Orlando City
Orlando City vs. Chicago Fire: Final Score 4-1 as Lions Win a Wild, Rain-Soaked Match
Nani and Chris Mueller starred again as the Lions finally got a home win over the Chicago Fire, running their unbeaten streak to six games.

Orlando City withstood two Chicago Fire penalties and two goals by the visitors that were overturned by video review to win a crazy, rain-soaked match, 4-1 at Exploria Stadium. Orlando (6-2-4, 22 points) got goals from Chris Mueller, Nani, Junior Urso, and Benji Michel to extend its unbeaten run to six games (4-0-2) and finally beat the Fire (2-7-3, 9 points) at home.
In fact, Orlando is still unbeaten at home in 2020 (3-0-2). The Lions will take it, as they will have to go on the road for the next two matches to close out September.
“I think it was a roller coaster game today with a rival that came here with initiatives and an idea of the game that was very clear,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “From the first minute it was difficult to control, especially with such great players in the middle of the field. But I think we had our own identity and we had courage all the time to overcome the difficult moments.”
Pareja’s lineup in front of goalkeeper Pedro Gallese included the return of Robin Jansson and Kamal Miller to the left side of the starting lineup, alongside Antonio Carlos and Ruan. Urso and Sebas Mendez handled the central midfield with Uri Rosell still unavailable. The attacking midfield was the usual lineup of Nani, Mauricio Pereyra, and Mueller behind striker Daryl Dike.
The first half was insanely wide open with neither team doing well in defending on the rain-soaked field. The rain poured down throughout the first half, soaking the players and the ball and making conditions tough for both teams, which may have contributed to the wide-open nature of the match.
Dike had a couple of early chances but couldn’t quite get onto a Mueller cross in the second minute, with goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth coming out just enough to distract him. Dike then flicked a header to the back post but Chicago was able to clear.
The Fire came down to the other end for the first time and nearly opened the scoring in the fourth minute. Robert Beric took a shot that deflected off Miller and then hit the crossbar.
Orlando took the lead in the 11th minute. Mueller cut in from the left side and hit a shot that deflected off Alvaro Medran and crossed up Shuttleworth, who could do nothing but watch it trickle over the line for the opening score — Mueller’s seventh of the year.
The Lions continued to buzz around the Chicago penalty area, with both Nani and Dike getting shots blocked in front in the 14th minute. Then Beric nearly equalized in the 18th minute when he got in behind, but he fired off target against an empty net and the offside flag was up anyway.
Chicago came close again in the 20th when a cross in from the right deflected off of Gallese and fell for Ignacio Aliseda, who hit the right post with the bouncing ball.
Four minutes later, Mueller took the ball down the right flank and crossed in perfectly for Nani to finish with a header to make it 2-0 in the 24th.
The Fire appeared to pull a goal back on a free kick in the 27th minute but after video review, referee Nima Saghafi ruled that Elliot Collier obstructed from an offside position and the two-goal lead stood.
The Fire again had a golden opportunity to score in the 34th minute when a ball in the box hit Ruan’s hand and a penalty was awarded. Beric and Medran argued for a couple of minutes over who would take it and eventually Medran did. It didn’t matter though, as Gallese dove to his right and made a spectacular save to keep it a 2-0 game.
“On the penalty I just saw one guy fighting with a bunch of his teammates,” Gallese said through an interpreter. “I was just ready and when he took it I went to the right.”
Mueller should have made it 3-0 in the 38th minute as he sliced through the Chicago defense and freed himself up for an easy finish, but he lost his balance and couldn’t set himself to take the shot. Nani made a slick move in the 42nd minute to get in behind the defense but then hit his shot wide from in close. Dike fired from the top of the box a minute later but didn’t get all of the shot and Shuttleworth made a diving save.
Chicago got the last good chance of the half when a cross found Djordje Mihailovic around the penalty spot but he fired his shot wide. That was it for a wild first half.
Chicago actually attempted more shots (10-7), with Orlando getting more on target (3-1). Orlando was slightly more accurate in passing (87%-86%), while Chicago saw slightly more time on the ball (51.6%-48.4%).
The Fire got one back right after the half on a penalty call on Chris Mueller. He trailed Miguel Navarro into the area and put his hands on the Chicago fullback, who went down immediately on what appeared to be very little contact. Beric hit the ensuing penalty to pull Chicago back into the game in the 48th minute.
“I was a little late to track the guy inside but I don’t feel like I really touched him in the sense of grabbing him,” Mueller said. “I think that when you’re that close to somebody it’s natural — especially when you’re directly behind them — to clip them on the heels and if they feel something and they go down in the box then it’s a penalty. That’s on me for not following my guy right there in the beginning of the second half. I’ve got to be a little bit sharper mentally, a little bit better concentration. And, you know I’m going to learn from it and move forward and focus on the next match.”
The Fire kept coming, with Gaston Gimenez forcing a huge save by Gallese in the 54th to preserve Orlando’s lead.
“I’m always proud of the goalkeepers who keep the team in the game or keep the lead when it’s needed,” Pareja said. “And Pedro’s experience and leadership today will show. I’m proud of Pedro just giving us that energy in the moment when we needed it. He came big and tonight was a great game for him again.”
Boris Sekulic then appeared to tie the game at 2-2 in the 56th minute off a corner kick. The wet ball bounced off several players until it found the foot of the Chicago defender, who fired through traffic and it appeared to hit Jansson before sneaking inside the right post. However, Saghafi again went to video review and ruled that Mauricio Pineda had handled the ball on the initial cross into the box and for the second time in the match the Fire had a goal overturned.
Both teams started using their substitutions and Orlando began to settle down a bit. Kyle Smith, who replaced Miller at halftime, fired wide of goal from the top of the area on a blistering shot in the 68th minute. Ten minutes later, Urso supplied some breathing room. The ball pinged around Chicago’s penalty area and finally fell to substitute Andres Perea, who knocked it into the box, where it bounced around until Urso found it on his foot and fired it in off the right goal post in the 78th minute.
Three minutes after Urso’s goal, the Lions nearly got another. Ruan made a great play to find Nani across the field on the left and the captain fired a blast toward goal but the shot stayed wide of the post. Orlando quickly won another corner and Carlos headed over the bar a minute later.
As time wound down, Nani found substitute Benji Michel in the area. Michel took two dribbles to his left and hit a shot past Shuttleworth to make it 4-1 in the 95th minute on nearly the last kick of the match. It provided the Lions’ highest scoring output on the season and largest margin of victory since Pareja took over.
Shots were even at 19 apiece, but Orlando got more on target (7-3). Both teams passed at an 83% rate, with Chicago holding a slight edge in possession (54.4%-45.6%).
Pareja said after the match that it was Chicago’s midfield players that created so many problems for Orlando City’s defense.
“They gave us a lot of trouble, indeed,” he said. “They have players in the middle that are very technical. They know what they’re doing there. Their idea of the game is very clear.”
“I think we’re happy with the three points for sure, but I do think that there was a lot of areas in our game that we could be much better,” Mueller said.
The Lions now go on the road for their next two matches, visiting Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday and FC Dallas next Sunday.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Player Grades and Man of the Match
How did your favorite Lions perform in Orlando City’s 2-1 victory over the LA Galaxy?

Orlando City capped off its March slate of matches with a cross-country bout against the 2024 MLS Cup champions, the LA Galaxy. In what was the longest commute that the Lions will register in the 2025 season, Orlando looked out of sync for much of the match, especially when contrasted with the squad that stomped D.C. United at home last week. Miraculously for the fans that stayed up past their bedtimes back on the East Coast, the Lions shocked the reigning champions and stole all three points with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the final quarter hour of the match.
Let’s look at the Lions’ individual performances to see who made the grade and who can improve as the calendar turns to April.
Starters
GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Gallese returned for Orlando after missing time while representing Peru during World Cup qualifiers. For the most part, he did well against the pressure of an agressive attack from the Galaxy. In the end, he was credited with just one save, which was a massive righthanded block of a shot by Gabriel Pec that could have put the game away for the home side. It isn’t worth entertaining a discussion about Gallese “letting another one in,” as the goal that the Galaxy scored was off a point-blank redirection back against his momentum, and it should have at the bare minimum warranted a second look for a potential offside ruling. His distribution was mostly solid, and he had an 81.8% passing rate on his 11 attempts while completing three of his five long balls. He was booked in the waining moments of the match for time wasting — although it was Rodrigo Schlegel who kicked the ball away without being spotted, and Gallese was merely retrieving it.
D, Rafael Santos, 5.5 — Santos had a few bright moments throughout the match, with an emphasis on the word few. I did think that he was better at getting into the attack and sent several balls across the net that had the potential to be dangerous. On the defensive end, there were just too many mistakes for my liking, whether that be careless turnovers, poor positioning, or falling asleep on the back side of the play. He and Ivan Angulo were both at fault on LA’s goal, as neither picked up Miki Yamane’s run. Santos was also overpowered twice by Pec. The Brazilian touched the ball 48 times, provided two key passes, one successful cross (on five attempts), and a passing rate of 76.9%. Defensively, he provided two tackles and three clearances. Offensively, Santos recorded a shot that was not on target. The left back currently benefits from a lack of depth pushing him for his starting minutes but will need to improve if Orlando is to continue its winning ways. He was replaced by David Brekalo in the 66th minute.
D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 7 — Schlegel had a productive and technically sound evening for the Lions. Defensively, he contributed one interception, a team-high seven clearances, and two blocked shots. He passed at a 93.6% rate, while touching the ball a team-high 88 times, and completed five long balls (on eight attempts). He didn’t register an offensive statistic during the match, but he played well and I thought that he had solid positioning throughout the night when the Galaxy sent balls into the box.
D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Something just seems off right now with Jansson, as the output from the captain simply feels less than what we have come to expect. Nonetheless, Jansson went the full 90 and recorded 65 touches. He completed 94.8% of his passes which included a team-best seven accurate long balls on nine attempts. Defensively, he contributed one tackle, one interception, and three clearances. Christian Ramirez beat Jansson on the lone goal for the Galaxy.
D, Alex Freeman, 6.5 — Freeman continues to put in the work for Orlando City. While his first West Coast trip was not fruitful in terms of goal-scoring contributions, the young Lion still managed to affect the game in a myriad of ways. He recorded 69 touches and completed 93.3% of his passes, which included two key passes and one accurate cross. Defensively, he added a team-high four tackles and two clearances. Offensively, Freeman tied Martin Ojeda for the most shots taken on the night (three) but was only able to put one on target. Freeman continues to showcase a solid motor that is helping to drive the offense, and he has shown strong chemistry with Marco Pasalic as well, but the most impressive aspect of his game against the Galaxy for me was the job he did in space defensively against Joseph Paintsil when the speedster entered the match in the second half.
MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — This felt like a classic Araujo performance and the Uruguayan was seemingly everywhere on the pitch. He logged 63 touches and completed 90% of his passes but was only successful on one of his five long-ball attempts. Defensively, he contirbuted two tackles, one interception, and two clearances. Offensively, Araujo did not record a stat but did suffer a team-high three fouls. Araujo was able to defend without being booked against the Galaxy, and he has shown signficant improvement this season so far in not picking up careless yellow cards.
MF, Eduard Atuesta, 7.5 (MotM) — The former member of LAFC became the catalyst for the late offensive turnaround against what used to be his crosstown rival by earning a penalty in the 77th minute. He recorded 75 touches and completed 89.8% of his passes, which inlcuded two key passes, four accurate long balls on five attempts, and two succesful crosses on two attempts. Offensively, he attempted two shots, one which nearly put Orlando City in the lead when it hit the right post. Defensively, he contributed one tackle and two clearances. Atuesta benefitted from the insertion of Brekalo and Duncan McGuire, pushing forward into the attack, and without his effort, Orlando City likely would not have earned all three points. He was replaced by Joran Gerbet in stoppage time as part of a time-wasting, like-for-like substitution to see out the match.
MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — To put it bluntly, Angulo is not in great form right now. The speedy Colombian is failing to challenge opposing back lines in the attack and has become a liability on the defensive side of the ball. The pairing of Angulo with Santos on the left has become a favorite area for the opposition to attack, and he was partly culpable in letting Yamane sneak in toward the back post on LA’s goal. He recorded 37 touches and completed 90.5% of his passes, which included one key pass. Defensively, he chipped in one tackle and one interception. Offensively, Angulo was dispossessed a team-high four times, as the careless giveaways — often in Orlando’s defensive half — continue to pile up. Orlando clearly needs more from the left wing, who was replaced in the 66th minute by McGuire, with Oscar Pareja pushing Ojeda to the left and playing Luis Muriel as the No. 10.
MF, Martin Ojeda, 7 — Ojeda did not allow another Lion to even remotely consider taking the penalty as he quickly stood over the spot, ball in hand, and then calmly converted the PK to pull Orlando level. Ojeda has now tied his goals total (four) from the 2024 season in only the sixth game of the year. Ojeda touched the ball 56 times and passed at a 90.5% rate while providing one key pass and four accurate long balls out of five attempts. Ojeda could have stood to improve his crossing, as he was only accurate on one of his five attempts. Offensively, Ojeda took three shots (tied with Freeman for the most on the team) but put just one on target (the penalty that he converted). He badly scuffed his first shot and his second was just off target in the first half. Defensively, he didn’t contribute a meaningful statistic, which was surprising, and it kept him just a rung below Atuesta when it came to Man of the Match honors.
MF, Marco Pasalic, 6.5 — Pasalic showcased several individual moments of brillance in the first half when the game was moving quickly end to end. Unfortunately for the Croatian winger, those moments failed to result in a change to the scoreboard. He touched the ball 39 times and completed 81.5% of his passes, including all four of his long balls. Defensively, like Ojeda, Pasalic did not record a meaningful statistic. Despite not scoring against the Galaxy, Pasalic continues to flash his skill with the ball and has been one of the main driving forces behind the strong offensive start to the season. He was replaced by Dagur Dan Thorhallsson in the 82nd minute.
F, Luis Muriel, 7 — Did Muriel score or did John McCarthy botch the play? Both, but who cares? Muriel’s long-distance free kick in the 90th minute found the back of the net, and the placement of the shot contributed to McCarthy’s mistake, as the Colombian sealed the victory and three important road points for Orlando City. A play reminisent of when fellow Designated Player Ojeda hit the equalizer from practically midfield against Charlotte FC back in 2023, Muriel stepped up to a free kick well outside the box and sent a shot towards the top left corner of the net. The goal capped a well-rounded performance for Muriel, who continues to play his best soccer in an Orlando City kit. Muriel finished with 37 touches and completed 88% of his passes, including a key pass. Offensively, he registered two shots with the one that mattered being on target. His other shot was a laser through traffic that barely missed just outside the left post on a set piece. Defensively, the striker contributed a tackle. Kyle Smith replaced him in the third minute of stoppage time.
Substitutes
D, David Brekalo (66’), 7 — I thought Brekalo put in some of his best minutes of the year as he entered in the 66th minute for Santos. It was an unexpected substitution, as Brekalo is a central defender. Regardless, the Slovenian played strong and sound defense, snuffing out multiple attacking runs by Pec. He racked up three tackles and three clearances on defense and put in several eye-opening efforts in the attack as well, as Orlando looked to get back into the match. He completed 90.9% of his passes, and while he did not record a shot, he was quite active around the box and made multiple runs off of his attacking counterparts. Brekalo at left back might be something to keep an eye on, as Pareja has been looking for someone to play consistently well there early in the season. Time will tell.
F, Duncan McGuire (66’), 6.5 — McGuire secured his longest stint since his off-season shoulder surgery and looked agressive over the final moments of the match. He opens up the field in a way Muriel is physically not able to at this point in his career, as the American got in behind the back line multiple times and pulled it out of shape for his teammates to exploit. He recorded three shots, which were all off target, but it is only a matter of time before the forward finds the back of the net. He completed 80% of his five passes and was credited with a key pass.
MF, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson (82′), N/A — Thorhallsson came on in relief of Pasalic and did well over the final moments of the match. The insertion of Brekalo, McGuire, and then Thorhallsson allowed Orlando to be the more dangerous side over the last 20 plus minutes of game time. He completed 83.3% of his passes and was credited with two key passes. Defensively, the product of Iceland added two clearances, and he did well to track back and help Freeman keep Paintsil bottled up.
D, Kyle Smith (93′), N/A — Smith came in following the long-distance goal by Muriel to help see out the victory.
MF, Joran Gerbet (93′), N/A — Like Smith, Gerbet was inserted to help see out the road win in stoppage time but also came into the match for Atuesta who was on a yellow card.
That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando City’s come-from-behind win over the Galaxy. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 3/31/25
Lions and Pride win, NWSL weekend recap, FA Cup quarterfinals, and more.

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been very busy at work but will attend the Chicago Cubs’ home opener at Wrigley Field later this week. Our Lions and Pride won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Orlando City Beats LA Galaxy on the Road
On Saturday, Orlando City fought back from a 1-0 deficit, scoring two goals in the second half to defeat the LA Galaxy 2-1 at Dignity Health Sports Park. The Galaxy struck early in the first half to jump on top. In the second half, the Lions were awarded a penalty kick after Eduard Atuesta was taken down in the box, and Martin Ojeda buried the spot kick to tie the match at one. In the 90th minute, Luis Muriel scored the winning goal on a long-range free kick to complete the comeback. Orlando is on a three-match unbeaten streak and beat the LA Galaxy for the third consecutive time. Orlando City’s next match will be on the road Saturday against the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park.
Orlando Pride Defeat San Diego Wave at Home
The Orlando Pride defeated the San Diego Wave 2-1 Saturday afternoon at Inter&Co Stadium and extended their win streak to three matches to start the season. After a scoreless first half, Haley McCutcheon scored to give Orlando the lead. The Wave equalized before Marta converted a penalty kick goal to seal the win for Orlando. The Pride are off to a great start this season, outscoring their opponents 10-1, and are atop the NWSL standings ahead of the Kansas City Current on goal difference. The Pride are off this weekend due to the international break but will be on the road in their next match against the Seattle Reign on April 12.
NWSL Weekend Recap
The National Women’s Soccer League’s third week of matches is in the books. On Friday, the Houston Dash and NJ/NY Gotham FC match ended in a scoreless draw. The Washington Spirit defeated Bay FC 2-0, with Ashley Hatch scoring both goals. On Saturday, the Kansas City Current defeated the Utah Royals 3-0, while the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage match ended in a scoreless draw. On Sunday, the Chicago Stars fell 1-0 to Racing Louisville and remain winless, while Angel City FC edged the Seattle Reign 2-1 to secure its first win of the season.
FA Cup Quarterfinals Recap
The FA Cup quarterfinals wrapped up with thrilling drama as four clubs booked a spot in the semifinals. Crystal Palace cruised to a 3-0 victory against Fulham, while Nottingham Forest edged Brighton 4-3 on penalties after a scoreless draw to advance. Aston Villa dominated Preston North End as Marcus Rashford scored twice to seal a 3-0 win, while Manchester City edged Bournemouth 2-1. The FA Cup semifinals are set for April 26 as Crystal Palace faces Aston Villa while Nottingham Forest will take on Manchester City.
Free Kicks
- Orlando City GM Luiz Muzzi provided some insight in an ESPN.com article on player transfers and highlighted the importance of building connections with different clubs to facilitate transfers.
- Former Lion Benji Michel is going to play for HJK Helsinki.
- Antoine Griezmann is reportedly staying at Atletico Madrid next season despite being linked to a potential move to join LAFC in MLS.
- RB Leipzig has fired manager Marco Rose, as the club is sixth in the Bundesliga table and has appointed Zsolt Low as interim manager until the end of the season.
- David Blitzer is reportedly close to selling his majority ownership stake in the Utah Royals and Real Salt Lake after owning both clubs since 2022.
- Sports Illustrated released its list of MLS Coaches on the hot seat after poor starts, mentioning Sporting Kansas City’s Peter Vermes, the LA Galaxy’s Greg Vanney, and the New England Revolution’s Caleb Porter.
- FIFA is reportedly considering having a one-game playoff between LAFC and Club America, with the winner replacing Club Leon in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
- That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Orlando City
Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Five Takeaways
What did we learn from a comeback victory over the defending MLS champion LA Galaxy?

Orlando City went on the road on a Galaxy quest, and will fly back across the country with three points after a snatch-and-grab second-half performance earned the Lions a 2-1 victory. The Lions joined the Pride in defeating California opponents via that scoreline on Saturday, and in an even greater coincidence, both teams scored a goal on a penalty kick in the 76th minute. To quote another California icon, Ice Cube, it was a good day. Here are my five takeaways from the match.
Early Sluggishness Led to an Early Deficit
Orlando City certainly looked the part of an East Coast team playing at 10:30 p.m. with the players on their normal body clock to start the game, as LA dominated possession during the opening minutes and took advantage by scoring the game’s opening goal. To be fair, LA is a team that likes to have the ball (70%, 53% and 56% possession in the three preceding games, according to Opta’s tracking) and the official stats that Apple showed on the broadcast around 20 minutes into the first half indicated that the Galaxy had 60% of the possession during the opening portion of the game. The goal the Galaxy scored felt inevitable with how they, and Orlando, were playing, and it seemed that the goal jolted the Lions into waking up and getting into the game.
VAR taketh away, but then VAR giveth
There are no fan bases in the world, save perhaps fans of Duke men’s basketball, who think that referees are generally fair when it comes to making calls during their team’s games. That said, the fact that there was not even a trip to the monitor to review Christian Ramirez’s goal was hard to fathom. We do not get to see all the angles that the officials reviewing the play do, but with the angles that we were shown, it looked pretty clear that Ramirez was in an offside position. Referee Jon Freemon surprisingly did not go to the monitor, and the goal stood. As the game went on, it seemed like once again Orlando City was going to suffer from “PRO gonna PRO,” but then Eduard Atuesta (the Man of the Match in my eyes) was fouled in the box and the Lions received a penalty kick. It seemed certain that the call would be overturned, as the contact did not look significant and Orlando City historically has not benefitted — ever — from PRO reviews, but once again Freemon did not even go to the monitor and the penalty kick stood. Ojeda converted, and the Lions had new life.
The Left Side Was Not Right…Until it Was
Oscar Pareja made a double change in the 66th minute, removing both Iván Angulo and Rafael Santos, and he probably should have made that change even earlier. Aside from hustle, which both players showed in abundance, neither left-sided starter brought much else to the table and both were responsible for Ramirez’s goal via a complete lack of awareness of the run by Miki Yamane into the box. There were scary moments in the back throughout the time when Angulo and Santos were on the field, and while the Galaxy’s Gabriel Pec is an elite talent, he did not have to work especially hard to create some of his opportunities down the right side. The tracking at whoscored.com showed 40% of the Galaxy’s attacks were down the right side of the field, and it seemed like 100% during the minutes when Angulo and Santos were on the field. David Brekalo entered the game for Santos and took over as left back, and he played quite well in an unfamiliar role, helping to shore up the left side of the defense and give Pareja another lineup configuration to consider for future weeks.
Orlando May Soon Run on Duncan Again
Duncan McGuire played his longest shift of the season in this match, and while he did not get on the scoresheet, he looked almost back to the terrifying freight train of a striker that we have seen in purple for the last two seasons. His speed and power were there, and though his touch let him down, he still was getting himself into great positions and pulling the back line apart, and the touch will surely return soon as well. His entrance into the game allowed Muriel to drop into a central attacking role and pushed Ojeda out wide to the left, and the game really changed once that lineup was on the field together. The Lions took 10 of the game’s next 12 shots and scored two goals to take the lead.
Sometimes It Is Better To Be Lucky Than Good
I will admit that I did not think it was a good idea for Luis Muriel to shoot when taking the free kick that turned into the second goal, as I thought it would have been a much better idea to play a ball into the box and try to get a header or a shot off a pinball situation inside the box. Muriel went ahead and took a shot anyway, and there is no other way to say it than Orlando City received a gift, as Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy made a mess of the shot and let it drop into his net. Muriel struck the ball with pace, but it looked like while McCarthy’s positioning let him down a little bit, his hands let him down a lot. Perhaps the karmic gods were evening out Rodrigo Schlegel’s unfortunate touch from the season opener that gifted Philadelphia a goal, or perhaps Orlando City was just due for some luck, but either way, it was an unlikely goal. They all count the same though, and this one gave the Lions two on the scoreboard and then three in the points column.
Those are my takeaways from a game that seemed headed for disappointment but then turned on its head with two late goals. Orlando City’s Designated Players added two more goals to their tally, as the M&Ms (Marco, Martín and Muriel) now have 11 between them. The team still leads the league in goals scored, and the Lions will have a chance to avenge their season-opening loss when they visit Philadelphia in their next match on April 5.
Let us know your thoughts about the match in the comments below.
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