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Orlando City vs. D.C. United: Final Score 1-0 as Lions Fall on Another Late Heartbreaker

Sometimes soccer is terrible and dumb, like when you outplay two straight opponents at home and have nothing to show for it, as Orlando City has done its last two outings at the Citrus Bowl.

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10 years ago

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Nick Leyva, The Mane Land

For the second straight home game, Orlando City outplayed a 2014 MLS playoff team, only to yield the game’s only goal on a set piece in the dying moments — falling 1-0 to D.C. United at the Orlando Citrus Bowl.

Second-half substitute Luis Silva scored from just outside the box in the 91st minute, curling a kick over the wall and off the hands of a diving Donovan Ricketts to send a huge crowd of 32,822 home brokenhearted. Again.

Orlando City (1-2-2, 5 pts) second-half sub Carlos Rivas had a similar chance to answer 90 seconds later, but his free kick from 30 yards away was just a few feet outside the left post with a lot of steam on it.

It was the same script as last time against Vancouver, as the Lions largely outplayed last season’s Eastern Conference champions for 90 minutes and had more than their share of excellent scoring chances, but couldn’t finish, sending shot after shot either just wide or too close to goalkeeper Bill Hamid, who made five saves on 17 Orlando shots. D.C. (3-1-0, 9 pts) finished with 11 shots and also had five on goal.

City had more corners (9-4), open play crosses (22-12), duels won (44-41) and possession (52.4%-47.6%) but again came away with no points and the Lions still have only one deflected free kick goal in three games at home this season.

“It’s not very often you create as many chances as we had and not score a goal,” said Head Coach Adrian Heath after the match. “I feel for the players, they’ve done everything they can to win the game.”

D.C. United didn’t get many scoring chances, but the best ones came after halftime. Sean Franklin’s wide-open chance sailed well over the bar 11 minutes after the break when he shook free of Brek Shea and a header away from danger by Aurelien Collin fell right to him.

In the 68th minute, Conor Doyle and Chris Pontius somehow failed to put three sitters into the net in rapid succession, as they were robbed by Ricketts, Shea, and Ricketts again.

Rivas, Kevin Molino, Amobi Okugo, and Cyle Larin combined to provide the Lions’ best second-half chances, but the first three of those players missed wide and Larin’s shot was in the center and easy for Hamid to handle.

Orlando City was dangerous throughout the first half, with a number of good chances, but veteran goalkeeper Hamid and the right post kept the Lions off the scoreboard through the first 45 minutes.

“We did a lot of good things so we’re going to focus on that,” said Okugo after the game. “We’re not assassins in that final third and we end up getting punished.”

“You guys killed us,” United Head Coach Ben Olsen told Okugo after the match. “I don’t know how we won.”

City’s first few good chances came off set pieces, as the Lions attacked the box on some early corner kicks. The first chance fell on Kaká’s cross to Shea, who had just regained his footing after falling to the turf. The USMNT left back couldn’t dig the ball out of his boots for a shot.

Off another corner at the 18-minute mark, Kaká played short to Shea, who fired in a beautiful left-footed cross. Okugo got his head to it, but thumped it just wide to the right. Seven minutes later, another corner from Kaká found Collin in the box, but his header was pushed wide left.

The attack only increased from there, as Orlando became more dangerous after replacing an injured Pedro Ribeiro, who appeared to pull a hamstring trying to fight off Kofi Opare to get a shot on the rush. Ribeiro was replaced by Larin, who had an immediate impact on the offense.

Four minutes after coming on, Larin had a shot blocked at the top of the box by defender Bobby Boswell. He was played in alone moments later but was (seemingly quite wrongly) judged offside. At the 30-minute mark, the Canadian international earned Orlando a free kick, as he continued to leave a mark on the match.

Shea produced the first golden opportunity 31 minutes in with another sensational cross to Molino, who took a bit of a heavy touch and then rocketed a shot off the right post from a tough angle. Two minutes later, Molino’s scoop pass set up Rafael Ramos, who was denied by a sliding Hamid.

D.C. United did manage a few dangerous plays in the first half. At 33 minutes, United worked a free kick about 30 yards out in a dangerous spot, but Tyler Kemp skied his shot well over the bar. Minutes later, Kemp got free down the left side and slid a cross into the bos, but Okugo and Seb Hines were there to clear the danger.

Play opened up for the remainder of the half, with Molino again getting robbed by Hamid at 41 minutes off a Kaká pass. The Trinidadian had Larin to his left for a sitter, but did not see him. Kaká continued his display of brilliance with a run up the right side and a perfect pass to Larin, who chested down but volleyed well wide at 43 minutes.

D.C. worked a couple of Chris Rolfe chances before the half, with the first easily saved by Ricketts on a shot from the top of the 18-yard box and the second sailing wide on a gorgeous volley.

Before the whistle blew, Larin got a third shot off, heading down yet another service from Kaká, but right at Hamid.

Orlando City enjoyed a 53.7%-46.3% possession advantage in the opening half, along with an 8-4 shots advantage and 3-1 edge in shots on target. But for Hamid, Orlando might have led by three goals.

Regardless of how they’ve played, and much of the night you could argue it was their best performance of the season, Orlando City has only one point in three home matches. That’s not going to get it done at any level, and they must start finishing and reaping the rewards for carrying the play.

The Lions won’t have to try to score a goal at the Citrus Bowl again until April 26, with two road games coming up against Portland and Columbus.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/3/25

Orlando Pride loan five players out, Orlando City academy players selected for All-Star Team, USMNT beats Guatemala, and more.

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20 minutes ago

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July 3, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

How’s it going, Mane Landers? It’s been a weird week for me so far, as it’s felt simultaneously like it’s flying by and taking forever for the weekend to get here. All of the soccer has been nice at least, and I’ve been able to get some reading and painting done when not swamped. But enough about me, let’s dive into today’s links!

Orlando Pride Loan Multiple Players Out

The Orlando Pride loaned out five players for the rest of the 2025 season, with four of them joining USL Super League teams. Forward Amanda Allen, who was loaned to Lexington SC last year and injured her shoulder in December, is headed to her home country of Canada to join Halifax Tides FC in the Northern Super League. As for the players headed to the USL Super League, right back Brianna Martinez will join Carolina Ascent FC, goalkeeper Kat Asman and forward Mariana Larroquette were loaned to Lexington, and Aryssa Mahrt was sent to Spokane Zephyr FC. These loans should provide solid opportunities for minutes for these players, so hopefully they can make some noise with their respective teams.

Orlando City Academy Players Make All-Star Team

The rosters for the 2025 MLS NEXT All-Star Game are out and Orlando City B midfielders Gustavo Caraballo and Dylan Judelson were both selected for the event. The East All-Stars will be coached by Orlando City SC Academy Director Javier Carrillo, who also coached Orlando’s U-18 team to victory in the Generation Adidas Cup this year. Caraballo was named MVP of that tournament’s U-18 age group and scored 16 goals over the course of the MLS NEXT season. Judelson appeared in 32 games for Orlando this season and could factor into Canada’s U-17 World Cup plans come November. The MLS NEXT All-Star Game will take place on July 21 and can be viewed on the MLS YouTube channel.

USMNT Takes Down Guatemala in Gold Cup

The United States Men’s National Team secured a spot in the Concacaf Gold Cup final after winning 2-1 against Guatemala in St. Louis. The Yanks got off to a hot start thanks to Diego Luna’s brace in the first 15 minutes of the match. The offense wasn’t able to extend the lead beyond that though, and a late goal by Olger Escobar made the match a bit more tense the U.S. would have liked. Regardless, the U.S. got the job done in the end and will play in Sunday’s final in Houston.

USWNT Breezes Past Canada in Friendly

The United States Women’s National Team beat Canada in convincing fashion, shutting out its northern rival 3-0 in a friendly. Sam Coffey and Claire Hutton scored in the first half to give the USWNT a nice lead, and Yazmeen Ryan came off the bench to put the nail in the coffin with a late goal. The defense did well to claim its third clean sheet of this series of summer friendlies. Emily Sams didn’t make an appearance for the U.S., and Zara Chavoshi didn’t come off the bench for Canada either.

NWSL Announces Layout For 2026 Schedule

The 2026 NWSL regular season will kick off on March 13 and finish on Nov. 1 according to the league’s announced framework for next year’s action. Although there will be 16 teams next year, the playoff format remains the same and the top eight teams in the standings will qualify, with the 2026 NWSL Championship set for Nov. 21. There will once again be a balanced schedule, with each team playing 30 matches over the course of 27 weeks. The league will also notably be on break for a majority of June due to the FIFA World Cup, citing expectations to accommodate stadium demands in markets where World Cup games will take place

Free Kicks

  • Boston Legacy FC signed American midfielder Annie Karich as its first player ahead of its inaugural season next year. Karich spent the past two seasons with SC Freiburg in Germany and joins Boston as a free agent.
  • San Diego FC forward Anders Dreyer was named MLS Player of the Month after recording three goals and six assists in June. He leads the league with 23 goal contributions this season and is a major reason behind San Diego’s rise to the top of the Western Conference standings.
  • Atlanta United bolstered its defense by signing Albanian center back Enea Mihaj to a contract through 2028. The 26-year-old joins as a free agent after spending the past three seasons with FC Famalicao in Portugal top flight.
  • The 2025 Women’s European Championship kicked off in Switzerland, with Finland beating Iceland 1-0 in the first match of the tournament. Switzerland struck first against Norway, but Ada Hegerberg scored an equalizer and an own goal by Swiss defender Julia Stierli gave Norway the 2-1 win.
  • It seems the Concacaf co-hosts for next year’s World Cup will be able to serve suspensions in friendlies rather than missing out on the World Cup.

That’s all I have for you all this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/2/25

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

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1 day ago

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July 2, 2025

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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.

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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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