Connect with us

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. D.C. United, U.S. Open Cup: Final Score 1-1 with Lions Advancing on Penalties

The Lions are through to the quarterfinals!

Published

6 years ago

on

Nick Leyva, The Mane Land

After 120 minutes, Orlando City and D.C. United played to a 1-1 draw in U.S. Open Cup round of 16 action at the Maryland SoccerPlex. But the Lions advanced on penalties, winning the shootout 4-2 after Josué Colmán’s spot kick clinched it for Orlando.

Justin Meram canceled out Luciano Acosta’s early goal and both teams came within inches of finding a second, but neither could quite do it and so the lightning-delayed match went deep into the night before City came through in penalties.

Earl Edwards Jr. set the tone by saving Yamil Asad’s first attempt after Will Johnson had started the Lions with a penalty kick goal in the shootout. Edwards is no stranger to U.S. Open Cup shootouts, having outlasted the Charleston Battery deep into spot kicks back in 2015. That was the last time the Lions reached the quarterfinals, which they have done now for the third time in club history. Orlando will face the Philadelphia Union next.

Sacha Kljestan and Chris Mueller also hit their penalties for Orlando.

Bobby Murphy used his first ever lineup that wasn’t a 4-2-3-1 to start an MLS match, getting weird by playing a 3-4-3. Lamine Sané returned to the starting lineup for the first time in a few weeks, with Amro Tarek to his left and Jonathan Spector to his right. This was surprising, given that the team has a match Saturday against Montreal. Mohamed El-Munir and RJ Allen lined up as the wingbacks outside of midfielders Kljestan and Cristian Higuita, with a forward line of Meram, Stefano Pinho, and Mueller from left to right. Dom Dwyer did not dress, but right back Scott Sutter was in the 18 just days after returning to full training.

The game was just over five minutes old when the Maryland SoccerPlex’s obnoxious lightning alarm sounded, sending the game into a delay that lasted just over an hour and a half.

Once the game restarted, D.C. United came out flying and it didn’t take the hosts long to score. Darren Mattocks crossed in for Acosta in the 10th minute and no one tracked his run — Kljestan was busy pointing out the danger of Ian Harkes to his teammates while Acosta slipped by — allowing him to easily smash home the pass into the top of the net to make it 1-0.

United nearly doubled the lead a couple of times. In the 13th minute, Zoltan Stieber smashed a shot just wide of the post. Then, in the 14th minute, El-Munir misplayed the wet ball and allowed Stieber to get in behind but his shot was blocked on a fine save by Earl Edwards Jr.

The Lions struck back three minutes later. RJ Allen played the ball into the middle for Kljestan. Sacha laid a pass off for Meram, who blasted one toward net. It was right at Steve Clark, but the goalkeeper couldn’t handle the wet ball and it squirted in behind to tie the score at 1-1.

In the 19th minute, Kljestan played a superb through ball to Pinho, but the Brazilian hit his shot poorly and it went well wide of the target. A minute later, Mueller had a shot blocked by Steve Birnbaum at the top of the penalty area.

El-Munir stole a pass in the 23rd minute and was nearly off to the races, but he was brought down from behind by Oniel Fisher, who was booked for the foul. Nothing came of the set piece or an ensuing corner, however.

In the 28th minute, D.C. United won a corner and then the world went dark as the game stream died for everyone. It returned in the 43rd minute with the game still tied at 1-1. During the stoppage, Mattocks was played in behind the defense but the offside flag was up.

Late in the half, United was forced to make a change when Joseph Mora went down with an injury. Jalen Robinson came on and played right back, with Fisher moving to left back.

No further damage was done by either side and the teams went to the break all even. The Lions led in shots, 5-3 (1-2 on target, however), with D.C. owning 52% of the possession and an advantage in passing accuracy (84%-79%).

Neither team could find the net in a cagey second half, although both teams had excellent chances to do so. Kljestan sent a shot from above the area over the bar in the 61st on a powerful strike that he couldn’t keep down. Pinho nodded a header just inches wide in the 69th minute off a cross from Allen. Two minutes later, Allen had a go himself after cutting inside and again the attempt fizzed just wide of the post.

If Orlando was the more dangerous side from minutes 60 through 75, it was almost all D.C. United in the final 15 minutes of normal time. Acosta sent one shot just wide and hit the post with another attempt. He also forced a save in the 80th.

Asad was in on goal after a terrible giveaway by Sane in the 83rd, but Edwards made the save. Three minutes later, Fisher nearly got in on the back side but he was offside.

That was the last good opportunity of the second half and the teams went into extra time.

Orlando had several scoring opportunities in extra time but just couldn’t get it done. Mueller sent a high, arching header on frame but Clark scrambled back to catch it just two minutes into the extra period.

D.C.’s best opportunity in extra time came in the 98th minute off a corner kick, when Frederic Brillant’s header deflected off Meram and nearly squirted through Edwards’ legs, but he stopped it right on the line.

Substitute Colmán had a great opportunity in the 99th when he rounded Clark and shot from a tight angle, but he missed the net by inches. D.C. midfielder Chris Durkin was booked for the second time for a foul behind the play and United were down to 10 men for the remainder of the match. That allowed City to control the rest of extra time.

Colmán sent a curling effort on frame that forced Clark’s best save of the night, as he palmed it away at the last second to prevent the goal. It was the last action of the first half of extra time.

Orlando continued to be dangerous after the short break. Meram’s cross in the 107th minute found Johnson’s head, but the effort skipped off his noggin and out for a goal kick. In the 109th minute, Allen sent a dangerous cross whistling through the six but no teammates could get a touch on it. Then, in the 110th minute, there was a bizarre play in the box when a United defender went down under pressure from Allen. No whistle blew and Allen dug the ball out but it was deflected away and then Allen fell over Clark.

In the 112th minute, Meram got onto a header by Mueller but his shot was blocked by a defender, with Clark well out of the flight path of the ball. El-Munir was lucky not to be sent off for a foul in the closing moments, after which he kicked the ball at a D.C. player. He was booked but not shown a second yellow.

Colmán whistled a shot just over the bar in the 120th minute after a prolonged spell of possession by the Lions and that was the final chance for either side to find a winner before the game went to penalties.

Johnson sent Clark the wrong way on the first kick, and Edwards stretched to his left to keep Asad off the board on D.C.’s first shot.

Kljestan got cheeky and went down the middle, but scored, before Acosta hit the crossbar on United’s second-round effort. With a bit of a gap opening up, Mueller made it 3-0 before Harkes got D.C. on the board. Extra time sub Jose Villarreal saw his shot well saved by a diving Clark to keep United in it, and Patrick Mullins then beat Edwards.

Then Colmán stepped to the spot and calmly finished to send Orlando through, sending Clark the wrong way.

D.C. ended up with 54% of the possession, which is surprising since Orlando seemingly had it most of the extra period. The Lions out-shot United, 21-11, but D.C. got more on target (6-3). Orlando passed at a sloppy 77% to D.C.’s 84% for the game.

In the end, the only statistic that matters is that Orlando is through to the quarterfinals.

Orlando City will visit the Philadelphia Union on July 18 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, with the winner taking on either the Chicago Fire or Louisville City FC. The Lions are back in MLS action on Saturday night at home against the Montreal Impact at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. Toronto FC

Get the inside scoop on Toronto FC ahead of Saturday’s match.

Published

16 hours ago

on

April 26, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Another Orlando City matchday is almost upon us, and the Lions will try to extend a four-game unbeaten streak Saturday night and finish off an undefeated month of April. OCSC will do so back in the comfortable confines of home, as Toronto FC travels south for the first of two games between the teams this season.

A visit from Toronto means I caught up with Tomas Karageorgos of Waking the Red. As usual, he was very helpful in bringing us up to speed on TFC ahead of the upcoming match.

This is John Herdman’s first year in charge of Toronto. What sort of style does the team play under him?

Tomas Karageorgos: John Herdman plays a variation of a 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 formation that prefers to build plays out of the back. Herdman also relies on his center midfielders to win possession back and push the ball to either flank. German striker Prince Owusu’s constant pressure on opposing defenses has caused some turnovers in TFC’s favor. Owusu’s style of play has not only helped his teammates but himself as well — he has scored five goals in the club’s last six matches.

Run me through some of the additions and departures that took place during the off-season. Who are some new faces to keep an eye on?

TK: The four major additions that the club made was signing defensive midfielders Deiby Flores and Matty Longstaff; Canadian fullback Richie Laryea is back for a third time; and Irish center back Kevin Long. Flores has been described as a dog in the sense of not being afraid to get stuck into tough challenges. Longstaff was signed from Newcastle United and is beginning to play consistent minutes — he still has room to grow as he’s a young player. Long was signed from Birmingham City and has been a rock in the center of the back three. A strong aerial presence and calmness has helped to contribute to Toronto’s six clean sheets across all competitions this season. There’s not much to say about Laryea that hasn’t been said, he’s arguably the best defender in MLS when healthy. Another underrated signing was French defender Nicksoen Gomis from Sheffield United, he has had quiet-yet-consistent performances. Notable departures include Salvadoran goalkeeper Tomás Romero, Norwegian striker Adama Diomande, and club legend Michael Bradley, who retired at the conclusion of the 2023 season.

TFC has quite the list of injured players at the moment. Who has been filling in for the missing faces, and how have they looked?

TK: Lorenzo Insigne, Richie Laryea, and Shane O’Neill continue to miss action due to thigh injuries. Midfielder Brandon Servania is slated to return during the middle of the season as he is recovering from knee surgery. First overall draft pick Tyrese Spicer has filled in for Insigne and has two goals in his account for the club — he has a high work rate on both sides of the ball. Canadian youngster Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty is gaining more experience on the right side while Laryea is sidelined. Gomis and Sigurd Rosted have been taking turns covering O’Neill, and Alonso Coello is continuing to build on an impressive first season with the club in the absence of Servania.

Which players will be unavailable due to injuries, suspensions, etc.? What is your projected starting XI and score prediction?

TK: The names I noted above who are injured will be unavailable. Also, attacker Deandre Kerr is listed as questionable.

Predicted starting XI: Sean Johnson; Nickeson Gomis, Kevin Long, Sigurd Rosted; Tyrese Spicer, Alonso Coello, Deybi Flores, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty; Jonathan Osorio, Federico Bernardeschi, Prince Owusu.

Score prediction: 1-1. 

Thank you to Tomas for his insight into Toronto FC. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/26/24

Orlando City gets ready for Toronto FC, Thiago Silva linked with Orlando, Marta announces international retirement, and more.

Published

19 hours ago

on

April 26, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

I don’t know about you, but I sure am glad it’s Friday. It’s been a bit of a brutal week for me, but the weekend is nearly upon us, and I plan on spending it with my family for my dad’s birthday. I’m also hoping to find some time to read the new book that came out this week from my favorite author, Emily Henry. For now though, let’s enjoy these links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Prepares for Toronto FC

After a shaky start to the season, the Lions are unbeaten in their past four games and can make it five when they host Toronto FC Saturday night. Toronto has lost three of its past four games, but is coming off of a 1-0 win over the New England Revolution. In the time since Oscar Pareja took over as head coach, Orlando City has won six of its seven games against Toronto. It will be the first meeting between the two with John Herdman at the helm of Toronto, so we will see if the trend of recent Orlando dominance continues. It should be a great game and is another opportunity for the Lions to climb up the table.

Thiago Silva Linked With Orlando City

Brazilian defender Thiago Silva’s contract with Chelsea ends this summer and Orlando City was mentioned as one of many reported clubs interested in signing him. Beyond the surface-level facts that Silva is an incredibly talented defender and Orlando City is a popular landing spot for South Americans who want to play in MLS, the move would not make much sense. The club signed David Brekalo this off-season and Rodrigo Schlegel is a solid option off the bench as well. Even if Orlando does want Silva, there will be plenty of competition. Returning to Fluminense is the expected choice, but Silva could stay in Europe or make the move to Saudi Arabia.

Marta Will Retire From National Team After 2024

Orlando Pride star Marta announced that 2024 will be her last year playing for Brazil. You will need a translating tool for more of the details from her interview with CNN, but she spoke on how she’s at peace with her decision to stop playing at the international level once the year is over. She made her international debut in 2002 and has since played in five Olympics for Brazil. Marta may play in her sixth this summer, and there would be global attention to see one of the greatest players ever to lead Brazil one last time. Her contract with the Pride also ends after this season, but only time will tell if this is her final season in Orlando.

Orlando’s Academy Teams Get Results Against New England

With the Generations Adidas Cup behind them, Orlando City’s U-17 and U-15 teams earned some important points against the New England Revolution’s youth squads. The U-15 team dominated New England in a 4-1 result that included a hat trick from Jakob Garcia. The match between the U-17 sides was a closer affair, as they split the points in a 1-1 draw. Orlando’s teams will play again tomorrow, with a pair of home games against Nashville SC.

Free Kicks

That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

Continue Reading

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 days ago

on

April 25, 2024

By

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!

Continue Reading

Trending