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Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Final Score 2-1 as the Lions End the Streak

James O’Connor’s homecoming leads to a win, his first, and a happy house.

Published

6 years ago

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Deon Cooper, The Mane Land

Head Coach James O’Connor’s homecoming could not have ended any better, maybe with the exception of a shutout. Chris Schuler scored his first goal as a Lion and Dom Dwyer doubled the lead as Orlando City (7-11-1, 22 points) snapped a nine-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over Toronto FC (4-11-4, 16 points) — just the club’s second win against the Reds.

“Obviously delighted that we were able to win. It’s really important that we got a win,” O’Connor said after the match. “First and foremost I’m really pleased for the players, the supporters and for the ownership group to be able to get that win. There were some lovely passages of play, but there’s lots of things that I think we can be sharper on, we want to be sharper on. But it’s going to take a little bit of time. ”

Staring down a schedule of five games in 15 days, including Wednesday’s USOC match against the Philadelphia Union, O’Connor came out with a few surprises in the Starting XI.

Earl Edwards Jr. got his first MLS start of the year and second overall, with Tony Rocha starting at left midfield. Notable to most was Justin Meram missing from the 18. Shane O’Neill suited up for the first time as a substitute. Of interest from the visitors, Jozy Altidore made the trip and started the match as an available sub.

Having Yoshi Yotún back in purple was huge from the very start of the match. He seemed to be playing with a bit of extra intensity, almost as thought his stint in Russia triggered a little something extra. Schuler also played with a different look, starting with a beautiful cutting run to intercept Sebastian Giovinco before he could make a break alone on goal.

Things got a little shaky in the sixth minute, as Schuler went shoulder to shoulder with Justin Morrow approaching the box, with Morrow going down and drawing the foul. Schuler was booked, but thankfully nothing came of the free kick, and the ball was cleared. The next few minutes were a bit uneasy, as the Lions continued to try to find their feet, but things changed rather quickly.

In the ninth minute, Rocha hit a solid shot towards goal, but it was blocked by a Toronto defender. That created a bit of chaos in the box, but the Lions could not capitalize. For the next several minutes, one thing that continued to stand out was the hustle of Chris Mueller and Yoshi. The Lions were plagued by misplaced passes. Mueller and Yotún crossed the pitch endlessly in recovery mode, working to win the ball back, fill passing lanes, and generally disrupt the Toronto midfield. The effort was obviously getting to some Toronto players, as Giovinco received a stern lecture from the referee after a late tackle, one of those frustration tackles, in the 15th minute on Yotún.

The Lions continued to look dangerous. Yotún tried to catch Alex Bono off guard when he sent a shot from just inside the Toronto half on goal that Bono flubbed, earning the Lions a corner. Unfortunately, the chance was a bit wasted as no one was on the far post when the corner was taken.

Edwards looked comfortable, coming off his line in the 24th minute to pounce on a cross into the box that could have been dangerous. Edwards also continued something that we saw from him during his play with OCB — those long throws to streaking players to start counters. He had a great leading ball to Sacha Kljestan, who found a streaking Mueller, who unfortunately took one touch to many and couldn’t get the ball out from under himself to get a solid shot on goal.

In the 25th, Morrow put a classic spin move on Schuler — possibly Schuler’s one big mistake of the night — to free himself to make a run into the box and find a wide open Giovinco. Thankfully, the Italian’s shot was not well taken and the threat was over. This was not the last time we heard from Giovinco, though. The next big chunk of minutes saw Toronto sustain some good possession, and take a bit of control of the game, including another shot from the Italian. The Lions were giving up possession way too easily at this point in the match, and Toronto was closing down the passing lanes with ease.

Dwyer finally got to go one on one with a center back in the 31st, beat him on the left side of the box, and got a shot off, but it was saved by Bono. Mueller almost got to the rebound, but it was cleared by the defense. A few more chances were generated by the Lions, but it appeared as though the nerves of needing a win might be present. Rocha had a great chance to bring the ball down and regain control with City in a good offensive position, but rushed to head the ball back into play, leading to Toronto gaining possession.

In the 34th, Yotún was fouled from behind by Michael Bradley. The free kick was taken somewhat quickly to Dwyer, who immediately sent a hard shot at goal. Bono punched the shot, and Schuler leaped to head the ball into the net, notching his first goal of the season and his first with Orlando City.

“I knew [Bono] wouldn’t be able to hold on to it so I just made a run through it expecting the rebound and it kind of worked out,” said Schuler.

RJ Allen went down on the pitch in the 37th minute, and it did not look good. Thankfully, after working with the trainers for a minute, he was able to return to play. It almost looked as though he was cramping already. It was good he was able to return as he had a distinct impact a few minutes later in the 44th when he was part of a great chance for City.

Rocha put a great ball in to Dwyer, who found Mueller streaking down the right side. The rookie once again had trouble getting the ball out from his feet, and his shot was blocked, falling to Allen. The right back put his laces through the ball, but the shot went just wide of the near post and into the side netting.

The Lions came out in the second half just as they had ended the first, looking solid and confident. In the 48th, Mueller found Dwyer with a perfect ball to the middle. Dom stood the defender up, got the ball onto his left foot, and smashed the ball low and away from Bono into the back of the net for another back flip and a 2-0 lead.

Toronto had some solid chances, but the Orlando back line and Edwards were up to the challenge. There were a few scary moments in the 58th when Toronto’s Jay Chapman picked up a stray ball at the top of the box. The defense was caught a little flat, but Edwards was able to make the save. In the 59th, Giovinco got in alone for the first time all night on a gorgeous long ball from Bradley but Earl made a point-blank stop to protect the two-goal advantage.

For the next 12 minutes, the Lions looked a bit shaky again, as tired legs looked to be taking hold. It wasn’t until the 70th minute when the tide swung back towards the Lions’ favor. Will Johnson stole the ball, drove into the box, and earned a corner. The corner was taken short, like so many during the match, ending up at the feet of Dillon Powers, who had subbed in for Rocha in the 56th. Powers put a beautiful cross into the box, but the linesman flagged Dwyer as offside. Many players from both sides looked tired as the evening heat was taking an obvious effect.

The next best chance happened in the 85th, when Mueller picked up a missed ball from behind the Toronto center backs, charged the box, and sent a strong cross over to a streaking Mohamed El-Munir, but the cross was too strong and just out of his reach. Mueller found himself with another golden opportunity in the 90th after a great pass from Kljestan that he should have buried, but again could not get the ball out from under his feet and sent a low shot straight at Bono.

The 92nd minute saw the last real attacking chance for the Lions, when Yotún had a beautiful turn, only to be fouled to stop the attack at the top of the box. Sacha stepped up for the free kick, and didn’t miss the top corner over the wall by much. Unfortunately, two minutes later Toronto pulled one back. After what appeared to be a fairly innocent collision at the top corner of the box involving Amro Tarek, the ensuing free kick by Giovinco led to Nick Haggland getting inside of El-Munir and getting a foot on it to send it inside the far corner.

That was just about the last kick of the game. The whistle blew seconds later and the Lions had mercifully ended their nine-game losing streak.

Orlando out-shot Toronto, 18-16 (7-4 on target) and the Reds held the possession advantage, 54%-46%. Toronto completed 90% of its passes compared to 85% for the Lions. Much of Toronto’s possession came in the middle part of the second half while Orlando nursed its 2-0 lead.

“It’s been a while,” Dwyer said of the win. “Obviously we put in a good performance tonight. We’re trying not to live in the past so much and move forward, it was a big result for us tonight. I wouldn’t say we are at our best but we are improving. I think we are back on track, which is important for us and we’ll keep moving forward.”

Orlando City will be back in action Wednesday in Philadelphia, facing the Union in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals.

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Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union

Get caught up with everything you need to know about the Philadelphia Union from someone who knows them best.

Published

9 hours ago

on

May 10, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Orlando City is set to continue a difficult May schedule Saturday, and will try to avoid a three-game losing streak in the process. This week sees the Lions travel north to face the Philadelphia Union, which will be the first of three taking place in a span of eight days, with two of those on the road, forcing Orlando to shuttle back and forth across the country.

A date with the Union means I caught up with Joe Lister of the always excellent Philadelphia Soccer Now. As usual, Joe was very helpful in getting us caught up on what’s been happening with the Union, and I also answered some of his questions about OCSC, which you can find over at their place.

Run me through Philadelphia’s off-season transfer business. Are there any new names who have stood out?

Joe Lister: Philadelphia’s transfer business is nearly nonexistent. They sold a few guys, but didn’t really bring anyone notable in. The group that will be available against Orlando on Saturday is the same group that’s been around with the team for (generally) two or three years.

Quinn Sullivan, however, has been a relevation this season. His brother, Cavan, has obviously been in the news as of late. However, Quinn, 20, has been great for Philly. He’s got great pace down the side of the pitch and has a motor that doesn’t seem to quit. If he can perfect his final touch, he’ll make the Union a good bit of money.

It’s still quite early in the season, but its strange to see the Union not occupying their typical spot near the top of the East. Is there any concern among the fanbase, or are people largely happy with what they’ve seen so far?

JL: People are upset. This team, by Philly fans’ standards, sucks. The Eastern Conference is obviously super tough this year (Miami and RBNY are worth shoutouts), but Philadelphia just isn’t performing. They nearly lost three games in a row for the first time since 2017 with their draw against D.C. United. They were saved by a blast from Jack McGlynn that they didn’t necessarily deserve.

The Union are underwhelming. The front office has operated under the impression that the teams from 2020, 2021, and 2022 can still compete in MLS. The issue is that while the league has gotten better, the Union have just gotten worse.

The Union’s only two losses of the season have come at home. Is that simply down to playing two good teams in Real Salt Lake and the Seattle Sounders, or is there something else at play there?

JL: That’s just the team being in a funk. Again, this team is underperforming by Philadelphia’s standards. Losing at home is a true showcase of how far this team has fallen. I think the Union will be fine longterm — this is a playoff team, but nothing more than that.

Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?

JL: Defender Olivier Mbaizo and goalkeeper Andre Blake were both out for last match with injuries. Blake’s been in-and-out all season, but I think the team has started to realize that backup Oliver Semmle is good enough that the three-time Goalkeeper of the Year doesn’t need to always be on the pitch. Julian Carranza is also suspended due to yellow card accumulation.

Lineup (4-4-2 diamond): Oliver Semmle; Kai Wagner, Jack Elliott, Jakob Glesnes, Nathan Harriel; Jose Martinez; Leon Flach, Alejandro Bedoya; Daniel Gazdag; Quinn Sullivan, Mikael Uhre.

I think this is a 2-2 draw. Based on where the Union are at right now, Orlando will get two first-half goals, the Union will pull back in the second half. Feels like a game where Daniel Gazdag should find the net at some point.

Thank you to Joe for the inside info on the Union. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 5/10/24

Orlando City hits the road, Angelina has a successful knee procedure, Europa League final is set, and more.

Published

12 hours ago

on

May 10, 2024

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! I don’t have many plans for the weekend beyond working and looking after my friend’s cat, but I’m hoping it’s a fairly relaxing next few days. Both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are in action tomorrow night, so make sure to plan your weekend accordingly. For now, let’s get to today’s links!

Orlando City Prepares for the Philadelphia Union

After a tough loss at home to FC Cincinnati, Orlando City hits the road for a tough match against the Philadelphia Union tomorrow night. The Lions showed plenty of fight in that loss, which included a red card to Rodrigo Schlegel and injuries to both Dagur Dan Thorhallsson and Rafael Santos. Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke about the matchup against the Union and stated that Thorhallsson is in concussion protocol and that both he and Santos are day-to-day heading into this match.

The Lions at least won’t have to worry about Philadelphia forward Julian Carranza in this match, as he will miss it due to yellow card accumulation. Both teams have struggled in recent weeks, with the Lions winless in their last three games and the Union winless in their last four. Orlando managed to beat the Union on the road last year and will need to do it again to climb up the Eastern Conference standings.

Angelina Will Be Evaluated Weekly for Return

Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina had a successful arthroscopic procedure on her knee and will be evaluated by the club’s medical team for a return to the field on a week-to-week basis. She suffered the injury late in the Pride’s 4-1 win over the North Carolina Courage, and rookie Ally Lemos filled in for her in the team’s 1-0 win against Racing Louisville. Angelina signed with the Pride this past off-season and has been a major reason why the Pride are undefeated in 2024. The Brazilian has done well on both sides of the ball and has a goal and an assist to her name so far, while bringing stability to the midfield. Hopefully, she returns to the Pride’s midfield sooner rather than later.

Philadelphia Union Sign 14-Year-Old Cavan Sullivan

The Philadelphia Union have a penchant for developing young players and have now signed 14-year-old midfielder Cavan Sullivan to a Homegrown Player contract that will last through 2028. Sullivan, who is the brother of Quinn Sullivan, is now the fifth-youngest signing in MLS history. He excelled in the past two Generation Adidas Cups with the Union and made his debut for Philadelphia Union II earlier this year. When he turns 18, he will reportedly be transferred to Manchester City as well, so it will be interesting to see how he does in MLS until then.

Leverkusen and Atalanta Reach Europa League Final

Bayer Leverkusen and Atalanta both got the job done in second legs at home to advance to the Europa League final. The match in Germany between Leverkusen and Roma was a wild one, with Leverkusen managing yet another late comeback to draw 2-2 and advance on aggregate after winning the first leg. The draw extended Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak to 49 games and it can secure a treble by the end of the month. In the other semifinal, Atalanta cruised to a 3-0 win over Marseille. The Italian club will have a chance at silverware in the Coppa Italia final against Juventus on May 15 before the Europa League final on May 22 in Ireland.

Free Kicks

  • Enjoy these sights and sounds from the Pride’s gritty win over Racing Louisville.
  • Olivier Renard is no longer the vice president and chief sporting officer of CF Montreal, with the two sides agreeing to part ways.
  • PSV Eindhoven reportedly won’t be exercising the option to sign American right back Sergino Dest, who joined the Dutch club on loan from Barcelona last year.

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

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Orlando City

Orlando City at Philadelphia Union: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points on the road at Philadelphia?

Published

1 day ago

on

May 9, 2024

By

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Orlando City travels to the City of Brotherly Love hoping to get back on the winning track against the Philadelphia Union. The Union are currently in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 14 points, and have a 3-2-5 record overall. However, the Union are 1-2-1 at home. Subaru Park hasn’t been the fortress it was in 2023 — though Orlando City did give them their first home loss last season.

Of course, the Lions are riding a two-match losing streak heading into this match. What does Orlando City need to do to take all three points from the Union on the road?

Defense, Defense, Defense

The Union have scored 19 goals so far this season and over half of them have come from Daniel Gazdag (6), and Julian Carranza (4). Obviously, stopping those two is a priority. However, the Union also have excellent midfielders in Alejandro Bedoya and Jack McGlynn — the two players that scored in the Union’s last match against DC United.

I feel like a broken record, but Orlando City’s defense needs to stop making the dumb mistakes that have resulted in way too many goals this season. Philadelphia’s attackers will punish the Lions if that is allowed to happen yet again. So please, for the sake of my sanity, stop giving up the stupid goals.

Score Some *%$#ing Goals

The Union have given up 16 goals so far this season. Philadelphia is not some impenetrable defense, meaning the Lions should have chances to score against the Union. The bigger questions is: Will Orlando City find the back of the net? The dearth of goals so far this season is a great source of frustration for all who support this club. It’s not necessarily the shots that go in — though that does stink — but the missed opportunities.

Orlando City has had more passes/crosses just past a toe or just over a head, and more bobbled balls at a player’s feet than I care to count this season. The missed opportunities are a good reason for the results we’ve seen. I’ve spent plenty of time wishing for Facundo Torres, Luis Muriel, and Martin Ojeda to start scoring. Now, I’ll be happy with any player putting it in the back of the net. Robin Jansson header? Yes, please. Michael Halliday deflects it in with his face? I’ll take it. Own goal by the opposition? Bring it on. Just score some darn goals.

Find the Formula

I’m not certain why it’s taking Oscar Pareja so long to figure out the balance for this club. Most of the players from last season are there, but for some reason the recipe is off. There are a few new players and there have been some injuries to deal with, but the switch needs to be flipped. Pareja needs to figure out which players can turn it around.

It might be the players who haven’t made the necessary adjustments. Perhaps it’s just bad luck. Regardless, every coach and player needs to pull it together to get the ship righted. Preseason expectations might need to be adjusted, but we can still hold out hope for a turnaround. This weekend against the Union is a perfect time for that to start.

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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