get to the links.

Mason Stajduhar Arrested Early Sunday

Orlando City goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar and his wife Tatiana Stajduhar were both arrested on disorderly conduct charges following an incident at a nightclub overnight Saturday in the early hours of Sunday morning. The couple were reportedly disrespectful to the club’s staff and got into an altercation with the security guards. Mason stated he was only resisting the security guards to re-enter the club because the bouncers allegedly hit his wife. Tatiana allegedly pushed the police officers after they arrived, and she was not charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. The couple were released Monday after posting a bond. Orlando City provided the following statement to WESH 2 News:

“The Club is aware that goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar was arrested early Sunday morning. We are currently gathering more information and will have no further comment at this time.”

Orlando Pride Host the North Carolina Courage Tonight

After a 3-2 win on the road last Friday against the Washington Spirit, the Orlando Pride are back in the City Beautiful and will take on the North Carolina Courage tonight. Unbeaten in their six games so far this season, the Pride have also won their past three games and sit fourth in the standings. They’re tied on points with a Courage team that beat the Seattle Reign Saturday. Orlando has scored at least one goal in every match this season. Forward Barbra Banda had a great performance in that win against the Spirit, so hopefully the scoring trend continues tonight for the Pride.

Orlando City/Pride Earn Golden Brick Awards

Have you enjoyed the new food options at the stadium? I know I have, and I’m looking forward to trying even more. The efforts made by Orlando City’s front office to feature more local food and beverage options did not go unnoticed, as the club won the Hospitality & Dining category in the Downtown Orlando Partnership’s 2023 Golden Brick Awards. The Orlando Pride’s 2023 Highway Woman Kit also won the award in the Arts & Culture category. The home jersey was inspired by the work of Mary Ann Carroll, the sole woman in the famed Highwaymen artists from decades ago.

Colin Guske Speaks On Signing First Pro Contract

Orlando City Development Academy player Colin Guske signed his first professional contract with the club last month and spoke on the importance of this moment in his career. The 17-year-old is now on an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B, and he has started in nearly every game for the Young Lions this year. Both of Guske’s brothers have also played for Orlando City’s academy over the years, and he thanked his family for helping him reach this point.

“It’s awesome to represent the Guskes,” Colin said. “Thanks to my brothers for always pushing me through early mornings and late nights, always putting in the work, doing video sessions, everything. My sister as well, for always being there for me and my parents, too. They’re always helping me and what was the best for me.”

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy all of the sights and sounds from the Pride’s big win over the Spirit in the nation’s capital.
  • The Champions League semifinals are underway and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich played to a 2-2 draw in Germany. The second leg will take place on May 8 in Madrid.

That will do it for today. If you can make it out to the stadium tonight to catch the Pride in action, I strongly suggest you do so. Barbra Banda is about to take the NWSL by storm and you’ll want to see it in person. Vamos Orlando!

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