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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.

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5 years ago

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

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.

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Lion Links: 7/2/25

Big names leave Toronto FC, hot conditions in Club World Cup match, FIFPRO makes ACL recommendations, and more.

Published

19 hours ago

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July 2, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Wednesday, everyone. It already feels like it’s been a long week, as I just got home from being out of town traveling up and down the East Coast for the last few days. The soccer world hasn’t stopped in my absence though, and as usual we have a lot to cover today. Let’s wish a happy birthday to OCB defender Tahir Reid-Brown, and jump into today’s links!

Italians Leave Toronto FC

It’s the end of an era at Toronto FC, as the club has parted ways with both Federico Bernardeschi, and Lorenzo Insigne. The Reds used both of their two buyouts of guaranteed contracts this season in order to get the transactions done, so the club was pretty keen to get them out the door. It’s hard to blame the Reds, as Insigne was the second-highest paid player in the league while Bernardeschi was the fifth highest. They didn’t have much to show for it though, as Bernardeschi had 26 goals and 22 assists in 99 games across all competitions, while Insigne had 19 goals and 17 assists in 76 matches. TFC never made the playoffs while the duo was on the team, and the decision to turn the page is an understandable one.

Difficult Conditions in Juventus vs. Real Madrid

The Club World Cup Round of 16 concluded on Tuesday, with Real Madrid knocking off Juventus 1-0 in afternoon match. Kylian Mbappe made his tournament debut for Madrid as a substitute, but it was Gonzalo Garcia’s 54th-minute goal that made the difference in the game. Juve boss Igor Tudor highlighted the difficult conditions in Miami, saying in his postgame press conference that 10 different players asked to come off the field during the game. Tudor didn’t outright blame the loss on the high heat and humidity during the 3 p.m. kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium, but noted that they were among several factors that made the game a very difficult one for his side.

FIFPRO Makes Recommendations to Curb ACL Tears

Amid a rash of ACL injuries to women’s soccer players, FIFPRO has made some recommendations to cut down on the rate at which they occur. Rather than focusing on things that can’t be controlled, the federation has suggested modifying the calendar, number of games, and the playing surfaces. FIFPRO member Alex Culvin is calling for minimum standards in the women’s game relating to pitch conditions and access to physiotherapists. More research around risk factors is also necessary, as is implementing preventative exercises at the youth levels of the game.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

Summer transfer business is in full swing, so let’s catch up on some of the hot rumors currently flying around. First up, Arsenal is said to be in the final stages of signing Viktor Gyokeres to a five-year deal. Staying in the Premier League, Manchester United is reportedly interested in signing midfielder Fabian Ruiz from Paris Saint-Germain. Juventus reportedly is close to signing Jonathan David after his contract with Lille expired. Finally, Bayern Munich is reportedly preparing a formal offer for Liverpool for Colombian winger Luis Diaz.

Free Kicks

Apparently a non -#usmnt drone has crashed the training session. US Soccer staff aiming to identify it.

— Jeff Carlisle (@jeffreycarlisle.bsky.social) 2025-07-01T17:25:12.954Z

That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/1/25

Pride signings, OCB draws, both U.S. national teams in action Wednesday, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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July 1, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to July, Mane Landers. If you’re like me, you balanced the excitement and dread of the USMNT advancing on penalty kicks the other night. It was one thing watching Guatemala take out Canada but a whole other level of heart palpitating stress while watching the U.S. avoid a similar fate. There’s no time to relax with plenty of soccer to watch as we head towards Independence Day. Before we get to the links, please join us in wishing Orlando Pride/USWNT defender Emily Sams and OCB defender Clovis Archange each a happy birthday.

Orlando Pride Signings

The Orlando Pride announced a pair of transactions Monday. Midfielder Viviana Villacorta and the club have agreed to exercise the midfielder’s mutual option for the 2026 season. Villacorta was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2021 NWSL Draft. The Pride also signed midfielder Ally Lemos to a new contract through the 2027 season with a mutual option for 2028. The Pride selected Lemos with the No. 9 overall pick of the 2024 NWSL Draft. Orlando continues to lock down current players ahead of time. Now, we wait to see if any new players will be added.

OCB Earns a Point on the Road

Orlando City B played Philadelphia Union II to a 1-1 draw in a Monday afternoon match. Unfortunately, the Young Lions lost the end-of-regulation shootout 4-2 and did not get the additional point. Gustavo Caraballo assisted Jackson Platts on the early goal for OCB. Philadelphia equalized early in the second half. Carlos Mercado was the difference maker in the match, recording a career-high 12 saves.

USMNT’s Gold Cup Run Continues vs. Guatemala

The USMNT will face Guatemala Wednesday night in a 2025 Gold Cup semifinal match. The U.S. advanced past Costa Rica on penalties thanks to a stellar performance from goalkeeper Matt Freese. Guatemala stunned Canada with a second-half equalizer and advanced on penalty kicks. Guatemala has been the overachieving underdog of the competition so far. This will be the USMNT’s 17th Gold Cup semifinal appearance.

USWNT Hosts Canada

The USWNT will host Canada in a third friendly of this international window Wednesday at Washington, D.C.’s Audi Field. The U.S. is coming off two 4-0 victories over the Republic of Ireland. Canada should prove a tougher opponent for Emma Hayes’ squad. There is a possibility that the match will feature two Orlando Pride players — Emily Sams for the U.S. and Zara Chavoshi for Canada. Kerry Abello has returned to her club team after picking up a knock.

Free Kicks

Sources: Bayer Leverkusen are finalizing a deal to sign USMNT attacker Malik Tillman from PSV.Deal in region of $40m.

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert.bsky.social) 2025-06-30T20:36:24.359Z
  • Former Orlando Pride midfielder Erika Tymrak has retired from professional soccer.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for Orlando City’s match against Charlotte FC this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

Orlando City Striker Ramiro Enrique Hindered By Inconsistency

Ramiro Enrique’s inconsistent play raises the question if he can be the go-to striker Orlando City desperately needs.

Published

3 days ago

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June 30, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City’s strike force has been inconsistent this season, to say the least. At times, the players up top have looked like they can score at will, but at other times, they struggle on chances they should finish. Nobody displays that inconsistency better than Ramiro Enrique.

Joining the Lions in 2023, Enrique has primarily served in a backup role for Ercan Kara, Duncan McGuire, and Luis Muriel. The young Argentine has had the occasional start, but ultimately ends up back on the bench, entering later in games. 

Orlando City acquired Muriel prior to the 2024 season when it appeared McGuire was on his way to Blackburn Rovers. However, the English side’s struggle with simple paperwork resulted in the Omaha, NE, native returning to Orlando. It left Oscar Pareja with some decisions to make.

The Lions often employ a 4-4-2 formation with a single striker and Muriel playing underneath. As a result, the three forwards all saw plenty of action in 2024.  Enrique started 12 games, Muriel 14, and McGuire was listed 18 times in the starting lineup. However, Enrique’s strong form near the end of the season saw him start 11 of the final 12 regular-season games and all five playoff contests.

Aiding Enrique’s playing time were injuries to McGuire. The 6-foot-1 striker suffered a shoulder injury on Nov. 9 in an MLS Cup playoff game against Charlotte FC, guaranteeing a starting spot for Enrique. As McGuire continued to work towards his return at the start of the year, Enrique took his place.

At times, it looks like Enrique is more than a substitute for Muriel or McGuire and can be the go-to scorer the Lions have struggled to find since Daryl Dike. But his inconsistency eventually returns, making it hard for Pareja to depend on the young attacker. That issue has been most noticeable during the two most recent games.

Putting shots on frame has been a struggle for the Lions this year, but it wasn’t for Enrique Wednesday night in St. Louis. After the Lions lost back-to-back games against Atlanta United and the Chicago Fire, Enrique was inserted into the starting lineup for Muriel. He took advantage of his opportunity in St. Louis, placing three of his five shots on target. He scored a first-half brace, giving his team a commanding three-goal lead after just 22 minutes.

In the seventh minute, Martin Ojeda sent a strong ball across the box that Enrique ran onto with perfect timing. He didn’t try to do too much, tapping the ball in on the slide. After Marco Pasalic made it 2-0, a bad turnover in the 22nd minute gave the striker a second chance. He was in on goal and made no mistake, slamming the ball past Roman Burki to make it 3-0.

The performance had many wondering if the team had finally found the striker it had been looking for since McGuire went down. But it wasn’t to be as Enrique reverted to his inconsistency with a poor performance in Saturday night’s 2-1 loss to FC Cincinnati.

The striker was unable to put any of his three shots on target, but that’s only part of the story. It’s how he failed to score that was the bigger problem.

In the 51st minute, Pasalic forced Brian Anunga into a turnover just outside the Cincinnati box. Enrique made a run toward the near post and Pasalic found him. The striker should’ve had no problem putting the shot on target, but he hit the ball with his left foot as his right came through, knocking the ball out of play for a goal kick.

He had a chance to redeem himself in second-half stoppage time with the Lions looking for an equalizer. Rafael Santos played a beautiful ball to the near post that only required a slight touch to beat Roman Celentano. However, the striker sent his header well wide, squandering a golden opportunity to claim a point.

These two games show the inconsistency that has plagued Enrique throughout his Orlando City career. He’ll look to be in excellent form and ready to claim the starting striker role, only to follow it up with a poor performance. It’s something that has held the Argentine back since his arrival and continues to do so this year.

Even more troublesome, it leaves Orlando City without a dependable striker. McGuire can’t seem to get over his shoulder problems, and he is currently on the sidelines again while he recovers from surgery on the opposite shoulder to the one he hurt in last year’s playoffs. Muriel and Ojeda often partner each other up top, but both are more comfortable in midfield positions.

Injuries and players in uncomfortable positions provide Enrique with the perfect situation. Consistent scoring would assure Pareja that he can depend on the 24-year-old to produce the goals his team has been searching for. But the striker can’t seem to put it together over the span of multiple games.

He’ll have plenty of opportunities in the near future to win the position he undoubtedly craves. McGuire’s absence due to injury and Muriel’s preference to play underneath means Enrique will likely get more playing time. However, he needs to show more consistency if he wants to hold onto the starting spot long-term.

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