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Orlando City vs. Atlanta United FC: Final Score 2-1 as Lions’ Win Streak is Snapped at Six

Lions fall behind again and this time the rally falls short.

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6 years ago

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Carlos Romero, The Mane Land

Orlando City fell behind again but this time the Lions couldn’t climb the mountain. A soft, first-half penalty against Cristian Higuita allowed Josef Martinez to give Atlanta United an early lead and the visitors doubled through Ezequiel Barco in the first half en route to a 2-1 win in front of 24,232 rain-soaked fans at Orlando City Stadium.

On the plus side, Orlando (6-3-1, 19 points) looked like it belonged on the pitch with Supporters’ Shield-leading Atlanta (8-2-1, 25 points) and Justin Meram opened his account with his first goal in purple.

And, sadly, the Lions lost at least 90 seconds worth of time to find an equalizer due to a shower of debris from fans frustrated by the inconsistency of referee Alan Kelly, who had a poor game but was absolutely right in not whistling a late foul when Will Johnson went down in the final third, out wide of the penalty box. Kelly allowed no extra time for the delay and didn’t even wait for the cleanup before ordering Atlanta goalkeeper Alec Kann to restart play, blowing the whistle seconds later.

The club’s six-match winning streak came to an end, as well as the team’s string of six multi-goal games — both Orlando City MLS bests.

“Obviously an emotional, emotional affair tonight — passionate affair from the crowd to the staff, to the players. I think everybody put everything they had into this game,” Head Coach Jason Kreis said after the match. “It’s unfortunate, because the way we played the second half I think on a lot of different nights we walk out of here with a draw. But some things went against us, for sure. Some decisions went against us, and some of our thoughts in the first half surely went against us.”

Kreis went with the same lineup from the win last weekend over Real Salt Lake except Chris Schuler was replaced by Amro Tarek. Schuler was in the 18 and Donny Toia was left off the team sheet.

The game was only nine minutes old when an officiating decision gave the visitors a leg up. Greg Garza went down after contact with Higuita and Kelly deemed it a foul in the penalty area. Higuita did get his hands up on Garza, who went down far too easily. Martinez stepped up and took a cheeky spot kick that put Atlanta up, 1-0.

“I saw Cristian, and he did raise his hands,” Kreis said. “And I don’t know whether there was physical contact or not — let’s hope that there was some contact — but the player went down extremely softly and for me that kind of penalty kick should never be called in a game like this.”

Orlando responded with a long-range attempt by Yoshimar Yotún that went wide, a Mohamed El-Munir effort that was deflected by the defense to Kann, and won a couple of corners. The second of those saw the Lions shouting for handball, and it did look like Atlanta’s attempted clearance came off a defender’s hand during an attempted clearance. No call was given and it was not reviewed.

Atlanta then started making Orlando pay for a few sloppy moments. Jeff Larentowicz sent a training ground set piece wide in the 23rd minute. Eight minutes later, Atlanta doubled its lead after a midfield giveaway. Miguel Almiron sent a ball through to ignite a counter that Higuita failed to deal with and Barco sent it wide to Garza. The Atlanta fullback sent it back to the top of the box, and Barco finished the play off by knocking one in off the crossbar to make it 2-0 at the 31-minute mark.

The Lions got forward a few more times in the late stages of the first half. Dom Dwyer earned a free kick just outside the penalty area, but Kljestan sent the set piece off the wall and out for a corner. The best Orlando City chance came in the 44th minute off a nice buildup that saw Chris Mueller cross for Higuita, who headed the ball right at Kann at point-blank range.

The teams each had five shots, with Orlando getting two on frame to Atlanta’s three. The Lions held 51% of the possession and both teams completed 82% of their passes in what was an evenly played first 45 minutes, but Atlanta’s lightning-fast counter made the visitors the more dangerous side.

If Atlanta was more dangerous in the first half, it was Orlando’s turn after the break. Uri Rosell replaced Higuita to start the second half and it seemed to help calm things down for the Lions.

Dwyer earned a corner in the first minute of the second half, blasting a shot that deflected out. In the 52nd minute, Meram fired toward the near post, forcing a good diving save from Kann to keep it out. But five minutes later, Meram got his goal.

A long shot by Johnson knuckled in on frame and Kann could only fight it off with his fists. Meram beat Miles Robinson to the rebound, stepped around the Atlanta defender, and slotted it past Kann to pull the Lions back into the game in the 57th minute.

“It felt good to silence the haters,” Meram said of the goal. “Obviously I want to score and help the team but I want to win and that’s the main focus on this group. Maybe I should have scored two tonight and helped out. I think I had another chance as well.”

After Orlando’s goal, Atlanta had a brief spell where it tried to put the game away. Martinez nearly did so with a header that he sent wide in the 60th minute.

The Lions regrouped, with Josué Colmán coming on for Mueller in the 66th minute. Two minutes later, Orlando nearly found an equalizer. Dwyer fizzed a cross in for Meram but the defense did just enough to keep Orlando’s goal scorer from making good contact.

Colmán brought something extra to Orlando’s attack, getting down the right wing to send crosses into the box, playing quick passes with Rosell and Kljestan in the middle of the pitch, and earning a few corner kicks.

Meram was feeling his oats with a sneaky half-cross/half-shot that fooled Kann but missed the target in the 72nd minute. But the left wing was getting tired, and his turnover two minutes later allowed Almiron a good scoring chance. Atlanta’s No. 10 shot wide, however. Noted Lion killer Hector Villalba — a second-half sub for Barco — forced a good save from Bendik moments later.

Lamine Sané nearly got onto a corner kick cross in the 81st minute, arriving at the ball at the same time Kann did. Seconds later, Dom scorched a cross through the area that was just a smidge behind substitute Stefano Pinho, who had come on for Meram.

The emotions of the match began to boil over while Darlington Nagbe was down on the pitch and both Villalba and Yotún were booked. Yoshi will miss the Lions’ next match for yellow card accumulation. The emotions weren’t restricted to team vs. team, either. Kljestan and El-Munir barked at each other shortly thereafter and came together momentarily.

Perhaps the most egregious missed call of the evening took place in the 90th minute when Pinho was completely wrapped up and pulled down at the edge of the penalty area. It would have only been a free kick, but it was a definite foul and Kelly opted not to call anything.

Dwyer got his head on a corner in stoppage time but couldn’t get any power behind it and Kann collected it easily. That turned out to be the last opportunity for the Lions, who continued to throw bodies forward, but when Johnson went down to the right of the box and no call was made, the bottles and cups rained down onto the pitch and Kelly opted to call the match complete.

“We can’t be that. We can’t do that,” Kreis said. “We certainly want to be a very, very difficult place to play but we need to show the right amount of restraint at that moment to not be throwing things on the field. We just can’t do that.”

The Lions ended up with 55% of the possession and an 11-8 shots advantage (6-4 on target). Both teams passed well, with Orlando City completing 83% and Atlanta 80%. The fouls were pretty even, with Orlando called for 12 and Atlanta 10, but the disparity in what was called was evident, as Higuita’s obstruction of Garza affected the game just 10 minutes in and several such instances on the other end — not even in the area — went uncalled.

The club released a statement after the match regarding the fan behavior in stoppage time, stating: “Orlando City SC does not support or condone the actions taken by fans at Orlando City Stadium during Sunday’s match against Atlanta United. Fans are strictly prohibited from throwing debris or objects onto the field. The club is using available resources to identify offenders, who will be penalized for their behavior in accordance with Major League Soccer and Orlando City Stadium regulations.

Orlando City SC takes great pride in the passion of its supporters and how they make Orlando City Stadium the most difficult venue to play at in MLS, but the safety of fans, players, officials and staff members is our top priority.”

The Lions will try to bounce back Friday when they visit BMO Field to take on Toronto FC at 8 p.m.

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Three Keys to Victory

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

Published

2 hours ago

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April 25, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After a successful, four-point road trip, Orlando City returns from Montreal to the friendly confines of Inter&Co Stadium to face one of the other Canadian clubs, Toronto FC. The Lions are hoping to add to a four-match unbeaten streak. A win offers the opportunity to take another step up the standings.

What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against Toronto FC?

No Early Mistakes

In the last three matches, Orlando City has conceded the first goal of the match. Worse than that, each of those goals happened within the first 21 minutes. Yes, coming from behind for two draws and one win is good, but not giving up those early goals may have meant three wins instead.

Last season, Orlando City’s defense was good. We didn’t see nearly so many mental mistakes by the defense, especially so early in the match. What is frustrating is that these mistakes were seemingly preventable. The back line, the defensive midfielders, and Pedro Gallese need to tighten up in the early going so that the Lions are not chasing the match so early on.

Take Advantage of Tired Legs

Toronto FC played a match against Simcoe County Rovers in the Canadian Championship tournament on Wednesday. I’m in no way saying that Toronto trotted out their first choice lineup for the match, but even if only some of the players got a run out, that could create some tired legs for the match against Orlando. Add in the travel from Canada to Florida on short rest and it could be good news for the Lions.

If the Lions can possess the ball and make Toronto FC chase them, or if Orlando can get the first goal (see above) so that Toronto is chasing the match as well, it might pay dividends in the second half. Orlando City is good enough in the passing game to do so, though it will be interesting to see whether Martin Ojeda rejoins the starting lineup or if Nico Lodeiro gets the nod again.

One Down, Two to Go

Facundo Torres was the first of Orlando City’s three Designated Players to score a goal in the regular season. While it didn’t come in the run of play, it might still spark him to add some more since he usually starts slow and then catches fire at about this point in the season. Of course, both Luis Muriel and Ojeda contributed to the scoring against Montreal. Muriel drew the penalty that Torres took, and Ojeda provided the assist to Ivan Angulo.

Now it is time for either Muriel or Ojeda — or both — to join Torres on the scoreboard. Standing in their way will be a good keeper in Sean Johnson. So far this season, he has allowed seven goals and has 22 saves, with three clean sheets. Muriel seems to be getting closer to scoring with each shot taken, and Ojeda has missed some close ones. If all three of Orlando City’s Designated Players can start scoring regularly, this team will become dangerous quickly.

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: 4/25/24

Duncan McGuire is an Olympic frontrunner, Orlando Pride get ready for the Washington Spirit, Colin Guske signs with Orlando City B, and more.

Published

5 hours ago

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April 25, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope this work week hasn’t been too stressful for you as we get ready for another weekend packed with Orlando soccer. All of the European soccer this week has been enjoyable as well, as teams fight for silverware and survival. It should be a fun next few days, although most of my match following will be digital. I’m hoping to get out to the stadium for a game or two over the next couple of months as well. But for now, let’s dive into today’s links!

Duncan McGuire Likely to Play in Olympics

Orlando City forward Duncan McGuire was listed as one of the frontrunners to join the U.S. for this year’s Olympics. It won’t be much of a shock if McGuire is in Paris this summer, as he’s been impressive in the time since being drafted sixth overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by the Lions. The 23-year-old has followed up a strong rookie year with three goals and an assist so far this season. It will be interesting to see who McGuire could compete with for minutes in the Olympics, with Ricardo Pepi noted as another possible option up top for the U.S. Overall, it’s nice to see McGuire is doing what’s needed to stay in the contention for Paris. I think that staying in Orlando rather than going to England has definitely helped his case.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are riding a five-game unbeaten streak and will take it to the nation’s capital for a difficult road match against the Washington Spirit Friday night. The Pride have won their past two games and will face a Spirit side that has won four of its five games this season. Both teams have been defensively sound, each conceding just four goals, so it may come down to moments of individual brilliance to make the difference. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about the difficulty of the matchup, Orlando’s grit this season, and the impact Barbra Banda had in her debut last weekend.

Orlando City B Signs Colin Guske

Midfielder Colin Guske, who joined Orlando City’s academy back in 2020, signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B through this 2024 season. The 17-year-old made his OCB debut in the team’s season opener this year and scored the game-winning goal. He’s carved out a spot in OCB’s midfield this season, starting in four of the team’s five games. Guske has two brothers who have also gone through the club’s academy and played with OCB. A solid year with the Young Lions from Guske could result in a Homegrown Player contract for the senior team.

Columbus Crew SC Wins First Leg Against Monterrey

The Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals are here and the Columbus Crew are the only MLS team still in the tournament. They came up with a big 2-1 home win in the first leg of their matchup against Monterrey. Cucho Hernandez gave the Crew the lead in the first half and 21-year-old Jacen Russell-Rowe scored the winner in the second. An away goal by Monterrey could prove crucial though due to the tiebreakers, and the second leg will take place on May 1. The winner of this matchup will take on either Club America or Pachuca in the final on June 2.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Dom Dwyer is reportedly headed out west to sign with Oakland Roots SC in the USL Championship.
  • Toronto FC traded away $200,000 in 2025 General Allocation Money (GAM) to Atlanta United in exchange for winger Derrick Etienne Jr. The 27-year-old has not received much playing time this season, and Atlanta could earn another $175,000 in GAM if performance-based metrics are met.
  • The San Jose Earthquakes have reportedly signed Hernan Lopez from Godoy Cruz. It would give a-needed boost to the team, which has just three points from nine games this season.
  • St. Louis City winger Celio Pompeu won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his great strike from outside the box in his team’s 3-3 draw with Sporting Kansas City.

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/24/24

Orlando City and Orlando Pride power rankings, USMNT player news, USWNT will host Costa Rica, and more.

Published

1 day ago

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April 24, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s that time of the week for some tasty links. Two seven-point weekends for Orlando’s soccer teams is nothing to sneeze at, unlike the pollen that coats my hometown of Tallahassee. It’s the time of the year that I make my money back with the unlimited car wash next to my work. Enough with my weather-related car issues, let’s get to the links.

Lions Move Up (and Down) in Power Rankings

There’s nothing that shows the value of “power rankings” better than when you can compare two different ranking lists for the same week for any given club. We all know Orlando City is undefeated in its last four matches thanks to the late heroics of Ivan Angulo to draw CF Montreal over the weekend. But, did you know that was both good and bad?

In ESPN‘s MLS power rankings, Orlando City dropped a spot from 16th to 17th despite “treading water” with a point on the road in Montreal. Meanwhile, the Lions roared ahead three spots from 21st to 18th in MLSsoccer.com’s power rankings. So, do you like that Orlando is 17th in the ESPN piece despite the drop? Or do you prefer the positivity of a three-spot jump to 18th in the MLSSoccer.com rankings?

Orlando Pride Rise in Power Rankings

Forget everything I wrote up there regarding power rankings — at least as far as the Orlando Pride are concerned. After starting the season with three draws, the Pride now have two wins in a row. As such, ESPN moved the Pride up three spots from eighth to fifth in its NWSL power rankings. Their move up the list is entirely deserved and the writer was correct in their assessment. Of course, I’m kidding but it’s still nice to see the Pride get recognized for their results. Now, we just need the Pride to continue the winning streak.

Keeping Up With USMNT Players Abroad

As we shared yesterday, Sergino Dest will likely miss this summer’s Copa America thanks to a knee injury suffered during PSV Eindhoven training. That means the USMNT has a right back situation to address and there are quite a few well known candidates to step in for Dest.

Meanwhile, Weston McKennie has reportedly rejected Juventus’ latest extension offer. I can understand his decision given it doesn’t include any additional salary. McKennie has been very good for Juve, with 10 assists on the season. He’s not the only American making a difference, as Tim Weah provided the assist on Arkadiusz Milik’s goal to send Juventus to the Coppa Italia final.

USWNT Olympic Send-Off Match

The United States Women’s National Team will play a match against Costa Rica at Audi Field on July 16. It will be the final match for the USWNT prior to the Olympics that start nine days later against Zambia. New coach Emma Hayes will join the team on June 1, which isn’t a ton of time before the Olympics start, but she has been a part of the process for months.

Free Kicks

  • The New England Revolution have acquired veteran defender Xavier Arreaga from the Seattle Sounders for a 2025 international roster slot, and up to $75,000 in General Allocation Money depending on performance.
  • Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba will be out for several weeks due to a hamstring injury. Fortunately, he is expected to be back in time for the match against Orlando City on May 15. Where did I put the sarcasm font?

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Pride’s match against the Washington Spirit this Friday, and Orlando City’s match against Toronto FC on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

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