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Orlando City vs. Montreal Impact, Preseason: Final Score 1-0 as Nani’s Masterful Free Kick Lifts Lions

The first open preseason match goes the Lions’ way thanks to the captain’s sweet free kick.

Published

5 years ago

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Nani scored on a free kick in the first half to lift the Lions to a 1-0 win over the Montreal Impact at Exploria Stadium in Orlando City’s first open preseason game of 2020. It wasn’t a perfect game by any means, and there will be plenty to clean up, but the team got the W.

“The thing that I liked the most is that I saw a team there, with a ball and without it,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “And we’re going to build slowly. It’s normal at this point. We would like many more things better, but we are very content with what we see today,”

Pareja’s starting lineup was Pedro Gallese; Kamal Miller, Rodrigo Schlegel, Antonio Carlos, Ruan; Uri Rosell, Junior Urso, Benji Michel; Mauricio Pereyra, Dom Dwyer, and Nani. The team took on a 3-4-3 look in the attack, with Ruan playing higher than his fellow defenders, who fanned out with Miller out left and Carlos on the right, and with Schlegel in the center. Michel played like a wingback on the left, with Rosell next to him, but sometimes swapping with Urso, and Ruan out right. Pereyra, Dwyer, and Nani patrolled the top of the formation and switched places fluidly in the opening half.

Defensively, Ruan sagged back and the back four tightened up, with Urso and Rosell adding support and everyone tracking back to help.

The first half was a defensive-minded affair with very few scoring opportunities for either side. The teams took a while to settle in, and any progress up the field was ultimately undone by a pass offline. The first shot attempt didn’t come until the 11th minute, when Dwyer got his head to a cross from Rosell in traffic, but it hit Michel and was cleared.

Montreal got a free kick after a Rosell turnover near midfield as Miller committed a tactical foul and took down Orji Okwonkwo, drawing a yellow card. Sapher Taider took the free kick from about 25 yards out, but Gallese made the save comfortably in the 16th minute.

In the 19th minute, Pereyra fired a shot over the bar and in the 28th Dwyer did well to get a piece of a bending cross from Ruan but sent it just wide of goal.

Montreal nearly opened the scoring in the 36th minute as the Impact took the ball down Orlando’s left flank and a ball deflected across the area. A Montreal player shot from close range but Gallese made the save.

“It shows the pedigree, that he has,” Pareja said of his goalkeeper. “And you know the keepers are to stop the ball that we need the most.”

Two minutes later, a nice passing combination sent Nani to the top of the area where he was taken down, setting up a free kick from about 20 yards out. The captain stood over the ball along with Dwyer and Pereyra, but it was Nani who struck it — and struck it well — sending it past Evan Bush to make it 1-0 in the 39th minute.

That was the last decent chance for either side in the opening 45 minutes and the Lions took their lead into the break.

The second half was much less fluid from both teams and there weren’t as many clear-cut chances for Orlando, with Montreal nearly taking advantage of a few mistakes by the Lions. Nani gave the ball away in the 51st minute, leading to a shot by Romell Quioto that was well saved by Gallese. Quioto fired just wide in the 60th from the left side, trying to find the inside of the far post after Ruan gave the ball away in his defensive third.

Montreal should have equalized in the 74th minute when Ballou Tabla was able to sneak in past the defense on the right to get onto a cross, but he fired his shot over Gallese’s goal. The Impact’s best chance came in the 85th minute when Maxi Urruti seemingly weaved through the entire Orlando team and struck a shot off the left post.

Orlando had several half chances to put the game away but couldn’t connect the final ball after getting behind the Montreal defense. Second-half sub Chris Mueller forced a save by Bush in the 90th and the goalkeeper spilled it, but Tesho Akindele couldn’t quite get onto it for the put-back. Moments later, Mueller got down the left side again, but his cutback pass was picked off before David Loera could get there.

After several nervy moments in stoppage time, the whistle blew on a 1-0 victory.

“I think Montreal just moved the ball well and the last 10-15 minutes they created problems for us,” Pareja said. “But we were disciplined and I see the boys battling and trying to win the game despite it being a friendly game.”

“My biggest takeaway is that we got a W,” Michel said. “We can see what we’ve been working on in training all of preseason, the way we want to play and we move the ball and it’s showing in our play. And we were able to get the result. We just need to build off of that, not stay comfortable, and stay hungry.”

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Nashville SC, U.S. Open Cup: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions host Nashville in the Round of 16 as a busy May schedule continues.

Published

12 hours ago

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May 21, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread for a Wednesday night U.S. Open Cup matchup between Orlando City and Nashville SC at Inter&Co Stadium (7:30 p.m., Paramount+) in the Round of 16. It’s the second match for both clubs in the competition.

Here’s what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

The Lions are 4-2-4 against Nashville in MLS regular-season matches and 6-3-5 in all competitions. Orlando is 2-2-1 at home in the series in league play and 3-2-2 at home in all competitions. That includes a draw in the only previous U.S. Open Cup matchup between the sides in 2022. The Lions won the postgame penalty shootout to advance, ultimately winning the tournament that year.

The two teams last met on Aug. 31 of last season, with the Lions blasting Nashville 3-0. Facundo Torres’ brace and an opening goal by Ivan Angulo led Orlando City to the season sweep.

Orlando City visited Nashville SC at Geodis Park on July 17, with the Lions cruising to a 3-0 road win. Goals by Cesar Araujo and Ramiro Enrique sandwiched an Alex Muyl own goal as Orlando City got its fourth consecutive shutout victory over Nashville.

The teams met at the end of the previous season on Nov. 7, 2023 in the best-of-three, first-round playoff series. The Lions got an early goal from Angulo in a 1-0 win to sweep the series. Orlando City drew first blood in the series by beating Nashville 1-0 on Oct. 30, 2023 at Exploria Stadium. Wilder Cartagena’s blast from outside the area hit the underside of the crossbar near the right corner and bounced in for the game’s only score.

The teams met in the regular season on Oct. 4, 2023 with Orlando City stealing a 1-0 win in Music City on Duncan McGuire’s goal just before halftime. That was one of only two shot attempts by the Lions all night and the only one on target. Orlando played well defensively and Pedro Gallese didn’t have to make a save as the hosts didn’t put any shots on frame.

Nashville visited Orlando back on April 1 of 2023 at Exploria Stadium and it was the visitors who made fools of the Lions, as Nashville won, 2-0. Fafa Picault and Hany Mukhtar did the damage for Nashville.

The teams did not face each other in regular-season play the year before, meeting only in the U.S. Open Cup in Orlando on June 29, 2022. Mukhtar scored in the second half, and that looked like it would be enough until Rodrigo Schlegel equalized deep in stoppage time. After a scoreless 30 minutes of extra time, the Lions won the ensuing penalty shootout, 6-4.

These sides met in the 2021 postseason in Tennessee, with Orlando scoring first through Daryl Dike’s early goal, but Nashville won 3-1 on Nov. 23, 2021 to knock the Lions out of the playoffs. Mukhtar tied it up before halftime on a fluky deflected goal off of Antonio Carlos and then put his team up in the 74th minute on a counterattack. Jhonder Cadiz put things away deep in stoppage time.

The teams met in Orlando on Oct. 31, 2021 and ended in a 1-1 draw after referee Allen Chapman’s Halloween Heist chalked off Andres Perea’s apparent stoppage-time winner. The referee’s excuse for overturning the goal was an imagined foul on Dike, who, if anything, was the fouled party. The decision cost the Lions a valuable home playoff match, which instead sent Orlando to Nashville. Mukhtar scored for Nashville to equalize in the second half after Dike’s first-half goal.

The teams met in Nashville on Sept. 29, 2021 with a late rally by the Lions earning the team a 2-2 road draw at Nissan Stadium. The hosts had taken a 2-0 lead on goals by Mukhtar — scoring off the rebound of his own saved penalty — and Randall Leal, but a penalty by Dike and a stoppage-time own goal by Brian Anunga turned the game around. On Aug. 18 of that season, the teams finished in another 1-1 draw. C.J. Sapong put the hosts ahead in the first half and Carlos leveled the score in the second half. The Lions, who played poorly in the opening 45, were the better team throughout the second half and Tesho Akindele’s shot off the crossbar was inches from providing a winner for Orlando.

The teams met on Decision Day of 2020 at Exploria Stadium, with Orlando melting down late, allowing two goals from the 88th minute on, and falling 3-2 at home on Nov. 8, 2020 — the team’s only home loss on the season. Dike and Nani goals sandwiched a strike by Daniel Lovitz, giving the Lions a lead until late. Headers by Mukhtar (in the 88th minute) and Cadiz (in the 93rd minute) turned the game on its head.

In the Lions’ first trip to Nissan Stadium, the teams played to a 1-1 draw on Sept. 2, 2020. Benji Michel put the Lions ahead with a stunner of a goal, but Leal knotted things up and that’s the way the match ended.

That 1-1 draw came a week after a 3-1 Orlando City win on Aug. 26 at Exploria Stadium. Dave Romney had opened the scoring for Nashville with a header off a free kick but Orlando scored the last three. Dike took a star turn for Orlando City, scoring a brace, and Chris Mueller also scored for the Lions.

Overview

The Lions are coming off a 3-0 road win over Inter Miami on Sunday. Luis Muriel, Marco Pasalic, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson scored the goals and Pedro Gallese made four saves in the victory over Lionel Messi and company. Orlando is riding a streak of 12 straight matches in all competitions without a loss (6-0-6), which includes the Lions’ 5-0 road win against the Tampa Bay Rowdies to kick off their 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign.

Tonight’s visitors are level on points with Orlando City in the Eastern Conference standings, but Nashville has more wins, so it currently occupies fourth place. Nashville had an extra day of rest after playing D.C. United to a scoreless draw at home on Saturday. The Tennessee-based club is also on a hot streak at the moment, entering tonight on a six-game unbeaten run ( 4-0-2). That includes the team’s 1-0 home win over Chattanooga Red Wolves SC in the U.S. Open Cup two weeks ago.

B.J. Callaghan is in his second season as Nashville’s head coach, and the former USMNT interim head coach has his team headed the right direction. He’s got Mukhtar producing again and Sam Surridge has also been productive for Nashville. But the team is also playing well defensively, having not conceded more than one goal in any of the last five games.

Expect a tightly contested game, as is common when these teams meet. The Lions must play defense at the level they have the past two games, while taking their chances against a stingy defense and standout goalkeeper in Joe Willis (although rotation isn’t out of the question).

“There are still things we need to do to get better. We’re not going to think that everything is rosy,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said ahead of the game. “We know who we are, and we know where we’re going. This team is consciously understanding what we need to improve as well, so that makes me feel very optimistic. Now we have to be preparing for the next game that is around the corner [tonight] against Nashville SC and then Portland Timbers over the weekend.”

The Lions will be without Eduard Atuesta (neck), Nico Rodriguez (thigh), Wilder Cartagena (Achilles), and Yutaro Tsukada (knee), while Gustavo Caraballo (lower leg) is questionable.

Match Content

Official Lineups:

Orlando City (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Pedro Gallese.

Defenders: David Brekalo, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, Alex Freeman.

Defensive Midfielders: Cesar Araujo, Joran Gerbet.

Attacking Midfielders: Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, Martin Ojeda, Marco Pasalic.

Forward: Ramiro Enrique.

Bench: Javier Otero, Kyle Smith, Rafael Santos, Colin Guske, Ivan Angulo, Luis Muriel, Duncan McGuire.

Nashville SC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Brian Schwake.

Defenders: Wyatt Meyer, Chris Applewhite, Jeisson Palacios, Andy Najar.

Midfielders: Patrick Yazbek, Bryan Acosta, Matthew Corcoran.

Forwards: Ahmed Qasem, Teal Bunbury, Jonathan Perez.

Bench: Xavier Valdez, Jack Maher, Josh Bauer, Ethan O’Brien, Alex Muyl, Jacob Schaffelberg, Christian Koffi.

Referees

REF: Joshua Encarnacion.
AR1: Rhett Hammi.
AR2: Ben Rigel.
4TH: Alejo Calume.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Streaming: Paramount+.

Social Media: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the game. Go City!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/21/25

The U.S. Open Cup journey resumes tonight, Javier Otero signs a new contract, Pride’s Sams and Abello called up, and more.

Published

15 hours ago

on

May 21, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It is match day with Orlando City hosting Nashville SC tonight in Inter&Co Stadium. I hope you are able to make it out to support the club, since I will have to watch it on television. If you listen to The Mane Land PawedCast you know how much I want Orlando City to focus on the U.S. Open Cup — even at the expense of the Leagues Cup. For now, let’s get to the links.

Nashville is Next

As I mentioned above, the Lions take on Nashville SC in a U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match tonight. Orlando City is riding a 12-match unbeaten streak through all competitions and has scored 14 goals in the past four games going back to its 5-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Lions will look to continue their goal scoring ways to advance to the quarterfinals.

Javier Otero Has a New Contract

Orlando City signed goalkeeper Javier Otero to a new contract through the 2026 season with options for 2027 and 2028. Otero joined the Orlando City Academy in 2017, moving his way up to Orlando City B and, eventually, the first team. The signing secures Orlando City’s backup keeper for the immediate future.

Pride USWNT Call-Ups

Emily Sams and Kerry Abello were both called up to the USWNT training camp. This is Abello’s first call-up to the U.S. Women’s National Team. Sams and Abello make up two of Emma Hayes’ 24-player roster for the upcoming friendlies against China and Jamaica. Other notable players include Naomi Girma, Lynn Biyendolo, and Lo’eau LaBonta.

FIRST USWNT CALL UP FOR BELLO 🗣️

— Orlando Pride (@orlpride.com) 2025-05-20T15:06:37.081Z

USMNT Gold Cup News

Mauricio Pochettino has yet to name the final 26-player list for the Gold Cup. He has even put out there that he may give playing time to a goalkeeper other than Matt Turner. Pochettino sees the Gold Cup as a great opportunity for the team to bond during the last competition before the World Cup. Prior to the Gold Cup, the team has friendlies with Türkiye and Switzerland.

Free Kicks

  • The Kansas City Current may have defeated the Pride last match, but they paid dearly for it.
  • In sad news, former Sporting Kansas City player Gadi Kinda passed away. Kinda had been dealing with “a complex medical battle.”
  • In the “I’m not at all surprised” category, Lionel Messi was not fined by the league for any of his antics during or after the loss to Orlando City, including his criticism of officials, which is usually an automatic fine.

That will do it for today. Check back for our pre-match and post-match coverage tonight. You can also follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City Signs Homegrown Goalkeeper Javier Otero to New Deal

Homegrown goalkeeper Javier Otero has inked a new contract through 2026 with two option years.

Published

1 day ago

on

May 20, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

The Lions addressed the future of the goalkeeping position today with the club announcing that Orlando City has signed Homegrown Player Javier Otero to a new deal. Otero’s contract runs through the 2026 season and includes club options for 2027 and 2028. This contract eliminates the need for OCSC to pick up Otero’s 2026 option, as his original Homegrown contract was through 2024 with two option years, and the club exercised the 2025 option in December.

“We’re delighted to offer a new contract to Javi, who has been a prime example of our developmental pathway at work,” Orlando City General Manager and Sporting Director Ricardo Moreira said in a club press release. “We look forward to seeing Javi further his growth here with the club.” 

Otero, 22, originally signed as the club’s 14th Homegrown Player on July 10, 2023 out of the Orlando City Development Academy, becoming the backup to starter Pedro Gallese in 2024 after Mason Stajduhar suffered a season-ending lower leg injury. Stajduhar subsequently left Orlando City prior to the 2025 season, making Otero the primary backup.

Thus far, Otero has appeared in three matches for Orlando across all competitions (two starts), keeping one clean sheet. He made his Major League Soccer debut on June 28, 2024, when Stajduhar sustained his injury on the road against New York City FC. Otero entered the match in the 29th minute with the Lions already trailing and conceded three goals in a 4-1 loss, although he was largely hung out to dry by the team in front of him throughout the match, and one of those goals deflected off defender Robin Jansson and changed direction on him.

In MLS play, Otero has one start and one relief appearance, winning his only career regular-season start earlier this season in a 4-1 home victory over D.C. United on March 22. He also started and backstopped Orlando to a 5-0 U.S. Open Cup victory two weeks ago at the Tampa Bay Rowdies for his first shutout with the senior side.

Otero joined the Orlando City Academy in 2017, making his professional debut with Orlando City B in 2020, backing up second-round draft pick Austin Aviza that season. He became the OCB starter in 2022 after OCB took 2021 off in between changing leagues from USL League One to MLS NEXT Pro.

He led MLS NEXT Pro with 100 saves in the league’s inaugural season of 2022. His first-team contract in 2023 made him the second goalkeeper — behind Stajduhar — to earn a Homegrown Player deal.

On the international stage, Otero made his debut with the Venezuelan Men’s National Team in a friendly against Colombia on Dec. 10, 2023. He was recently called up for Venezuela’s friendly against the U.S. in January, along with La Vinotinto’s FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in March. 

What It Means for Orlando City

It is likely that Otero will remain the backup for a while longer, but Gallese’s contract option for 2025 was triggered by performance metrics after last season. So, Orlando’s No. 1 in the position is uncertain beyond the end of the current season. Gallese, however, has played well, despite a narrative that he could/should have done better at the beginning of the season, when individual mistakes in front of him were leaving him little chance to stop the vast majority of the goals that opponents scored. Orlando City may not be quite ready for Gallese to depart, but the Peruvian himself may have other thoughts.

If Gallese isn’t re-signed before the end of the season, it would make things interesting. Moreira may feel Otero is ready to take on the mantle of starter next season or at least to battle for it. But even if Gallese returns or a different player is signed to be the starter, Otero has impressed enough for the club to invest in him as the primary backup. That’s an important position at all times, because injuries and suspensions happen. But it’s especially vital to have a trustworthy backup to a goalkeeper who is representing his country during the MLS season at times, as Gallese has done with Peru over the years.

Of course, Otero could also be called up regularly by Venezuela if his development continues, taking him away for the same tournaments that currently call Gallese back home. If that becomes the case, Orlando City would have an interesting problem on its hands.

In the meantime, it’s a good sign for Orlando City that, in Otero, the academy has produced another player the club values.

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