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Orlando City vs. FC Cincinnati: Final Score 2-1 as Wasteful Lions Beaten at Home

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3 years ago

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It was a wasteful night for Orlando City at Exploria Stadium. Despite dominating the stat sheet, the Lions (1-1-1, 4 points) couldn’t find the goals to beat an FC Cincinnati (1-2-0, 3 points) team that had not scored entering the match and fell 2-1 at home. It was FC Cincinnati’s first win in the series.

Brandon Vazquez’s brace accounted for the first two goals Orlando allowed this season and they were enough to offset Junior Urso’s first-half goal for the Lions. At the other end, goalkeeper Alec Kann made several big saves to help his team win its first match of the year.

“Difficult accepting that we didn’t get a result tonight,” Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “Obviously you can’t hide that feeling, especially after the effort that the boys (gave) during the game. The boys tried from every single angle in the first half and the second half and we were not effective putting the ball in the back of the net. This is the game. You get points when you score goals.”

Pareja made just two lineup changes from last Saturday at Chicago. Pedro Gallese took up his customary spot in goal behind a back line of Joao Moutinho, Robin Jansson — returning from suspension — Antonio Carlos, and Ruan. Cesar Araujo and Urso started in central midfield behind an attacking midfield line of Alexandre Pato, Mauricio Pereyra, and Facundo Torres. Designated Player striker Ercan Kara got his first MLS start at the top of the formation.

Orlando City controlled much of the first half but Cincinnati looked dangerous in transition. Vazquez sliced a shot across the front of goal that skipped just wide of the far post in the eighth minute.

The Lions got their first opportunity in the 10th minute when Carlos played a ball to Ruan over the top down the right side. The fullback sent in a cross for Kara that was flicked toward goal but the shot was blocked by a defender.

Yuya Kubo skied a shot well over the frame in the 12th minute but Cincinnati found an opener a minute later. Alvas Powell sent a ball across the midfield that found its way to Luciano Acosta. The midfielder slipped Vazquez in behind the defense and he beat Gallese 1-v-1 to make it 1-0 in the 13th minute. It was Cincinnati’s first goal of the season and the first conceded by Orlando in 2022.

The Lions got back on the front foot but the visitors dug in deep and made it difficult. Torres shook loose on the left in the 16th minute but he was at a severe angle and his shot was wide. A minute later, Torres sent in a great cross that Pato got his head onto but Kann made his first outstanding save of the game. It wasn’t his last.

In the 22nd minute, Pato found Kara in front and Kann made an outstanding save on the Orlando DP’s header. Two minutes later, Moutinho got to the end line and sent in a dangerous cross at the top of the six. Kara was sandwiched between two defenders and couldn’t redirect it in. He was down for a moment grabbing his leg, but was able to continue.

Carlos sent a header on frame on a set piece in the 26th minute but Kann again made a great save to keep the Lions off the board.

Orlando’s equalizer came in the 42nd minute. Torres sent a cross in from the left and Urso headed it into the left bottom corner of the net to make it 1-1.

That was the last scoring chance of the half and the teams went to the locker room knotted up.

Orlando City had more possession (65.7%-34.3%), better passing accuracy (82.5%-72.5%), and had more corners (3-1), shots (8-4), and shots on target (5-1).

The Lions came out of the locker room strong, winning an early corner. The ball pinged around off the set piece and someone in the scrum sent a looping shot toward the back post that missed wide.

Vazquez nearly scored his second goal in the 51st minute off a Cincinnati corner. A cross in from the flag found Vazquez, who nodded it toward the lower left corner of the goal. Gallese was able to get across and keep it out. A foul prevented the visitors from getting a rebound opportunity.

But just two minutes later, Vazquez completed his brace. A ball down the left side found Dominique Badji. Ruan did well to run the forward down but rather than play safely he went in for a shoulder-to-shoulder challenge and was knocked down. That allowed Badji to cross in for an easy Vazquez header, making it 2-1 in the 53rd minute.

The visitors nearly put the game away in the 58th. A set piece from distance was headed back across the area. Kubo had a free run at it but sent his header wide of goal.

Orlando settled back into the match and controlled most of the second half the way it had done in the first, but Cincinnati stayed compact defensively and fouled every time Orlando beat someone to minimize the Lions’ attacking threat.

Pereyra went for goal from distance in the 60th minute but missed the target badly. Pato fizzed a shot just over the bar from roughly the same spot in the 62nd.

The Lions got caught up the field in the 64th minute and Vazquez nearly completed his hat trick. He tracked down a ball, splitting the Orlando center backs and Gallese was well out of his net. The goalkeeper came out and made himself big, but Vazquez got his shot through. Luckily, the shot sliced wide.

Benji Michel came on for Araujo and was active in the match but wasn’t able to turn the tide. He won a couple of corners but the service was poor and the Lions wasted the set pieces. Pato sent Michel down the right with a beautiful pass in the 83rd but the winger smashed his shot into the outside netting.

Carlos got his head to a corner kick cross in the 85th and once again Kann made a sparkling save to keep preserve his team’s lead. The rebound fell behind the onrushing Michel at the back post and Cincinnati was able to clear.

A couple of poor Ruan crosses late in the match wasted some potential opportunities to equalize. The right back sent the first one weakly into the side netting from just inside the right edge of the penalty area in the 88th minute. He overcooked one out for a goal kick from the wing in the 91st.

In between, substitute Sebas Mendez and Jansson were able to keep the deficit at just one goal by making vital sliding blocks to break up a Cincinnati counter.

The best chance to equalize came in the fourth minute of stoppage time. A cross into the box deflected to an oncoming Pereyra. It was on his weaker left foot and the midfielder sent his shot high and wide left on yet another wasted opportunity.

The whistle blew just shy of the five minutes of stoppage indicated, despite the fact that Kann was booked for time wasting during the added minutes.

FC Cincinnati led on the scoreboard despite Orlando City’s advantages in shots (17-9), shots on target (6-3), possession (69.4%-30.6%), corners (7-2), and passing accuracy (84.6%-63.1%).

The Lions continue to send a high percentage of shots off target or get them blocked — a trend that has been a problem through three matches so far.

“I would like to have that answer,” Pareja said of his team’s wasted opportunities in front of goal. “I think in this game, when you are in the last 20 or 30 yards, when you’re getting closer, everything is tighter, and you have to have composure, for sure. You have to have the talent and the quality. And sometimes you have to be lucky too. There are things to work on for sure.”

“I feel like we played a very good game. Even though they executed their game plan really well, and they were good on the counters,” Moutinho said. “They had a few balls in behind and they really hurt us when they had a chance. And that’s what football is all about, I guess. But yeah. Very disappointed. I feel like we should have won the game.”

“I do really want to remark (on) the character that the boys had today,” Pareja said. “Unfortunately we couldn’t get the result but I saw this team fighting all the time and that’s the spirit that we want to have with this team.”

The Lions head out on the road for the next two matches, starting with a Saturday afternoon tilt at the L.A. Galaxy next Wednesday.

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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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18 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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