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Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Final Score 1-1 as Lions Fail to Make Up Ground in Playoff Race

Orlando led but then conceded late as the Lions still haven’t won at BMO Field.

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5 years ago

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Orlando City scored first, but the BMO Field hex continued, as a fortunate bounce on a set piece fell perfectly for Toronto FC to equalize in an unsatisfying 1-1 road draw. Benji Michel came off the bench to give the Lions (8-11-6, 30 points) a 1-0 advantage in the 69th minute, only to be called for a penalty that was overturned after video review. Patrick Mullins scored on the ensuing set piece anyway, and Orlando made up no ground on Toronto (9-10-6, 33 points) in the playoff race.

City is just 0-4-2 at BMO Field in six games there and remains three points behind Montreal for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

James O’Connor kept a lot of his full-strength side intact despite the heavy fixture schedule, showing the importance of every league match the rest of the way. Nani slid back into the midfield with Carlos Ascues and Uri Rosell, behind a front line of Chris Mueller, Dom Dwyer, and Robinho. The starting central defense tandem of Robin Jansson and Lamine Sané were flanked by Kamal Miller and Kyle Smith in front of goalkeeper Brian Rowe.

Orlando City started a bit on the back foot but didn’t allow Toronto much room in the defensive third. Tsubasa Endoh got the game’s first shot six minutes in but he fired it wide after gathering in a wayward pass from Smith.

The Lions then won a couple early corner kicks but did nothing with them as they were either taken short and fell apart quickly, or the crosses in were poor. Nani got Orlando’s first shot attempt at the 22-minute mark. Quentin Westberg made a diving stop to knock it out for a corner but it was drifting just wide anyway.

The most dangerous opportunity of the half came 29 minutes in, when Alejandro Pozuelo was given too much space and he picked out a chip pass intended for Jozy Altidore. It was just over the U.S. international striker’s head and skipped wide of the far post.

Nani sent another shot wide in the 40th minute and that was about it for the opening half, as neither team did a whole lot in the final third. Orlando was too hesitant to get balls into the area or botched their crosses after making good moves to get free in wide spaces. Some more quality on crosses would have perhaps given the Lions more threat in the attack.

Toronto led in first-half shots (4-3), shots on goal (1-0), and passing accuracy (86%-84%). Orlando had 51% of the ball. Neither team was particularly dangerous but the hosts seemed the likelier team to score in the opening 45 minutes.

The Reds came out with a lot more jump after the break, pressed relentlessly and held onto the ball through much of the second half. Toronto’s first good opportunity came in the first minute of the second half, with Pozuelo finding Marky Delgado down the right. Delgado’s cross for Altidore was picked off by Rosell at the last second.

Former Lion Richie Laryea, who won several 1-v-1 battles all night against his former teammates, got into the area in the 53rd minute and went down easily, then got up and fired a shot that Rowe saved.

Five minutes later, Laryea lifted a cross to the back post for Altidore but Smith did just enough to head it toward the sideline. Endoh then fired onto the roof of the net in the 59th minute after a nice pass from Chris Mavinga and a dummy from Altidore freed up his chance from the top of the area.

Toronto kept coming, winning corners and keeping the ball. Pozuelo fired a shot off the back post after a short corner as the warning bells continued to chime for Orlando.

The Lions finally got a shot on target in the 64th when a long cross from Nani found Dwyer’s head and the striker directed one right at Westberg.

Toronto then had the ball pinballing around Orlando’s area in the 66th after Delgado smashed a tough-angle shot off of Rowe that was parried into the middle of the six. A blocked shot later and the Lions cleared.

Michel came on in the 68th minute for Robinho, who pitched in well defensively but didn’t do much on the attacking end. The rookie made an impact immediately.

A ball fell to Dwyer’s feet at midfield and the striker turned and played Mueller into space down the right. Mueller surveyed the field and crossed a ball that Ascues let go through to the onrushing Michel, who took a touch and then passed the ball into the far corner past Westberg to make it 1-0 in the 69th minute.

The Reds almost pulled that back three minutes later. Rowe made a good save in tight on Altidore and the ball fell to Laryea with the whole net to shoot at. The former Lion missed the target badly with his shot.

Two minutes later, Laryea got around Michel, who grabbed him and gave him a tug before letting go. Laryea went to ground inside the area and referee Kevin Stott pointed to the spot in front of an incensed group of Orlando players. Stott went to video review, which showed a clear error, as Michel both made the grab and released Laryea outside the area.

It didn’t end up mattering that it wasn’t a penalty, because Toronto scored anyway on the free kick. Pozuelo pushed the ball out to Michael Bradley outside the area and the USMNT midfielder fired a shot that was blocked in front. Unfortunately, the rebound squirted just behind the defensive line and set up perfectly for Mullins to turn and fire home in the 77th.

Altidore tried to find a game winner on a free kick in the 84th from just outside the area, but he fired his shot over the bar. Time wound down and the teams entered six minutes of stoppage time.

The 92nd minute was a crazy one, with both teams getting an excellent shot at a winner. First, Altidore got behind the defense and tried to chest down a cross but his touch was too heavy and Rowe collected. Then, on the other end, the ball found second-half sub Ruan, who crossed to fellow substitute Tesho Akindele. The Canadian flicked the ball toward the back post but couldn’t keep it on frame.

Rosell fired way off frame in the 93rd and then Toronto saw Laryea, Omar Gonzalez, and Bradley all fail to hit the target with shots before the final whistle blew.

Toronto out-shot Orlando 18-8 (5-2 on target), and won the possession (56%-44%) and passing (87%-82%) battle as well.

The Lions return home to Exploria Stadium for a Wednesday night match-up with Sporting Kansas City at 7:30 p.m.

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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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20 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.

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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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